Pastor Sandie Thomas admits her dreams are big and her budget, all but non-existent.

Starting back in November, Thomas, who heads a local Christian congregation called Spiritual Blessings Lighthouse Ministries, has been issuing news releases that tout her plans to build a new community centre in London, with a particular focus on serving the Black community.

The project is called W.E.A.N., which stands for We Are Here Now.

"What that signifies is that we are no longer depending on other people, we're doing it on our own," said Thomas.

Thomas says the community centre will operate as a subsidiary of her church and provide a wide-ranging set of services, everything from a library to a basketball court, from a business incubator to affordable residential rental units.

Her vision is to provide a place that is welcome to all Londoners regardless of their faith and with a primary focus on empowering the Black community, and helping its members overcome systemic racism.

"It's a place where we all belong, a beacon of hope for London, Ontario," she said.

Her news releases have touted other services the community centre will offer, including programs focused on literacy, health and wellness and life counselling.

Thomas says the community centre will charge an annual membership fee for access to the services: $25 per person, $100 for families. Thomas said her group is affiliated with Crossroad Ministries, a Christian faith media company best known for the long-running television show 100 Huntley Street.

For now, Thomas and about a dozen members of her group are operating out of an office space at 717 Richmond Street in a building owned by Farhi Holdings Corp.

However, she says her eventual plan is to purchase a Farhi-owned building at 379 Dundas St. and retrofit that space to include an event venue which she says will operate as a church and include offices for the other services. Tentatively, she hopes the move to Dundas Street can happen by August, 2021.

It all sounds expensive and Thomas says so far there is no government money in place for this project, though she says she's looking at grants. When asked if this all seems implausible, Thomas says her motto is to dream first, then go after that dream regardless of any barriers in the way.

"You know when God says to do something and you follow him, he will supply your every need," she said. "We can absolutely do it. I always say, 'Think it, say it, believe it and achieve it.' And that's my motto."

On Friday, Thomas will host what she's calling a soft launch of the W.E.A.N project at the Richmond Street office via Zoom. She's hoping the event will stir community interest along with donations.

"We want to let people know who we are and what we're doing," said Thomas. "And we want the community to walk along side of us."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.