Thank you for inviting us back today.

In April, the members of 100 Women Who Care chose to support the Home for Good
Campaign. On behalf of everyone involved in this work, thank you. Your collective gift is
helping create permanent solutions to homelessness in our community, and today I’d
like to share how your donation is being used and the impact it will have for years to
come.

When we first spoke with you, we talked about a simple reality: too many people in our
community are experiencing homelessness. We shared that housing is a proven
solution, and that local organizations are working hard to respond to increasingly
complex needs. We also explained that the Home for Good Campaign exists to raise
community dollars that help build permanent housing solutions while reducing the
fundraising burden on the charities doing this work every day.

Your gift became part of that solution.

The funds contributed through 100 Women Who Care were directed toward the Home
for Good Campaign and are helping support the Welcome 2 Waterloo project,
Wyndham House’s newest supportive housing initiative for youth in our community.

Located at 107 and 109 Waterloo Avenue in Guelph, Welcome 2 Waterloo is creating 13
housing units designed specifically for young people who are experiencing or at risk of
homelessness. Ten of these units will provide deeply affordable supportive housing with
24-hour wraparound supports, while three additional units will offer transitional
independent living opportunities for youth who need a different level of support.

But what makes this project so important is not simply the number of units being
created. It is what those units represent.

For many young people, homelessness is not simply the absence of housing. It is the
daily experience of instability, trauma, isolation, and uncertainty. It means focusing every
day on survival rather than education, employment, health, relationships, or future
goals.

Your gift is helping create a place where young people can move beyond survival.

The Welcome 2 Waterloo building has been intentionally designed to support
independence, dignity, and long-term success. Residents will have access to safe,
comfortable living spaces, on-site supports, and a community that helps them build life
skills and confidence. The project has also been thoughtfully designed to support youth
whose circumstances can make traditional congregate housing difficult, including young
parents and individuals who have experienced domestic violence or human trafficking.

Because of supporters like you, these young people will have more than a roof over
their heads. They will have stability. They will have support. They will have an
opportunity to heal and to build a future.

We have already seen what happens when supportive housing becomes available in
our community.

Through the Home for Good Campaign, community donations have helped create
permanent supportive housing at 10 Shelldale, Grace Gardens, and Bellevue. Together,
these projects have added 72 permanent supportive housing units to Guelph
.
The results have been transformative.

Residents who once cycled between shelters, hospitals, encampments, and emergency
services now have stable homes. People who spent years focused solely on survival
are reconnecting with healthcare, pursuing education, volunteering, building
relationships, and contributing to their communities.

One resident of supportive housing shared, “For the first time in years, I feel safe.”

Another said, “Housing didn’t just give me a place to live. It gave me back my voice, my
confidence, and my future.”

That is the impact your gift helps make possible.

And perhaps most importantly, your donation demonstrates the power of collective
action. The Home for Good Campaign has raised more than $2.6 million – one
donation, one contribution, and one cheque at a time. Every gift joins with others to
create something much larger than any one donor could accomplish alone.

When 100 Women Who Care selected Home for Good, you weren’t simply funding a
building project. You were investing in young people, in dignity, in health, and in a
stronger community.

You were saying that homelessness is not inevitable, that permanent solutions are
possible, and that everyone deserves a safe place to call home.

On behalf of the Home for Good Campaign partners, and the future residents of
Welcome 2 Waterloo, thank you for being part of that solution.

Your gift is helping transform lives, and its impact will be felt for generations to come.

Thank you Tannis and Good evening everyone,

I’m honoured to be here with the 100 Women Who Care Guelph chapter.  Because of you, something powerful is happening in our community.

Your gift of $19,347 is not just a number. It is connection. It is dignity. It is hope for people living with dementia—and for the people who love them.  I want to share a quick story.

I recently met a husband named John and his wife, Mary. Mary is living with dementia. Before joining Minds in Motion, their world had become very small. Social outings felt overwhelming. Conversations were harder. And John was carrying a lot on his own.  Then they found Minds in Motion.

Each week, they come together to move, laugh, and connect with others who understand their journey. Mary lights up during the exercise and activities. And John? He told me,

“FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, I DON’T FEEL ALONE.”  That feeling—  that relief, that joy  —  is what you made possible.

Because of you, more families like John and Mary can step into a safe, welcoming space where they are seen, supported, and valued.  You are not just funding a program. You are restoring moments of joy. You are strengthening relationships. You are giving care partners the strength to keep going.

And that matters more than you may ever fully see.

On behalf of everyone at the Alzheimer Society Waterloo Wellington—and every family you are lifting up—thank you.

