The Wonders of Mary Centre

I had the pleasure last week of visiting some of the locations for Mary Centre, a ShareLife agency that serves people with developmental challenges. I was there with photographer Bill Wittman, collecting photographs and stories for upcoming campaigns – look for the results in the 2011 ShareLife promotional material!

I’m fortunate in my work because I have the opportunity to see how ShareLife funding makes a difference in the community; how it changes lives and lifts people up to their fullest potential. My visit to Mary Centre reinforced this fact in a very real way – small wonders unfolded before my eyes over the course of those two days.

In one case, I met 64-year-old George Bishop. For years, life was a struggle for George. He lived on his own in a dangerous, pest-infested apartment building, working for Goodwill services to try to make ends meet. He lived in isolation and relied on a local food bank for his meals. After a heart attack and a bone-fracturing fall, he wasn’t able to get out for work or for his meals.

George Bishop and Tamara Despard

By the time he met Tamara Despard, a community support worker with Mary Centre, three years ago, he was undernourished, facing eviction, and had no place to turn. Mary Centre advocated for George, arranged funding support to keep him off the street, and Tamara visited him frequently to help him get back on his feet. With her help, George transitioned into a nearby nursing home eight months ago, where he is safe, well-fed and well cared for. He receives visitors – Tamara continues to drop by – and enjoys social events at the residence. (He really enjoys the birthday parties.)

The staff at Mary Centre are convinced George’s life would have been in great jeopardy if he had been evicted – he likely would have died anonymously in squalor. Today, he receives care and support, sharing the small joys of life with people around him on a daily basis.

I also met other Mary Centre clients with different stories that were equally compelling. All of them have benefited from the hard work of the people at Mary Centre – and from ShareLife funding.

Thanks for your support – it really does work wonders!

Christmas Spirit is alive at Mary Centre

The Advent season brings out the best in people. That notion was reinforced last week when I heard from a friend at Mary Centre, a ShareLife agency.
One of the volunteers at Mary Centre is a refugee claimant to Canada, with two children (9 and 2) here and two older children staying back in her country of origin. She takes classes during the day to upgrade her education, takes care of her two children, and commits time as a "friendly visitor" with one of the older residents at Mary Centre.
"She is so happy to be giving her time to this lady, and they hit it off like two old friends from the start," said my friend. She is spending quality time with the lady, doing activities in the community with her. It brings a new dimension to the older woman's life, as staff resources limit extended contact with the residents.
This, however, is just the start of the story. As is often the case, those who give are themselves in need, making the gift that much more significant. This is the case for the Mary Centre volunteer. While she is making time to volunteer, her own resources are spread quite thin. The staff at Mary Centre gained a sense of her situation a few months ago and this is where the tale of Christmas charity takes another turn.
The senior staff got together earlier this month to organize a gift for their volunteer, giving her help with some groceries and money to buy gifts for her kids - gifts she otherwise wouldn't have been able to afford this year. This charitable gesture will make a huge difference in her home, lightening the weight of financial stress and reinforcing the fact that we're part of a larger community - a community that's at its best when charity and neighbourly love are liberally practiced!
If you've any of your own touching stories of WONDERS being worked at ShareLife agencies, send them my way. I'd love to spread the good news!