Who are Chad & Théa?

Chad and Théa Polito joined the staff of Christian Direction Inc. in 2003. Théa met Chad in his home state of Pennsylvania while completing their undergraduate degrees at Messiah College. As they began their lives of service and ministry together, the doors opened to serve amongst the cultural mosaic of urban Montreal.

Chad is originally from Altoona, PA; he completed his bachelor degree in Christian ministries with a minor in youth and education. Chad is fun-loving with a great sense of humor and even greater compassion (this coming from his wife). He enjoys music, playing both the trumpet and the piano. He loves to tackle household projects with Théa, and enjoys gardening and cooking.

Théa is from Port Perry, ON; she completed her bachelor degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and her M.Sc. in Human Nutrition at McGill University with a thesis on infant cholesterol metabolism. Théa also loves gardening (environmentally friendly), household projects, music, cooking and going for walks to the park with the boys.

Both Chad and Théa work at outreach centers called the Centre Accroche (www.centreaccroche.ca) for at-risk youth, where Chad is the Director of the after school program Aide-aux-devoirs (Help with homework) and Théa serves as a dietitian to provide nutritional workshops and counseling. There are three such centers across Montreal in St. Laurent, Verdun and Ville Marie (Innovation Jeunes). Each center offers a particular focus, such as academics and homework, art, and food in order to connect with the youth.

The Centre Accroche in St. Laurent hosts two programs: Alternative Suspension, where students suspended from school pass their suspension under the guidance and supervision of the team at the Centre Accroche; and Aide-aux-devoirs, where students can receive tutoring free of charge, as well as mentoring and support.

The Nutrition Program is a combination of workshops that are both theoretical and practical. Students learn about the dangers of fast foods, healthy balanced eating (Canada's food guide), food safety and how to shop economically and nutritiously in a guided supermarket tour. Cooking classes also feature exciting and simple recipes and costing to demonstrate the economic advantages of homemade meals, lunches and snacks.

Montreal continues to become the home for hundreds of Muslim immigrants each year. Chad has assembled a Muslim Task Force to develop a strategy to reach out and welcome the Muslim community in Montreal. Currently 60% of the students that come to the center are Muslim.

Chad is also responsible for the youth program, the website and other logistical aspects of the provincial-wide Missions Conference, Missions en Fêtes (www.mefq.ca). For the past two years around 500 youth from across the province have attended this weekend.

Théa also works part-time at a prenatal nutritional counseling center for women in the Montreal area. They offer individual nutritional counselling to pregnant women, primarily with low-income, who are at-risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes (Low birth weight, Small for Gestational age, etc.) The center also works to provide a research base on the basic costs of living and eating, to provide tools to those living in poverty to improve their lifestyle and nutritional habits.

Their 2 year old son Mattéo enjoys visiting the Centre Accroche weekly, always bringing lots of energy and love. Little Aidan was born in September this year and looks forward to getting into everything that his big brother does!

We thank you for your prayers and support and are honored to serve as an extension of Faith Community Bible Church in Montreal!

How can I be involved?

Volunteer Tutors are needed to help high school students in all subject areas for our After-School Program. The majority of students are francophone, so the ability to speak French is a necessity. The minimum commitment is 1 day a week from 3:30-6:00pm. For more information please contact Chad Polito at (514) 334-7081 or cpolito@direction.ca.

Contact Information

Christian Direction
Attention: Chad & Théa Polito
1450 City Councillors Street, Suite 520
Montréal, QC
H3A 2E6

Phone: (514) 334-7081

Email: cpolito@direction.ca