As the cyclists, runners and walkers prepared to set off from St. Aidan’s Anglican Church in Ottawa on a hot, summery Oct. 4, Belong Ottawa’s executive director Shauna-marie Young shared the happy news that they had just passed their fundraising goal of $20,000.
Young welcomed and thanked everyone for their support. “What a beautiful day and what a beautiful group. This is Belong Ottawa’s very first formal fundraising event, and we could not be more grateful or excited to share it with you….We have 56 participants registered and 49 of you here today. We have 14 teams and 23 volunteers.
“As of a few moments ago, Belong Ottawa has exceeded our first fundraising event goal, and we are at 101%. We have raised $20,300,” she announced to cheers. She noted that donations were being accepted until the end of October, so there was still potential to raise more funds.
Young added that the event was also about raising awareness of the vital work that happens at Belong Ottawa’s three sites, where they welcome about 600 people every day.
“At a recent townhall meeting with our participants, those who use our centres, I met a gentleman [who gave Young permission to share his story]…His name is Red. He’s a regular visitor to at least two of our three sites. He shared how Belong Ottawa has made a difference in his life, and that having a place to get clean, to wash his clothes, to rest, to eat, and to work with our team and meet with other participants and our staff and our most valuable volunteers is very important to him. ‘If it weren’t for places like Belong Ottawa, I would have starved a long time ago,’ he said.”
Young added that Red’s story’s not unique. Between early June and the end of September, Belong Ottawa’s three locations served 67,000 meals. “Those meals are for people, our neighbours, our brothers and sisters experiencing poverty, homelessness, substance abuse and mental health challenges. The need is urgent … and the need is growing. And that’s why today matters, because every dollar raised today is going directly to programming that provides life-giving support for our most vulnerable community members,” Young said. “Thank you for walking, for riding, for fundraising, for volunteering, for standing with us together.”
City councillor Marty Carr, who serves on the Public Health Board, the Community and Social Services Committee, and is also the vice-chair of the Police Service Board, thanked Belong Ottawa for supporting vulnerable individuals. ‘In many cases, [they] are not only experiencing addiction and crises, inability to afford housing and homelessness but are also often some of the people that are the most vulnerable and being put in positions such as human trafficking and abuse on the streets. That is something that we talk about often in the Police Services Board is ,.. seeing that rise and how these people are being victimized further,” she said. “It’s just wonderful to have a place where people can go to a safe place, where they can get their wound care, where they can get food, where they can get their clothes washed and I just really want to thank everyone who helps support the most vulnerable.”
The Rev. Jarrett Carty, a deacon who serves as a chaplain for the Anglican Community Ministries to support participants in the programs and staff, said that Belong Ottawa is always in the thoughts and prayers of people in the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa. Parishes want to lend their support and care for their neighbours, he said. He offered special praise for the staff at Belong Ottawa, who clearly care deeply for the people they serve. “I just want to do a shout out to them and to say what a great success this is. Hopefully, we keep this up and make it bigger,” he said.
And with that, everyone set off on foot or by bike to do laps in the neighbourhood surrounding St. Aidan’s before returning to the church to eat a celebratory lunch together.
By the end of October, Belong Ottawa’s Ride for Refuge had raised more than $23,000. Those who wish to support Belong Ottawa can make donations any time at belongottawa.ca
Listening for God’s voice in a time of change