Your compassion is changing lives, one moment at a time.

If you are moved to do more I have a couple of options for you.

First, You can join our annual Walk For Alzheimers.  This nation-wide event supports local front line work. All the funds raised go to ASWW’s therapeutic recreation programs like the one you just supported. The walk is at Riverside park this year.  Click this link to register

Second, and maybe more important you could become a volunteer and help out at any of our therapeutic recreation programs. You can sign up to register on our Website, Click here to volunteer.

Again, thank you so much for your generous support.

Good evening, everyone,

I am so grateful to be here tonight to say a heartfelt thank you to 100 Women Who Care. Your support has been pivotal — a true springboard moment for the Guelph Gateway Trail.

While nothing has been built yet, your generosity has made something just as important possible: we now have a fully funded, detailed design budget of $170,000. This is the crucial step that allows us to move forward in a thoughtful, professional, and safe way.

With this funding, in the first quarter of 2026, we will begin working with engineers and other third-party experts to secure the detailed design for the project. This is the blueprint stage — the foundation for turning vision into reality.

Your support has also leveraged additional commitments of $150,000 from key trail partners, including the Trans Canada Trail and the City of Guelph. Together, these contributions mean we are fully prepared to move forward in 2026, and your impact is already being multiplied.

If you would like to follow our progress and see your contribution in action, I invite you to visit our website, sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on social media. We want to keep you updated every step of the way — because this project is made possible by you, and your support deserves to be celebrated.

On behalf of everyone at G2G Rail Trail, thank you again for your generosity, your trust, and for being a catalyst for this next chapter of the Guelph Gateway Trail. Your contribution is truly helping to bridge gaps, build connections, and create a lasting impact in our community.

Kind regards,
Willow Hall, ED

Good Evening, 100 Women Who Care,

It is such a pleasure to be here with you again this evening.

I can’t begin to express the gratitude of everyone on the Michael House team for your
over-the-top generosity and goodness to us. Over $18,000 was raised by you, this
amazing group of caring women. That is so amazing and incredible to think about.

As I shared the last time, I was with you, Michael House has 2 separate live-in
programs that support single moms and their little ones as they learn and grow, adapt to motherhood and learn how to do life as single moms. Once they move into the
community, we have our family outreach program that continues to provide life-changing and ongoing support.

It is through our programs that the moms begin to see themselves in a light that says I
can do this, I am capable of change, I want to become the best mom I can be
regardless of the circumstances I was raised in or am leaving behind to raise my child.

The resilience of our women is profound and is encouraging to all of us on the team as
we walk alongside them on their journeys.

Our counselling program continues to walk with our moms as they deal with big things
to overcome and that continues to be a game-changer in their lives and is making the
difference from surviving to thriving. This amazing gift to MH is helping to fund our
programming. These funds will be used for our group counselling, our parenting
programs, our life skills programming and our one-on-one counselling which has given
us the ability to plan and prepare and serve into the needs of our families for over 6
months. THANK YOU!!

So, thank you for walking with us, for your gifts, your generosity and your support. We
cannot do this work without the time and effort from many community members. And it blesses me so much to see us as women linking arms and helping other women
through the ups and downs of life.

Karen Kamphuis, ED of Michael House

Good evening everyone. My name is Crystle Avery. It is my pleasure as the Executive Director of Chalmers Community Services Centre to report back to you and thank the 100 Women Who Care for your incredible support.

After being chosen as your charity in April, 176 members supported this choice. We are extremely grateful to all of you. This very generous support comes at a time when the needs in our community are growing by the month. As folks in Guelph feel the impact of these uncertain economic times, the number of guests accessing our services at Chalmers is also increasing. We have seen this both in our three weekly food pantries and in our cafés.

As the demand for food increases, thanks to all of you, we are now in a much better position to order more food which we have already started doing. Last Thursday at our west location, we served 231 food baskets. This was a record for us for one day. As the lineups grow longer, Chalmers is committed to ensuring that no guest or family leaves without a complete food basket. More and more families are turning to us for help and we must be there for them.

Your generous support is helping us meet the needs of these guests. We are ordering more food and have expanded our food pantry distribution. Thanks to you, we have put oranges, eggplant and cheese permanently back on the food line. Our guests are thrilled that they once again have these healthy options to feed to their families. I often hear exclamations of delight as our guests go down the food line and see the amazing choices. They are incredibly grateful. And so are we.

