100 WWCG Supports Chalmers Community Services Centre

As COVID-19 continues to race around the globe, and our society continues to experience massive disruption, Chalmers Community Services Centre is the latest local charity to be supported by 100 Women Who Care Guelph.

Food insecurity has become even more of an issue throughout the pandemic, and CCSC’s Food Pantry program is struggling to keep up with demand. In 2020 CCSC served 11,914 guests, many of them for the first time. That amounts to over 300 visits per week to the Pantry.

Chalmers does not require proof of need from any of their guests, simply a first and last name on their first visit, thus removing any barriers to accessing their services.

The “community” part of CCSC is central to their purpose, with many guests in turn joining the army of over 90 volunteers. Volunteers great guests outside (masked and physically distanced) and chat with them until it is their turn to enter and choose their food, helping create that sense of community and belonging so important in these difficult times.

With this most recent $10,000 donation from 100 Women Who Care Guelph, CCSC will be able to provide 645 full grocery baskets, almost a month’s worth for every person coming through their door. 100 WWCG is proud to support this community effort.

Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 WWCG Supports the Guelph Black Heritage Society

The Guelph Black Heritage Society is the latest charitable organization to be funded by 100 Women Who Care Guelph.

In these troubled times, there is an increasing demand from Guelph residents to explore  Black History, and to develop an understanding of the social issues of importance to Black Canadian communities. Heritage Hall, located at 83 Essex Street, began as the Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church and was founded by Black migrants, many of whom were fugitive slaves from the American south who came here via the Underground Railroad. Their history in Guelph is long and rich, and the Society is a valuable resource as our community looks for knowledge and understanding.

The Guelph Black Heritage Society has created a project called “Change Starts Now” in response to this increased interest. Educational programming events at Heritage Hall, as well as on-line information resources, are in the process of being developed. They are also working on a resource library, a treasure trove of information to be made available to our local school boards. In addition, the donation from 100 WWCG will provide a badly needed new front door for Heritage Hall, symbolizing a “Welcome” to all.

It is important for everyone to be able to tell their own story. This donation will ensure that the Guelph Black Heritage Society’s story, detailing Black history from the Underground Railroad right through to today from a local perspective, can be widely disseminated throughout our community.

Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 WWCG Provides COVID-19 Support to the Children’s Foundation

Tough times call for creative solutions, and these are indeed tough times. When our society was put on lock down, local charities saw an immediate increase in need, and yet had many of their usual fundraising events cancelled. 100 Women Who Care Guelph created a virtual meeting format for July, and is delighted to offer their latest donation to the Children’s Foundation of Guelph and Wellington to help fill that gap.

The goal of the Children’s Foundation is to nurture the well-being of the whole child – physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally. They have created two new programs to address issues made even more urgent by COVID-19.

Many children rely on food programs at school as a primary source of nourishment for the day. With schools being closed, and those nutritious meals off the table, the Children’s Foundations created their Fresh Food for Kids program, which delivers 540 family food kits weekly to over 1,400 children and youth. Due to urgent food insecurity needs, this vital program will continue through the summer months.

There is no doubt the social isolation we are all feeling is even more potent for children. With so many recreational programs cancelled this summer, the Children’s Foundation has created a Free to Grow at Home initiative, providing kits comprised of books, games, puzzles, arts and crafts, and outdoor games to bring fun, creativity, and learning to kids this summer.

With this donation from 100 WWCG, the Children’s Foundation plans to provide 150 recreational kits, significantly reducing their waiting list, as well as to bring nutritious food to 100 kids this summer.

Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 Women Who Care Guelph Contribute to Food4Kids Guelph

100 WWCG quite literally “stepped up to the plate” by voting to support Food4Kids Guelph at their latest quarterly meeting.

While there are many programs in Guelph that offer in-school breakfast or lunch programs, a gap remains on the weekends. Food4Kids, a charity begun here in 2017 and run entirely by volunteers, works to bridge that gap by providing healthy, nutritious food for children who are facing severe food insecurity at home.

There have been as many as 500 children within the city of Guelph that have been identified as being food insecure. Parents may often struggle with work commitments or financial restraints which make it difficult to access food banks and food pantries. Going home for the weekend and facing empty cupboards and fridges, and the empty stomachs that come with that, is daunting for the children. That’s where Food4Kids comes in.

