A Place Called Home Update - CUPE 855
A Place Called Home Update - CUPE 855
A Place Called Home Update - CUPE 855
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
Chair: Norm Price<br />
1 st Vice Chair Lois Hunter<br />
2 nd Vice Chair John Atkins<br />
Treasurer: Zita Devan<br />
Rae Munroe<br />
Roger Worsley<br />
Helen Yazdani<br />
Patti Craig<br />
Anna Friend<br />
John Hassan<br />
A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> Newsletter<br />
Fall 2011<br />
64 Lindsay Street South<br />
Lindsay, Ontario, K9V 2M2<br />
By the Numbers<br />
Since 1997 we have provided<br />
shelter to almost 3,500 people<br />
Served over 11,000 meals<br />
Provided over 5,400 bed<br />
nights to residents<br />
Negotiated over $120,000 in<br />
emergency energy arrears<br />
A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> will be<br />
holding our annual General<br />
Meeting on October 26 th at<br />
Cambridge Street United<br />
Church starting 7pm.<br />
Please visit us at<br />
www.aplacecalledhome.org<br />
or call 705-328-0905<br />
A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> <strong>Update</strong><br />
From the desk of Lorrie Polito, Director<br />
I caught up with an old friend recently – one I had not seen since public school<br />
days. As we caught up with each other this friend had many questions for me<br />
about our work at A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong>. During our conversation, I could see the<br />
light come on.<br />
He told me he had never thought<br />
about who the homeless were in our<br />
small community and his only<br />
reference was from Canada’s west<br />
coast where he had been<br />
living for the past thirtyplus<br />
years. My friend was<br />
not only stunned that we<br />
had people needing<br />
shelter here but even<br />
more surprising for him<br />
was the fact that a lot of<br />
our residents(individuals,<br />
couples and families with children) had<br />
no other supports in place to help out.<br />
The stories of what caused a person to<br />
become homeless are as varied as the<br />
individuals themselves, but they all<br />
share one trait...<br />
when the layoff came, when the illness<br />
set in, when the hydro bill became too<br />
high or the family broke up... there<br />
were no family or friends that were able<br />
to step in and help. Our City<br />
may not have what many view<br />
as the typical homeless. People<br />
sleeping in the streets and<br />
alleys and begging on street<br />
corners. Why Because A <strong>Place</strong><br />
<strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> is here and we<br />
work hard to provide services<br />
that enable people to have a<br />
roof over their heads, food in their<br />
stomachs and the supports necessary<br />
to break the cycle of homelessness.<br />
On the back of the newsletter are<br />
some real examples of what life is like<br />
for the persons that use our services.
• Gift of Shelter Christmas Cards<br />
On Nov 12 th and Dec 9 th we will be selling our Gift of Shelter Christmas<br />
• <strong>Home</strong>less Awareness Week<br />
On January 16 – 22 nd A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> will be observing <strong>Home</strong>less<br />
Awareness Week. We will be providing information and holding a<br />
silent auction.<br />
Give the Gift of Shelter<br />
Our Gift of Shelter Christmas Cards will be<br />
on sale starting November 1 st . Purchase<br />
yours by dropping by our office at 64<br />
Lindsay Street South or see us at Lindsay<br />
Square Mall on Nov 12 th and Dec 9 th .<br />
This Christmas when you are looking for a<br />
unique gift to give friends, work colleagues,<br />
a teacher and others on your list that are<br />
difficult to buy for…. Please consider “A Gift<br />
of Shelter”<br />
Our ID specialist Tina Jackson can assist<br />
you in replacing or applying for many<br />
different types of ID including:<br />
• SIN Cards • Status cards<br />
• Drivers<br />
Licenses<br />
• Health<br />
Cards<br />
And More….<br />
On the Web >>><br />
• Marriage<br />
certificates<br />
• Birth<br />
Certificates<br />
Website: www.aplacecalledhome.org<br />
http://www.facebook.com/placecalledhome.residence<br />
An on-line alternative to<br />
make your donation Just<br />
log onto<br />
www.canadahelps.org<br />
The stories below are real and there are hundreds more like<br />
them...read on to see who the homeless of our community are.<br />
Imagine, six months ago you and your<br />
two children followed your husband<br />
across the county so he could start a<br />
new job and suddenly he was struck<br />
down in the prime of his life. Both of<br />
you were the only child and lost your<br />
parents many years ago, there is no<br />
life insurance, no family and your<br />
friends are thousands of kilometers<br />
away. Faced with a multi-crisis like<br />
this...what do you do<br />
The stories of what caused a person to become homeless are as varied as<br />
the individuals themselves, but they all share one trait...when the layoff<br />
came, when the illness set in, when the hydro bill became too high or the<br />
family broke up...there were no family or friends that were able to step in<br />
and help.<br />
So they came to us.<br />