Our Monday and Tuesday cafes downtown are also seeing increased numbers of guests walking in the door. A typical café morning would normally see 25-30 guests. Two weeks ago, we had 54 guests on a Tuesday morning! Our volunteers couldn’t believe how many folks there were. One of the guests commented that he had not eaten since the previous Saturday. We were very shocked by this and worked hard to make sure that he left with food that he could eat. Many of our café guests experience housing insecurity as well, so thanks to your support we are able to purchase more packaged food that does not require cooking for these folks.

This trend of growing numbers seems to be continuing. Last week we had 43 guests on Tuesday. Remember an average morning would see 25-30 guests in the door. These increased numbers are a signal to us that more and more folks are struggling with food insecurity. Your donation has made it possible for us to increase the food that we provide during these cafes. Both in choice and in volume. Our cafe guests are so grateful that they have a place to go where they can have hot coffee, fresh pastries, breakfast and a sense of community. And our volunteers are very grateful as well. We all find it very hard to turn guests away due to lack of food. Your donations are ensuring that we do not have to do this.

In conclusion, every dollar that you have donated is being spent on food. It is ensuring that we will not have to turn guests away and children will be fed. Thanks to you we now have cheese, oranges, and eggplant on the food line again. Thanks to you, we are able to purchase more food to meet the increased demand. Together, we are providing folks in Guelph with a safety net in these very turbulent times. As our community of Guelph struggles with higher unemployment and higher prices, Chalmers is committed to being ready to help them get through this. And the donations from the 100 Women who Care are ensuring that we can respond to the needs of thousands of guests and their children. Together, we are making a tremendous difference. Together we are showing that we care! On behalf of our guests, we say thank you to the 100 Women Who Care. We are very grateful for your support! Thank you for supporting Chalmers.

Good evening everyone,

I want to start with the most heartfelt thank you. A few months ago, I stood here and shared the story of Ronald McDonald House Charities South Central Ontario — our mission, our work, and the very real impact it has on families from Guelph whose children need to be at McMaster Children’s Hospital.

And you responded. Over 170 of you raised your hands — not just to give, but to say: “This matters.” That kind of collective action is powerful. It tells us, and it tells the Guelph families we serve, that their community is walking beside them in one of the hardest moments of their lives.

Thanks to your generosity, RMHC SCO received over $17,000 in donations. And in the short time since your gift, we’ve already welcomed 17 Guelph families through our doors, 8 of whom are STILL living there today. We have provided over 212 nights of comfort, rest, and home-cooked meals. Tragically, two of those families experienced the unimaginable loss of their child — and we were there with them through it all, offering support no hotel room or waiting area ever could.

This is why RMHC exists. We are not just a place to stay — we are a place to be held. A place to breathe, to grieve, to hope. And we do that with no government funding. We ask families for $12 a night if they can afford it — but our real cost is over $250 a night. And while McDonald’s supports us through things like McHappy Day and Round-Up, that covers just 30% of what we need to operate. The rest — 70% — comes from donors like you.

Your support is especially meaningful because we operate in Hamilton, yet serve families from across the region — and it can be easy to feel “outside the bubble” of some local giving. So for a group like 100 Women Who Care Guelph to look beyond city limits and say “these are our people too” — that’s not just generous. That’s transformational.

Your support matters — not just because of the dollars, but because of the message. When 170 women in one city stand up to say, “We care about this,” it creates momentum. It sends a message to other donors, to corporations, and to decision-makers that this is a cause worth paying attention to.

But even more powerfully, it tells Guelph families — you are not alone. Even when you’re far from home, your community has your back. That kind of leadership — from women like you — creates ripples. It says, “We take care of our own, even when they need to leave the city to get that care.” It helps more than just with the dollars — it builds visibility, it opens doors, and it tells future funders and families alike that this is a cause that matters here.

Because the truth is: families from Guelph will continue to need to travel for pediatric healthcare. That’s a reality. And so building a strong network of care and compassion for them on that journey is not just important — it’s essential. You are now part of that network.

And tonight, I’d also like to acknowledge someone who represents another important piece of this growing community of care — our Board Chair at RMHC South Central Ontario, Paul Matteis. Paul is also a proud member of 100 Men Who Give a Damn Guelph, and his presence here tonight means so much to us. He understands firsthand the power of collective giving and the difference it makes when a community shows up for its families.

I’d love to invite Paul to say a few words and help us close out this full-circle moment. Before I pass it over, from all of us at RMHC, and from the Guelph families who have walked through our doors this year, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Meaghan Moore,
Director, Advancement & External Relations
RMHC SCO

What your donation has done for our community!

