|
ANY ORGANIZATION CAN ONLY UNDERSTAND WHERE IT IS GOING when it realizes where it has been. Twenty-five years ago, three cots in the basement of All Saints' Anglican Church, Sandy Hill, was the first shelter opened to women. From this very modest beginning, Cornerstone has become known and respected as a model of innovative and creative support systems for women. Uniquely-crafted services are put in place to meet the individual needs of the diversity of women who come to it with challenges and difficulties that have prevented them from being able to live in peace, safety and security. Cornerstone has come a very long way on its journey to support and encourage women but the task is not complete. There are new programs waiting for a suitable place to put them into practice. As an example, a program called Life beyond Trauma is being planned, and there are others being considered. That is why this campaign to raise $2.3 million is called A Journey of Hope. But this campaign is about more than money: it is about women who need help to heal their bodies and spirits, to move on from the crises that initially brought them to Cornerstone. It is to restore that full potential, the hope, the dreams and the capacity to survive in a world that has been unkind. In a place to call home, and with the right support, they can all accomplish what so many of us take for granted. Generous donors, government grants and incredible volunteer support have brought Cornerstone to this exciting point in its growth. As a member of a caring community, this is your opportunity to invest in a project that will bring hope and dignity and peace and joy to the women who will live in the new housing. This House will be the first purpose-built facility offering housing and support services for Ottawa’s homeless women.
|
