Bridge Street United Church - Belleville, Ontario

Cathy B.

I started volunteering in the kitchen to get over my fear of the homeless. It happened very quickly and everyone was so nice. Now I'm getting private lessons for joining the handbell choir; the choir director is wonderful. I understand the contract is over with for helping the homeless. The place is all cleaned up and they're welcoming back all of the people who stepped away. This is a really beautiful Church inside and they have tried to do so much for the community.

Moe

Met the most amazing people here, god bless. Staff work tirelessly to help this town. They deserve much support & they have my total respect.

D D.

This church is a Rock for those who need love, compassion and guidance in a world that is set on discarding the downtrodden. I went here to donate some items in person. I went inside to speak with one gentleman in particular who was in need of a bike to get to work. I was so fortunate that I had a bike to give. Fortunate to be able to give somebody something. That is just about the greatest blessing there is, not money, not people's admiration and respect. Yes, there are homeless people outside and inside the church walls. Yes, they loiter and smoke and take up the whole sidewalk. Try talking to them sometime - most of them are decent people who fell on hard times. Even if you do drugs or have a criminal past, you are not beyond God's love and mercy. There was even a rep from CMHA present to help anybody who has mental health issues, and most of us do these days. Other than that, church volunteers are there to talk to. Coming on here to give a good review of this establishment, I am appalled and saddened to see that so many people in this city have so little tolerance for the homeless and the destitute. Where is your Christian compassion for those less fortunate than yourselves? If I could, I would give you people the 1-star rating that you crudely and thoughtlessly gave to this church.

Krista J.

Dirty and disgusting. Churches are supposed to help people - not condone and endorse abhorrent behaviour at the cost of all the citizens who try to live a decent life. Shameful.

wicked T. M.

Absolutely disgraceful to the religion itself. This church now unfortunately no judgment here, but is filled outside at any given day even on a Sunday, people with addictions out front all day long. My friends and I don't even want to go this church anymore. It makes me feel uneven going back to the car. My friend who has children won't even go back here and walks across the street. You can find dirty niddles and people yelling and legitimately at any time smoking drugs out front in plain sight. It's okay to want to help people that are less fortunate and help them get back in a horrible time of need of course anyone who's struggling needs the extra hands. At what cost though? The public doesn't feel even safe walking on that side of the street the church is on. Doing drugs, drinking and some even do it inside. That's okay by the word of God? It goes everything against religion stands for and this is not the place to be hosting such events. 7. Days. A. Week. It is unsafe to walk around or in at any given day. Koodoos Bridget Street Church! And the staff running the other sister company inside the church. The staff there helping the less fortunate and people who really need help aren't even doing a good job in maintaining all the crazyiness that is going outside and INSIDE a church. This beyond disrespectful and I am starting a mass online vote to get this program to a different spot that is a church. Everyone in the community is sick of it.

V M.

Absolutely abhorrent and shameful what this church has done to the city of Belleville. Bringing in harden criminals every day that inflict pain and suffering on the residence of a growing city is absolutely despicable and should be stopped. Shame on you! A church is for the homeless and the suffering not for hardened criminals that have just gotten out of jail looking for a place to start up their life of crime. Speak with any police officer in Belleville and he or she will tell you how serious the problem is since the church started taking on criminal society to profit from because they have no other means to pay their bills. Residence in Belleville do not feel safe going out at night, The downtown core is empty because of this problem, multiple businesses are closed because of this cancer brought to the city of Belleville via the united church. i’ve bid for a class action lawsuit against United Church.

David P.

I visited the ID Clinic that was being offered in the basement and was given excellent advice. Also received a snack bag free of charge.

H L.

STOP DISTROYING OUR CITY!!
YOUR SELFISHNESS HAS DESTROYED BUSINESSES, HOME VALUES, OUR SAFETY AND THE CITY'S REPUTATION.

You choose to destroy a city, just to get Government money.

Belleville used to be a beautiful city, but you have destroyed it! SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!