Refuge of Souls Umbanda Temple

During this fiscal period the charity carried out two primary ongoing charitable programs that further its purpose to advance the Umbanda faith: worship services and religious education. Worship Services (Giras): We held regular public Umbanda worship ceremonies in rented community spaces in Toronto. These services are rooted in the sacred structure of Umbanda including preparatory rites spiritual cleansings mediumship ancestral guidance and healing practices. Services typically last 3–4 hours and are held monthly with 20–30 participants per session. They are led by trained volunteer mediums and priests and are open to the public at no cost. During these ceremonies we also collect food clothing and hygiene items to support vulnerable individuals. Ceremonies for life events (such as baptisms) are offered upon request in alignment with Umbanda’s spiritual doctrines. Religious Education Program: We offered free biweekly and monthly religious education classes online covering Umbanda’s foundational beliefs spiritual ethics and ceremonial practices. Curriculum includes topics like mediumship development sacred music spiritual healing and the cosmology of the Orixás. Practical components such as energy alignment chanting and spirit invocation are included to prepare mediums for active spiritual service. These classes are open to the broader community and advertised via social media with attendance ranging from 20–30 participants. All teachings are volunteer-led and conducted online. In addition the charity made a qualifying disbursement of $4 694 to a grassroots organization in Brazil to support the distribution of hygiene products and school supplies to vulnerable families. This supported our broader spiritual mission of service and compassion in alignment with our faith. All activities were carried out entirely by volunteers with no employees or paid contractors. Our board members and volunteers collectively contributed over 500 hours during the year to deliver these services.