I decided to start this project because I wanted to help people who lived in our community. I used to volunteer at the Women's Habitat but eventually could no longer find the time to commit and so the project began. In the first two years we filled about 20 bags. In the third year, the shelter asked if we could also fill backpacks for children who take part in two programs at the shelter, one for boys and one for girls. We then filled 40 bags! Our goal for the fourth year was to, again, fill 40 backpacks but with the generosity of the community we filled 80, doubling our goal! With so many backpacks we were able to reach out to a second shelter and make a donation to the Ernestine Shelter in Etobicoke. in 2011 we filled 108 backpacks and added Youth Without Shelter to our list of shelters to receive the bags. In 2012 we filled 159 bags and added a fourth recipient, The Jean Tweed centre.
In 2014, we filled over 250 bags which were donated to the Black Creek Community Centre and Elisa House as well as our previous recipients.
In 2015, we filled just over 300 bags.
In 2016 we filled 300 backpacks.
Our goal for 2017 is another 300.
Thanks to all the help of my friends and family, we have accomplished the goal of filling the backpacks over the years.
The kids at the shelter often leave their homes with very little and often, will need to change schools. A simple gesture of a new backpack may give them a just a little more confidence to start their first day of a new life and new challenges that will face them.
Thank you again for your help. Any and all donations, no matter the size, are greatly appreciated!
If you are having trouble with our email, please call Monique at 416-233-9095.
