Hope Mission

Hope Mission provides programs and services to people at site across Alberta. The offer holiday meals, a mobile support unit for people in crisis, shelters, assistance and wraparound support for long-term housing, addictions supports... the list goes on.

Edmonton, Calgary, Red Deer, and Wetaskiwin all have a Hope Mission presence. I've served dinner at Hope Mission; the name really is eponymous. Hope fills the air; people who are the most under-resourced and struggling with multiple, debilitating barriers, offer smiles and welcome.

I've said of other inner city agencies; those who have the least materially and know pain and suffering the most intensely are so very often the ones who are the most generous with what really matters: genuine human kindness.

Hope Mission fosters hope and resiliency. Though it has a religious foundation, Hope Mission does not require religious affiliation or turn away people who practice a religion different than their own. (I'm, as my Nana lovingly says, her little heathen, and I've never been greeted with anything but respect and love at Hope.)

A number of charities supporting homeless and street-involved people are on my list of 40 charities. Each and every one is a gift to this city (and in the case of Hope Mission, to others as well.)

Please join me with a gift for Hope Mission to celebrate my 40th birthday. Financial gifts can be made here (as with all other charities hosted by CanadaHelps.org, please scroll through the list I've assembled to locate Hope Mission.) Many volunteer hours are needed and in-kind donations are likewise desperately needed; whatever you are able to give-- time, money, clothing, toiletries-- all are graciously accepted.

Refugee Child

I learned about Refugee Child from a friend in London whose friend is the organizer of this initiative. On a regular basis, volunteers from the UK take much-needed basics to refugees camping in areas outside of walls, barriers, and blockades preventing their entry to certain nations in search of protection.
The focus is on helping children; no child chooses to be orphaned, homeless, nationless, starving. No one at all does; the group focuses on children but assists everyone in the areas they visit with supplies. From food staples to a defibrillator, Refugee Child has been helping young to old exist as they wait for a safe haven somewhere, anywhere.

Please donate to the ongoing efforts of Refugee Child as they head to areas most impoverished in their wait for safety.

Egale Canada

Egale is a national LGBTQ2+ organization that focuses on advancing human rights for the LGBTQ2+ community across Canada through research, policy development, education, advocacy, and community engagement.
Since its inception in 1995, Egale has been active across the country, working to improve the daily lives of sexual and gender minorities so that our lives are free of oppressive and discriminatory barriers impeding success.

As the only national organization working on LGBTQ2+ human rights, Egale brings together a diversity of voices from all regions of Canada to inform programs, services, education, and direction.

Please join me in supporting Egale today. More info on all they do is on their website.

Safe and Caring Schools and Communities

The Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities describes themselves best:

Who we are:
Safe and Caring is a centre for knowledge that fosters effective networks and partnerships to improve the quality of life for all Alberta children.

What we know:
1 in 3 adolescent students in Canada have reported being bullied recently.
47% of Canadian parents report having a child victim of bullying.
1 in 3 Albertans think that “bullying is just a normal part of growing up.”
Children and youth learn more effectively when they feel safe and included.
Bullying, violence and sexual exploitation can have traumatic and long-lasting impacts.

Our shared vision for Alberta:
89% of Albertans agree that bullying prevention should be an urgent priority for their community.
84% of Albertans agree that bullying prevention should be an urgent priority for the provincial government.
Alberta’s Social Policy Framework, the Children First Act and the new Education Act highlight the importance of students, parents, school boards and community partners working together to support the safety, well-being and development of children.

Whether a parent or not, who could not want a better world for the generations that come after us than what we have now? Safe and Caring is a relatively new organization in Alberta with big goals. I like the quote, "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." (I disagree with those who suggest this means we should be happy with not achieving dreams; rather, it says that if we try and put energy, resource, community, and heart into our goals, we may end up in a place we didn't anticipate, but it's still going to be a good place.)

So, help me help the Society for Safe and Caring Schools and Communities aim for bettering our world. All that can happen is... a better world!

