Spring/Summer 2013
Transcription
Spring/Summer 2013
Red Roof Homes First News Spring/Summer 2013 Table of Contents With a Home You Can… Have a pet . . . 2 Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP . . . .2 Shu Liang – Volunteer since August 2012 3 Reg Downie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 At Home in 2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Donor Honour Roll . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Personal Care Collection Campaign . . . .6 Spring Gift-in-Kind Wishlist . . . . . . . .6 New Volunteer Opportunities . . . . . . .8 Sprott 2013 Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Homes First volunteer Krystyna Crabajales organizes a trip to the Toronto Zoo for residents of Homes First, November 2012. Introducing Hearts & Hands Volunteer Program At Homes First, providing the homeless with a home is just the first step. The next step is helping maintain that home. Research shows that people who are connected to their community, who are engaged and feel useful, have a much better chance of staying housed. They are healthier and use less social and health services. With this in mind, Homes First is pleased to announce the launch of our Hearts & Hands Volunteer Program. community members with opportunities at Homes First. Michelle is a musician who lives in the west-end of Toronto. She wanted to give back and do something for our residents. Michelle was matched with Savards, our shelter for women with mental illness. She drops in when she can and plays some of her own songs and happily takes requests. She provides a welcome escape from life at a busy shelter. Ron recently moved into our house in Kensington Market – Bellevue. He is in his late 50s and is very organized and loves to keep things tidy. Ron’s apartment is likely the cleanest in Homes First. When we created “The Caring Closet” – a With a home you can… With a home you can garden. And with a garden you can plant flowers, grow your own vegetables and spend time in the sunshine. We also know that with a garden you can heal. Gardening has physical, mental and social benefits and can make a tremendous difference to the quality of life and recovery of our residents. It can be therapeutic for Hearts & Hands is an those who’ve dealt with trauma integrated two-way initiative and mental illness. With a garden matching our residents with there is hope. This spring Homes volunteer opportunities in their First is Putting Down Roots – a neighborhoods and matching Garden – continued on page 8 Hearts & Hands – continued on page 2 homesfirst.on.ca With a Home You Can… Have a pet Tanya wanders around Strachan House clutching a black and white kitten. “Her name is Snooky. She looks exactly like her mother,” she says. I ask if she has any toys. Tanya beams as she talks about her plans: “I’m going to buy some toys that I like and hang them from the wall”. Having a pet not only provides comfort and companionship; it can also be beneficial to your health. Owning a pet can decrease levels of depression and anxiety, improve social interaction, boost self esteem and improve quality of life. When you lose touch with your friends and family and can’t get a job there is little to smile about. One of the most common links to depression is loneliness; for someone who has experienced trauma, homelessness and who may be struggling with mental illness, the unconditional love and reliability of a pet can make all the difference. Tucking the beloved kitten into her cardigan, who much like herself, once needed a home, Tanya beams. Tanya has a home, Strachan House. And with a home, Tanya can have Snooky. Special thanks to years of support from Helmutts Pet Supply Supporter Spotlight Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP The children of Chris Little, a partner of Filion Wakely, assemble a Homes First gingerbread kit Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP is dedicated to making a difference in the community and is one of Homes First’s most generous donors. Established in 1982, Filion Wakely has since developed a strong Canadian and international presence and reputation as one of the country’s leading boutique management-side labour relations and employment law firms. Formerly Winkler, Filion & Wakely, the firm changed its name after one of its founding partners, Warren Winkler, became a judge in 1993. Justice Winkler is currently the Chief Justice of Ontario. The firm is comprised of 34 lawyers working in offices in Toronto and London, Ontario, and it has a well-established commitment to excellence over its decades of service to business, government and industry. Filion Wakely is committed to excellence in community service and is a proud supporter of Homes First. Firm members take part in charitable work across Ontario, provide subsidized or pro bono legal services and sit on the Boards of various organizations. With a particular focus in social housing, women’s support groups and community, the firm has a vested interest in helping those who need it most. Hearts & Hands – continued from page 1 small room filled with donated clothing and accessories open to residents once a week to go 2 Homes First – Everybody needs a home “shopping” (items are free), Ron was the first person we thought of to help organize and run the Closet. Ron is using his skills and abilities to help his neighbours, he logs volunteer hours, and he has responsibilities for the first time in 20 years. With Hearts and Hands, everyone can get involved and make a difference. This program would not be possible without the generous support of: ◆◆TR Meighen Foundation ◆◆Ontario Trillium Foundation Volunteer Spotlight Shu Liang – Volunteer since August 2012 Shu Liang isn’t your typical volunteer. She spends one day a week at Savards, our shelter for women with a long