~ For those who do not have a safe place to go at the end of the day… we can help.<br />
Imagine you are a 16 year old girl who just<br />
celebrated her birthday. After dinner your<br />
parents informed you that just like your<br />
older brother, they were not prepared to<br />
support you now that you were 16 and<br />
offered to take you to the shelter after you<br />
packed up your belongings. What do you<br />
do<br />
Imagine the worst case scenario<br />
that could happen to you and<br />
your family with respect to your<br />
housing...where all your resources<br />
were used up and there was<br />
nothing left to pay your rent or<br />
mortgage and you had to leave<br />
your home. How many of you<br />
have a backup system...a good<br />
friend, neighbour or an extended<br />
family member who could take<br />
you and your family in
8 TH ANNUAL MARK-A-THON<br />
On August 13 th our walkers led by event namesake<br />
Mark Fevang hit the streets of Lindsay for the 8 th<br />
annual Mark-a-thon in support of A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong><br />
<strong>Home</strong>. Through Mark’s efforts over $7,000 was<br />
raised.<br />
8 TH ANNUAL KAWARTHA LAKES CLASSIC<br />
This year’s 8 th Annual<br />
Kawartha Lakes<br />
Classic Cycling Tour<br />
brought wonderful<br />
weather.<br />
Once again we were<br />
pleased to have BOB FM’s Dave Illman as our<br />
Celebrity Rider. Also supporting our ride were<br />
members of the CKL EMS Bike Team and the local Red<br />
Cross who were on hand.<br />
A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> would like to thank all our donors for<br />
their generous support throughout the postal strike earlier<br />
this year. Many not for profits in our area were negatively<br />
impacted and we were no different.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, due to the disruption in mail service we are<br />
facing a shortfall of almost 5 thousand dollars.<br />
Help us keep the lights on at A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong>!<br />
COMMITTED TO CONSERVING ENERGY IN THE<br />
KAWARTHAS SEMINAR<br />
On September 15, 2011 Jennifer<br />
Lopinski of our Emergency <strong>Home</strong> Energy<br />
and Resource Program organized a<br />
conservation seminar at the Moose<br />
Lodge with over 80 people in<br />
attendance. See her presentation on<br />
our website at:<br />
www.aplacecalledhome.org/seminar<br />
Antique Show and Sale 2011<br />
The 41 st Annual Antique<br />
Show truly was an Antique<br />
Extravaganza with 53<br />
antique dealers from across<br />
Ontario participating this<br />
year. From Furniture to<br />
Collectibles the event had<br />
something for everyone.<br />
Special thanks to our sponsors:
GEROME THE HOMELESS GNOME – CROSS CANADA TOUR<br />
Once again Gerome the Garden Gnome had work all summer and did not have need<br />
of our shelter services. Since the cold weather arrived, Gerome is again known as<br />
Gerome the <strong>Home</strong>less Gnome. This fall however he had an opportunity for a little<br />
adventure (see pics here and on our website at www.aplacecalledhome.org) and<br />
now has his own email address where you can send him well wishes, ask questions<br />
or invite him to come with a helper to speak at your school, church or other group.<br />
Send an email to Gerome at geromeagnome@gmail.com.<br />
This year A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong> is asking you<br />
to support Gerome by donating the cost of<br />
a room at our shelter for one, two, five or<br />
more nights in our hostel at $48.58 per<br />
night.<br />
Since Gerome is a garden Gnome and can<br />
hunker down in our office for the night, all<br />
the money he collects will go toward<br />
covering bednight costs for a man, woman<br />
or child who needs a safe place to stay.<br />
To see Gerome’s history – check out the<br />
January 2011 Newsletter on our website.<br />
STORYBOOK GOES DIGITAL<br />
A <strong>Place</strong> <strong>Called</strong> <strong>Home</strong>:<br />
<strong>Home</strong>less Who me Is<br />
now digital and can be<br />
purchased from our main<br />
office in .pdf format.<br />
In-Kind is the Best Kind<br />
Many of our partners and friends<br />
regularly donate items to us. We<br />
are always seeking the following:<br />
• Shampoo and conditioner<br />
• Deodorant and hygiene items<br />
• Pillows and Towels<br />
• Toothbrushes and Toothpaste<br />
• Razors and Shaving Cream<br />
We ask that if you wish to<br />
donate large items that you<br />
please call our office ahead of<br />
time as we have limited space.<br />
Ask a place called home >>><br />
Q:<br />
A:<br />
Q:<br />
A:<br />
Can you help me replace my ID<br />
Yes, our identification clinic will help you replace missing ID including<br />
Birth Certificates, landed immigrant papers, status cards and more...<br />
I have no where to stay tonight. Who do I contact if I need help<br />
You can call our office toll free at 1-866-520-2689 24 hours a day and<br />
speak with our Hostel staff or come by the shelter at 64 Lindsay St. South<br />
The Volunteer<br />
Experience<br />
Behind every successful organization<br />
stands many volunteers. Our<br />
organization is always looking for<br />
individuals who would like to give<br />
back and volunteer.<br />
Please contact Dave at 705-328-0905<br />
x 221