Open 365 days a year, The Salvation Army's Centre of Hope in Port Hardy, B.C., provides food, shelter, showers, laundry, clothing vouchers, food hampers, free tax filing, weekly legal-aid access and mental-health referrals—and something harder to put on a list: a place where people are seen, known and prayed for by name.

In my backyard, gazing at stars beyond counting, I’ve sometimes wondered, Why so many, God? I like to think of stars as God’s patio lanterns; they leave me wondering if He is not the ultimate showman, providing flashy, attractive clues that He’s there, that He can be known. That we are loved.

Located in Toronto, Gateway Linens provides employment for people facing significant barriers, including addiction and homelessness. It also offers something less tangible but just as vital: routine, support and dignity. But for Hussein Hasham, it has become something more—it is where he is rebuilding his life.