Every week, the volunteers assemble food packages, each of which costs $500 per child per school year, containing a mix of fresh and dried goods. Those packages are then delivered to the school on a Friday, and are placed into the backpack of the child to take home. Once a child is identified as being food insecure, the schools ensure that all children in that household are included so there is enough food for everyone. They are currently feeding more than 167 children from 10 schools, with more on the waiting list.

The benefits of adequate and consistent nutrition on the immediate, short, and long-term developmental outcomes for children is immense. Chronic hunger affects everything from physical and mental health, to academic success.

100 WWCG contributed their latest $13,000+ donation towards reducing child hunger in our city.

Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 Women Who Care Guelph Helps At Risk Teens

At their most recent quarterly meeting, 100 WWCG chose to support The Children First Fund of Family & Children’s Services of Guelph and Wellington County.

In January 2018, Family & Children’s Services were handed the additional role of supporting 16-18 year olds who are no longer eligible for foster care, and thus struggling to make it on their own. Children in that situation have no parental or family support, and find themselves adrift, living on their own with extremely limited financial resources. They are at risk of homelessness, mental health issues, and drugs, and can fall prey to human trafficking.

There are 90 such children in our community.

By investing their $13,000+ donation in the Youth Education and Transition Support program, 100 WWCG was able to offer assistance in two very different ways.

Firstly, the funds will be used to support kids in two different streams. If the child is going on to college or university, they will be provided with a $400 set-up kit consisting of a backpack and other necessary supplies. In the second stream, where kids have found work, a $1000 worth of kitchen supplies, bedding, towels, and furniture will help them transition to living on their own.

That is the easily quantifiable gift 100 WWCG was able to offer. Of equal importance, but far more ephemeral and long lasting, is the emotional impact the donation will have on the lives of the children. Many of them have a limited vision for themselves, accompanied by poor self worth. The one lesson they have learned, and they have learned it very well, is that they are on their own.

The second gift 100 WWCG was able to offer was belief: belief that each child is worthy of support; belief that each one can succeed; belief that there is much more to them than where circumstance has landed them; belief that there is a path to a bright future.

Who knows where that gift will lead?

Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 Women Who Care Guelph, a grassroots fundraising organization, has donated $250,635 to local charities over the past five years.

 The Guelph chapter launched in October of 2014 with 99 members, who selected Hospice Wellington and their Art Therapy program to receive their first collective donation. Five years and 20 donations later, the membership stands at around 150 members, and it was the latest donation to Hospice Wellington for their sun room revitalization that saw the group surpass the $250,000 dollar mark.

 Between the two Hospice donations the group has supported a wide variety of local charities, including the Guelph Public Library, Sunrise Therapeutic Riding and Learning Centre, Ed Video, Rainbow Day Camp, Alzheimer Society, North End Harvest Market, and the Drop In Centre, to name a few. A full list, along with the heartfelt thank you speeches from the chosen charities, can be found at www.100womenwhocareguelph.com.

 The concept is elegant, the impact enormous. Each member commits to attending a one hour meeting and making a $100 donation four times a year, with the donation going to a collectively chosen local charity. Guelph wins, every time.

 Thanks to a committed and passionate membership, 100 WWCG will continue to have a big impact in Guelph as they begin their sixth year at their next meeting, to be held at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre on Thursday, October 17th at 7:00pm.

 New members are always welcome. There is no such thing as too many caring women in a room.

 Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 WWCG Invests in Hospice Wellington Sunroom

Hospice Wellington was chosen to receive the latest donation from 100 Women Who Care Guelph, with funds being allocated to reconfigure and outfit their sunroom.

Hospice offers palliative care in a nurturing environment to those in our community facing death. Their 10-bed residence is built around the concept that end-of-life care deserves as much beauty, care and respect as the beginning.

They achieve this by providing an at-home setting that feels warm and cozy, as well as being a tranquil space for families. Hospice is about living before dying, and their sunroom provides a wonderful oasis for families to gather and celebrate special moments, everything from weddings and anniversaries to baby gender reveal parties. It is also a peaceful space for snuggles with a beloved grandchild, the sharing of memories, or reflection and planning.

After nine years of service, Hospice would like to breathe new life into their sunroom. New furniture and a new configuration will allow for even more family members to be able to spend precious moments with their loved one in a beautiful setting. 100 WWCG is happy to provide their assistance to make that desire a reality.

Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 WWCG Buys Beds for Society of St. Vincent de Paul

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a lay catholic organization with branches found around the world, has been active in our community for decades, with the goal of serving those in poverty among us with love, respect, justice and joy, regardless of religious affiliation, and with a heavy emphasis on the personal touch.

By visiting and making person-to-person contact with those in need, the Society gets an in depth look at what is truly required by a family or individual.

Many of us are familiar with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul through their resale store on Elizabeth St., but their presence and impact in our city goes far beyond that essential service.

They provide home visits, food, clothing, bedding, kitchen supplies, and furniture to those in need. St. Joseph Conference encompasses every household west of Edinburgh Road – from north to south – a large segment of our city.

One of the most obvious needs, and one of the most expensive, is the purchase of new beds. Because of sanitation and health concerns, used beds are not accepted for donation. St. Joseph Conference alone buys on average five single and three double beds every month, which takes up a considerable portion of their available donated funds, even with discounts from the local bedding stores.

By selecting the Society of St. Vincent de Paul St. Joseph Conference to be the recipient of their latest quarterly donation, 100 Women Who Care Guelph ensured that beds could be provided for the next 20 months. Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

100 WWCG Replaces Lost Government Grant for Rainbow Day Camp

As 100 Women Who Care Guelph learned Tuesday night, a critical piece of funding for Rainbow Day Camp’s Inclusion Program, a grant from the provincial government, has just recently been cut. 

Rainbow Day Camp has been providing different summer day camp experiences for kids of all abilities here in Guelph for 40 years. Their Inclusion Program, which is at the core of their philosophy, mixes kids of all abilities for a week long day camp. In the process, they are teaching empathy, patience, acceptance, and inclusion. What we learn as children carries over into adulthood, and empathy (or lack thereof) is a critical skill that can have a profound affect on a society.

While this program goes right to the heart of what they are trying to impart, it is also one of the most expensive due to the one-one care needed for each special needs child for the week they are at camp. There are five spots for each of the eight weeks of the program, and a personal support worker is essential for each of those children.

Having lost the grant, over the course of the summer instead of being able to offer the program to 40 special needs children, they would only be able to offer it to 16, a 40% reduction in the number of spots, and an incalculable loss to the children and families they are trying to support. It is one of their most popular programs, and with registration due to open in a month, Rainbow Day Camp reached out to 100 WWCG for support.

The personal story of a 7 year old girl overheard explaining to her nervous and protective mother that “the young autistic boy who had become over excited and was flapping was nothing to worry about, because he was actually really happy and the flapping was just a part of who he was”, is exactly what that program is all about – removing the fear of the “other” and replacing it with understanding and acceptance.

By choosing Rainbow Day Camp to be the recipient of their latest quarterly donation, 100 WWCG ensured the program would be fully funded for this summer, helping raise the next generation of caring men and women here in Guelph. Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.

Welcome In Drop In Centre receives support from 100 WWCG

The women of 100 Women Who Care Guelph responded to the pressing need to provide a wide range of medical services to those most marginalized in our community. For those on the fringes of society because of poverty, mental illness or addiction issues, the difficulty of purchasing ancillary medically items that fall outside a medical or drug plan can be daunting. Thanks to this $12,000+ donation, the Drop In Centre can now provide assistance with extraneous medical expenses, such as the purchase of eye glasses, hearing aids, and walkers, with accessing much needed dental care, with providing cab fare to the hospital, as well as assisting with prescription medications not covered by any other plan – all things considered essential for good health care, and which most of us take for granted.

Since its founding in 1983, the downtown Drop In Centre has been a central hub offering critical support services to those in need. Thanks to the vision of its founder Sister Christine Leyser, and an army of volunteers, hundreds of at risk individuals in our community can find the assistance they need.

The Centre serves over 100 meals every day, provides emergency shelter, and can connect individuals with resources for mental and physical health, substance abuse, trauma counselling, and legal aid. They even provide veterinary care to pets (and their owners) that are homeless or precariously housed.

Truly, all are “Welcome In” to the Drop In Centre.

Investing in our community, now and for the future, is what 100 WWCG is all about. Visit www.100womenwhocareguelph.com for more information or to join 100 WWCG and help support those in need in our community.