More about Safe and Caring is on their website.

Zebra Child Protection Centre

The Zebra Child Protection Centre provides support to children who have suffered abuse that has been reported to the police. From psychological counselling, play therapy, court support, Zebra provides a huge range of services.

Zebra aims to assist children in telling their stories on their terms. They also aim to support the healing process of recovery from abuse (all forms of child abuse.) Zebra works with a huge variety of community organizations to ensure the specific needs of each individual child is addressed.

No child should suffer abuse. The sad reality is that a huge number do. Zebra is there to help.

Please join me in donating to Zebra Child Protection Centre, a one of a kind organization. (Please scroll through the list to locate Zebra.)

To learn more about all they offer- services, community connections, supports, therapy- please visit their website.

Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts

Where to begin? The Nina, or Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts, as it is officially known, is a place unlike any other.

The Nina operates on the (sage, wise, TRUE!) assumption that developmentally disabled people are intelligent, able, and most of all, in terms of what The Nina does, artistic. The Nina provides studio space, show space, and a venue for sales to artists who are developmentally disabled.
My family, for those who don't know us, is blended. My biological children and I are autistic. Our entire blended family loves art. My oldest stepson is in his third year of a fine arts degree. My partner's dear friend's recently deceased sister (watch for the Tiger Family Fund to be featured to learn about an amazing woman gone far too soon) was a founding supporter and fundraiser for The Nina. My partner and I are going to The Nina's annual fundraiser as our anniversary and my birthday outing. In our world, all roads lead to The Nina.

That's my attachment to The Nina. The Vision Statement provided on the Centre's website elucidates The Nina better than I can:

Please join me in donating to The Nina, (scroll through the list to find The Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts) a centre for the arts with no equal, a place where people with developmental disabilities are treated as equals. Such treatment is rare. Such an organization is rare.

Please also visit The Nina's gorgeous website. There's so much magnificent art to see and so many ways to support the artists.

I am madly in love with several pieces for sale right now (I bought a glass piece for my partner last year for Christmas.

For a sampling, if you've not got time to visit the site, here are some stunning pieces. I have fallen in love with them (the work, not the artists. I haven't met the artists. Just clarifying!)

Dragon by Jaymee Howarth

Lobster in the Sea by Desiree McCook

Silver and Black by Kim Hung Ho

Please also consider joining us for The Nina's annual fundraiser on November 2nd. Details are on the website.

Once again, thank you for celebrating my birthday with me!

Edmonton Food Bank

Did you know that almost 20 000 people per month receive hampers from the Food Bank?
Did you know that over 500 000 meals per month are provided by agencies who get their food from the Food Bank?
Did you know that over 40% of food recipients are under the age of 18?

This is unacceptable. In a nation with such abundant wealth, in the 5th largest municipality in the nation, we have the resources for people to be fed.

Hampers can be collected once a month and are intended to last for 4-5 days. The Food Bank can't meet the demand. 25-26 days people using hampers have to find other means to eat.

Food, clothing, and shelter are considered the most basic of necessities for life (there are others- safety, health, etc.) Food should not be conditional. People need food to survive at the most basic level.

My family supports the Edmonton Food Bank regularly. Above is a photo of our daughter donating food (including a turkey, to her delight) for a Thanksgiving meal using half the money she received as a birthday gift.

She, my stepson, and I volunteer annually at the Heritage Festival, collecting food and financial donations for the Food Bank. Both of them have requested gift cards for grocery stores as gifts so they can donate to the Food Bank.

Our children inspire me. They have been volunteering and donating for years, since both were in elementary school. I suggested volunteering once and they have asked for the rest.

If children can see the need and act on it, so can we all. No one should go hungry. Please join me in donating to the Edmonton Food Bank today. (Scroll through the list for Edmonton Food Bank.)

For more information on the invaluable service the Food Bank provides to our city, please visit their website:
http://www.edmontonsfoodbank.com/