history of homelessness and mental illness, teaching laughter yoga; an exercise that helps turn frustration into elation. Returning to Toronto after three years away, Shu was surprised by how many homeless people were on the streets. A friend suggested volunteering with Homes First. After bonding with the residents at Savards as an administrative volunteer, she wanted to do something more to help the women. Shu first turned to laughter yoga in dealing with the loss of a close friend. Now, as a certified instructor, she specializes in this unique activity combining standard yogic breathing with exhales of laughter through the use of eye contact and playfulness. When a woman in her class mentioned she was starting a session at her community centre, it clicked that Shu could do the same at Savards. As a stress reliever, she encourages the women to laugh about a situation that either frustrates or annoys them. “[A lot of people don’t realize] that laughter is exercise, and that if you laugh for no reason and are playful, it helps with social interaction… we’re not laughing because something is [necessarily] funny, we’re laughing just to laugh” says Shu. Shu not only sees the psychological benefits for the women, but also for herself. “Volunteering makes me happy. It’s not just about giving back to the community, it’s also about giving back to ourselves”. In the words of Bill Cosby: “You can turn painful situations around through laughter. If you can find humor in anything, even poverty, you can survive it”. No one believes this more than Shu. She has not only experienced the healing powers of laughter yoga herself, she has also given the women at Savards reason to believe that laughter truly is the best medicine. Have a gift that you can share with our residents? Call us.416-214-1870 Staff Profile Reg Downie Reg Downie has dedicated the past 13 years to helping others as a Homes First community housing worker. It is his passion for making a difference in the community that fueled his career and has made him a well-respected and valued employee of Homes First. When Reg came to Canada from Jamaica in 1976 he first worked at Bell Canada. He then tried various automotive companies but none were a good fit. He felt he should be serving his community so he was thrilled when the chance came to join Homes First. Reg’s family, who all work in social services and are actively involved in their Church community, were his inspiration. “My mother worked [at a hospital] for 21 years. And I do a lot of community and housing work [at my Church] especially around Christmastime,” he says. “We cook for people who don’t get a Christmas…and I like that”. Through both his Church and at work, Reg likes interacting with people of various cultures and experiences. To share a bit of his own culture with others, Reg likes to cook what he calls ‘soul food’ – a combination of rice, peas, potatoes and either chicken or beef. It is always a hit with the residents. “It’s always nice when they like the meal I cook and thank me for it”, he says humbly. Reg believes Homes First does a great job serving the homeless in Toronto. We believe it is the dedication, care and commitment of our frontline staff that makes Reg poses on the runway at this year’s Homes First one of the leading fashion show at Strachan House housing providers in Toronto. homesfirst.on.ca3 At Home in 2012 Cary and Patricia enjoy an afternoon of games and decorating Valentine’s Day cupcakes at our Scarborough Shelter Crystal, 10, Felicia, 3, Jade,16 and Kyle, 3, make gingerbread houses just in time for Christmas at our monthly Crafts for Kids program at Meegwetch. Homes First resident Penny confidently shows off her selection of second hand apparel at Strachan House fashion show 4 Homes First – Everybody needs a home Residents and staff at our Scarborough Shelter sport their home-made tie-dye t-shirts to head out for a community cleanup on Earth Day As a fresh start to Spring, staff member Misty and resident Joyce paint the balcony at Savards on Mother’s Day Sign up for our e-newsletter with your smartphone! Or email [email protected] Homes First staff and residents pose for a group photo before hitting the runway at the annual Strachan House fashion show in October. Top (L-R) Angela, Ivan, Jamie, Lesley, Janice Middle (L-R) Tanya, Cat, Anne, Joyce, Walter, Penny Bottom row: C-C, Anne-Marie, June homesfirst.on.ca5 Donor Honour Roll Thank you to our major donors of 2012 for their generosity and support Akler Browning Frimet & Landzberg LLP Sandra Barton Paul Beeston Sarah Boulby Beate Bowron David Chernos CHUM Charitable Foundation Donald Dodds Gabriel Eidelman Graeme Clark Holdings Inc. Robert & Ellen Eisenberg Estate of Murray Powell Filion Wakely Thorup Angeletti LLP F.K. Morrow Foundation Lorraine Gauthier Helmutt’s Pet Supply Inc The Home Depot of Canada Foundation J. David Hulchanski J.P. Bickell Foundation J.S Cheng & Partners Inc Alison Mackay Mary McCall Carl McGee Ontario Trillium Foundation Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP The Paloma Foundation School Sisters of Notre Dame of Ontario Scotiabank Megan Shortreed TD Friends of the Environment Foundation T.R. Meighen Family Foundation Westaire Airconditioning & Heating Ltd G.R. Williams Loreta Zubas Personal Care Collection Campaign Welcome 3 new partners! Accenture is a global management consulting company, with 259,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries across all industries and business functions. Through Accenture’s Skills to Succeed corporate citizenship focus, Accenture is committed to equipping 500,000 people around the world by 2015 with skills to get a job or build a business. Accenture is working with Homes First on its Personal Care Collection Campaign. Accenture employees collect and donate those little hotel