A refugee claimant family newly arrived in Canada on November 12th and had been living in a shelter since their arrival. Due to limited space within the shelter, they were occupying one room for the whole family. The family consisted of 8 family members: 6 children and two parents. Based on their limited resources, the family was selected to be beneficiary of ISGW temporary housing support.

Family #1
A 2-bedroom accommodation with 5 beds was arranged for the family to move in by December 23, 2024, until end of March 31, 2025. With our support they have begun the process to receive refugee status. They have already received their Acknowledgment of Claim and UCI number, and they have done their medical as well. They had an appointment on December 17 at 8:00am with IRCC officer in Kitchener.

With our staff support the father, mom and youth all have work permits and need help to get a job. Driver’s license has been translated by our TIPS program.
To further support their successful integration, they have received the following:
1) Work permit
2) SIN number
3) Welcome card that gives them a bus pass, access to YMCA and orientation information.
4) They completed an English assessment
5) Referred to several employers as they are super keen to work.
6) We have registered the children in school. Waiting for next step to check documents at each school: Central Public School, Willow Rd Public School and GCVI.

Family # 2
A three-person family with a mother expecting another child had been staying in our shelter. They were selected to be beneficiary of ISGW temporary housing support. Given the mother is expecting and has a two- year-old child we felt it was prudent for us to support with a temporary housing solution. A 2-bedroom basement was arranged for the family to move in by December 23, 2024, till end of April 31, 2025. The unit
is fully furnished and even a crib was prepared since they are expecting new baby in March 2025. Since their move in date, the father started working and hopes to stay at his current residency.

ISGW staff and board of express our sincere appreciation for your generous contribution. With your help 7 children and one expecting mother are warm and safe tonight! It may not seem like a lot but imagine where they would be if you had not supported our mission to help newcomers who choose the City of Guelph
as their home!

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

Hope House Guelph Extends A Huge Thanks to 100 Women Who Care

It is so good to be back. My name is Jaya James and I have had the privilege of being
the Executive Director of Hope House Guelph since November 2016.

On June 24, 2024, I had the honour of presenting to you, on the affordability crisis that
so many in Guelph are facing. I shared how a growing number of Guelphites must make
increasingly difficult choices like choosing between paying rent and buying food.

Warm with gratitude,

Jaya James
Executive Director – Hope House Guelph

Good evening, everyone.

I am deeply honored to be here tonight to express our heartfelt gratitude for your incredible generosity. On behalf of the Guelph Wish Fund for Children, I want to thank each and every one of you for your donation of $15,500. Your kindness and compassion have truly changed the lives of many children and their families, putting smiles on their faces and giving them hope and joy during challenging times.

Your support has made a profound impact on children like Arya, who is just one year old and suffers from a rare form of epilepsy known as KCNA2. Arya is one of only three cases in Canada and the youngest in the country. Her family needed a specialized monitor that alerts them when a seizure occurs, with the results going directly to her doctor. Thanks to your generosity, Arya’s family can now ensure her safety and well-being, giving them peace of mind and allowing them to focus on cherishing every moment with her.

Maisie, a four-year-old with Mosaic Trisomy 15, a rare chromosomal anomaly syndrome, has growth restrictions, congenital cardiac anomalies, and craniofacial dysmorphism. Maisie loves camping, and her family’s dream was to create lasting memories together in a camping trailer. Your donation made this dream a reality, allowing Maisie to experience the joy and adventure of camping, surrounded by
the love and laughter of her family, including her brother and sister.

Then there’s Weston, who needed a wheelchair lift for his home. Weston’s mobility challenges required significant adjustments to his living environment to ensure he could move around safely and independently. Your contribution provided him with the necessary lift, greatly enhancing his quality of life and enabling him to navigate his home with ease.

Owen, who was born with a cranial disorder, needed two helmets and underwent surgeries to correct his condition. Owen is now four years old and full of energy and enthusiasm. He had a simple wish: to have a water table and a rock climbing wall at home. Your generosity made this possible, bringing immense joy to Owen as he plays and explores, building his strength and confidence.

And finally, Liam, a 16-year-old with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, a genetic degenerative disease that affects his eyesight and development. Liam finds joy in playing with Lego and collecting vinyl records. His family also used some of his wish fund to go on a movie site tour at Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii during a family vacation. Seeing where some of his favorite movie scenes were filmed and the props up close, including the vehicle that Steven Spielberg himself used in a Jurassic movie, was a dream come true for him. Your support has allowed Liam to continue indulging in his passions, bringing happiness and a sense of normalcy to his life.

