Helping 200 Homeless Women
Donation protected
On January 24th, I will turn 40!
My husband had suggested we have a grand celebration with our family and friends, but after much thought I realized that I wanted so much more: the opportunity to help at least 40 women, people I’ve never met, but who are much like myself, or at least who I could have been had my life not turned out as fortunate at it did.
For years I worked in a shelter for homeless women and children, and as a student in Social Work I worked with street youth; in both circumstances the women who came to our agencies were in a state of crisis, needing genuine love, care and often were in need of a few emergency products to help them get settled and to bring a measure of comfort and peace to them during their time of distress.
The types of emergency items was always pretty similar to the following list: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, pads, body wash, washcloth, clean undergarments, etc. – all of which are pretty basic items of hygiene, that many of us would never think of being in lack of. Yet many of these women may enter a shelter without having these basic needs with them.
So, this is my birthday wish: to help at least 40 women… with the hope of helping even as many as 200, through putting together care packages containing many of these items, and distributing them both to a homeless shelter for women in Ajax and a drop-in centre for homeless youth in Oshawa.
The cost of putting together one care package is about $8 – please consider giving generously to help me meet this goal and be able to help provide for the needs of women and girls who are in need in our community. $320 would cover the cost for 40 women, if we can raise as much as $1600 we would be able to help meet the need of 200 women!
Also - if you are free on Tuesday, January 24 between 5:30PM and 8:00PM, please come out and celebrate with me, at the Audley Recreation Centre, as together we put together the packages for these women. There will also be cupcakes, balloons, and free face painting provided for the kids. Children will also have the opportunity to make a card or craft that will be added to the packages.
Thanks for “being the difference!”
<3
My husband had suggested we have a grand celebration with our family and friends, but after much thought I realized that I wanted so much more: the opportunity to help at least 40 women, people I’ve never met, but who are much like myself, or at least who I could have been had my life not turned out as fortunate at it did.
For years I worked in a shelter for homeless women and children, and as a student in Social Work I worked with street youth; in both circumstances the women who came to our agencies were in a state of crisis, needing genuine love, care and often were in need of a few emergency products to help them get settled and to bring a measure of comfort and peace to them during their time of distress.
The types of emergency items was always pretty similar to the following list: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, pads, body wash, washcloth, clean undergarments, etc. – all of which are pretty basic items of hygiene, that many of us would never think of being in lack of. Yet many of these women may enter a shelter without having these basic needs with them.
So, this is my birthday wish: to help at least 40 women… with the hope of helping even as many as 200, through putting together care packages containing many of these items, and distributing them both to a homeless shelter for women in Ajax and a drop-in centre for homeless youth in Oshawa.
The cost of putting together one care package is about $8 – please consider giving generously to help me meet this goal and be able to help provide for the needs of women and girls who are in need in our community. $320 would cover the cost for 40 women, if we can raise as much as $1600 we would be able to help meet the need of 200 women!
Also - if you are free on Tuesday, January 24 between 5:30PM and 8:00PM, please come out and celebrate with me, at the Audley Recreation Centre, as together we put together the packages for these women. There will also be cupcakes, balloons, and free face painting provided for the kids. Children will also have the opportunity to make a card or craft that will be added to the packages.
Thanks for “being the difference!”
<3
Organizer
Osmyn Reid
Organizer
Ajax, ON