toiletries every time they travel. S-Trip! unites student travelers on unforgettable experiences around the world. This year, more than 30,000 students will travel to 15 unique destinations across North America! Check out www.s-trip.com to learn more about the #TripofaLifetime. S-Trip! has invited over 100 of their internal staff to collect and donate personal care items during their travel during the March break. They have set up a donations box at their office. We are also excited to introduce The Friends of Jesus Christ Canada in Scarborough who have generously donated boxes full of personal care items to our Scarborough shelter in March. This small community church also runs a food bank in Scarborough and continues to collect personal care item donations for Homes First. Spring Gift in Kind Wish-list Our residents need some Spring items: ◆◆New or gently used lightweight rain jackets and rain boots ◆◆New running shoes ◆◆New socks ◆◆Umbrellas ◆◆Garden supplies: ◊Gloves, aprons ◊Tools: Shovels, spades, rakes, trowels, wheelbarrows, watering cans, grow lights ◊Seed-starting and potting: Containers, peat moss, fertilizer 6 Homes First – Everybody needs a home Things we always need: ◆◆Pots, pans, dishes, silverware, coffee pots, small appliances (toasters, microwaves) ◆◆Toiletries ◆◆Blankets, sheets ◆◆Board games ◆◆Books ◆◆Puzzles To donate your stuff email [email protected] If you’d like to help out with our gardening program email [email protected] To order: www.homesfirst.on.ca or 416-395-0203 Tie One On Do you have a flair for fashion or a serious sense of style? Then don’t miss Tie One On, our great new fundraising event. Hosted by CTV Fashion Television’s Jeanne Beker, the evening features an auction of ties and scarves once owned by some special Canadians. Justin Trudeau, Jack Layton, Margaret Atwood, Shelagh Rogers, Tom Mulclair, Serena Ryder…the list goes on and on. With 30 famous ties/scarves to bid on we’ll honour thirty years of Homes First serving the homeless in Toronto and raise $30,000 needed for clothing and support programs. Guaranteed fun night out and you might go home with the tie you’ve always dreamed of owning. The event is on May 8th at Revival in Toronto. Tickets are $50 and include a drink, food and live music by The Swamp Yankees. Tie One On Whose tie will you buy? May 8, 2013 - 6 PM Revival, Toronto Sponsors: homesfirst.on.ca7 New Volunteer Opportunities Newsletter Editor Do you have experience in writing and editing and a passion for working with people? We are looking for a volunteer to assist as an editor for our resident newsletter. Responsibilities include establishing a production schedule, sourcing content and overseeing the bi-annual distribution. Time commitment: ◆◆2 year term ◆◆4-6 hours/month, heavier around newsletter publication dates To apply email volunteer@ homesfirst.on.ca, subject line Newsletter Editor Spring Cleaning Team Are you keen to help us clean? We are looking for teams of 6 to tidy up some storage space and do a post-winter grounds clean up and annual planting at 3 Homes First properties. Gather a group of your friends, bring your own supplies and dedicate a few hours of your day to giving us a fresh start this spring. If you have a team in mind or want to be part of an existing one, email [email protected], subject line Spring Cleaning homesfirst.on.ca Sprott 2013 Challenge Double the power of your gift to Homes First this year! The Sprott Foundation will match any new donation to Homes First for Savards. The Sprott Foundation is dedicated to addressing homelessness and hunger in Canada. The Foundation has pledged to match any donation made to Homes First for Savards this year. Savards is a shelter for women with a long history of homelessness and mental illness. With new funds we can repair and renovate the shelter’s garage Garden – continued from page 8 gardening program for residents and neighbourhood volunteers. The gardens offer a welcome respite from the often chaotic life in a shelter or on the street. Residents develop gardening skills, get active, and potentially add fresh herbs and vegetables to their modest food stores. Horticultural programs are a natural, inexpensive and accessible form of treatment for people suffering from a mental illness. Gardening can result in lower levels of depression, a heightened sense of responsibility and improved nutrition; by taking care of a garden, residents are also taking care of themselves. Administrative Office 90 Shuter Street, 2nd Floor Toronto, ON M5B 2K6 P: 416-214-1870 [email protected] Donations P: 416-395-0203 [email protected] 8 Homes First – Everybody needs a home to create a space for workshops, therapy group sessions, nurse visits, art classes and musicians who come and play for the residents. This space allows for growth, healing and community. It creates space for volunteers to connect with our residents and a quiet escape for those overwhelmed by the chaos. To make a Sprott Challenge Donation visit our website at www.homesfirst.on.ca and click “Please donate”, then select “In support of The Sprott Foundation Challenge” Thank you for your support! The gardens are a community project for people of any age and skill level. Whether you’re a resident, staff or volunteer you are invited to participate. A special thanks to our program funder the TD Canada Trust Friends of the Environment Foundation. Are you a Gardener? We are looking for volunteer gardeners for Spring-Summer 2013. Share your knowledge and your passion for all things green and join one of our gardens. Time commitment is a minimum of once a week for 2 hours. Please contact [email protected] For Information on housing applications & central waiting list P: 416-395-0913 [email protected] Volunteers P: 416-395-0912 [email protected] Charitable Registration # 86584 3932 RR0001