These stories are just a few examples of the countless lives you have touched with your kindness. Your donation is not just a financial contribution; it is a gift of hope, love, and joy. You have made dreams come true, provided comfort in times of need, and given these children and their families precious moments to cherish.

Thank you for believing in the mission of the Guelph Wish Fund for Children and for being a a bright light for these children. Your generosity reminds us all of the incredible power of community and compassion. Together, we are making a profound difference, one wish at a time.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you from all of us at the Guelph Wish Fund for Children.

Good evening,
My name is Danielle Gignac, and I am the coordinator for the Guelph-Wellington Master
Gardeners. It is my great pleasure to be here tonight to thank you for your incredible
donation and to share with you some of what we are doing in our community.

The Master Gardeners of Ontario Inc. is an organization dedicated to providing science-
based sustainable horticultural information to the public. The Ontario Ministry of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) began the Master Gardener Program in
1985, but it is now an independent nonprofit organization. Each region operates as an
independent group under the provincial umbrella. The benefit of this is that members of a group reside in the area they serve, and so can be most effective in their service and provide relevant advice to the particular growing zone.

Master Gardeners receive their certification after completing an educational component (consisting of a series of 3 or 4 university horticulture courses or self-study and a written exam) as well as 2 years of volunteering at 30 hours per year. After becoming certified, members must maintain continuing education as well as their 30 volunteer hours. These rigorous requirements ensure that members stay up-to-date in their knowledge and active in their service so that we can fulfill our mandate. With the overabundance of information available today, it is crucial that people have a trusted resource for unbiased scientific, authoritative information that is backed by practical experience and relevant to particular growing conditions.

Our volunteer activities typically include advice clinics at public events or garden tours;
answer questions through our telephone or email hotline; prepare and present garden
talks and workshops for both adults and children at local venues such as the libraries,
other horticultural societies or garden centres; speak on the radio; create online videos;
respond to gardening questions on social media platforms; and write gardening articles,
to name just a few! Last year, the members of our local group contributed a total of over 2000 volunteer hours in the Guelph-Wellington community.

We are an entirely volunteer-run organization. As a non-profit group focused on
information sharing, most of our activities do not require significant funds. Our
educational events, such as Day in the Garden, are typically offered at-cost to
attendees. Our May Plant Sale is usually the only fundraising event we have each year,
and this is used to cover expenses related to offering our normal services. As such, we
rarely have the opportunity to put together a program like we have been able to do with your generous donation.

You have enabled us to facilitate practical horticulture education for Grade 3 students at 20 Guelph elementary schools. We are able to support and enhance the current
curriculum by creating educational content as well as providing the actual materials and
equipment for students to practice what they learn.

The subject students will be taught is “relating science and technology to our changing
world by assessing ways in which plants are beneficial to society and the environment,
and ways in which human activity has an impact on plants and plant habitats.” We are
providing full growing kits for seed starting, which will support learning on plant growth
and health in general, as well as food security in particular–a growing concern in our
world today. The complete kits would include educational information for starting and
maintaining vegetable plants, a moveable multi-level rack, full spectrum grow lights,
light timer, soil, pots, seeds, labels, and necessary tools. All of this equipment will stay
with the schools and be able to be used from year to year, with only new soil and seeds
needed at a minimal cost. We are also providing teacher support to ensure the growing
process goes smoothly.

We see this program as having great potential to reach beyond the classroom as well.
With concerns around food security, we know these seed starting kits will be extremely
valuable for life skills that may be necessary for a child’s family either now or in the
future. As anyone who grows plants knows, there is also an emotional and
psychological element to the process. The joy and thrill of seeing our seeds germinate
or a bee pollinating our flowers is so good for our well-being. Studies have shown that
gardening is beneficial to mental health. Even with some disappointments with
germination or pests, gardening is ever hopeful. Every seed planted expresses our faith
in a future where it will grow and thrive. We need this more than ever.

All the materials have now been purchased and our volunteers will be assembling the
kits this weekend. On April 15, they will be delivered to the classrooms. We know these
growing kits will be an exciting addition to these 20 classrooms. Transformation begins
with education. By making growing plants accessible to kids, we are equipping them
with lifelong skills to contribute toward a sustainable future. On behalf of the Guelph-
Wellington Master Gardeners, I thank you so very much for supporting us to do this
work. We know the benefits will be far-reaching. You are planting a seed in the lives of
these kids – an act of hope for the future. Thank you.

Sharon Lewis and Tannis Sprott make a 100WWCG cheque presentation to Danielle Gignac of Master Gardeners of Ontario

(Photo Credit: Crista Renner)