This year, the need was greater than ever. The Dempsey shelter went from housing 60 women last year to housing 90 women in 2023.  We were also informed that many more women were staying at a new shelter recently opened at the Heron Community Centre, which added up to more than 200 women at the two shelters.

The two churches stepped up to prepare 90 gift bags for the Dempsey shelter. Along with parishioners, other community members joined in with donations of items such as winter hats, scarves, gloves, socks, toiletries, chocolate, pens and pencils. The generosity was so great that, although we could not prepare gift bags for the women at the Heron Centre, we were able to make donations of needed items to share with them.  City councillor Marty Carr’s office helped with the distribution of these items at the Heron Centre.

Many thanks to all who participated in this outreach project.

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Last year, St. Aidan’s and St. Thomas Anglican churches joined together to give each woman a gift bag filled with necessities and treats for Christmas. The first bags were delivered that year just before Christmas and were very well received by the residents.

We decided to prepare and deliver gift bags, once again, this year. Parishioners from both churches, as well as other members of the community, stepped up to answer the call and donate gift bags filled with items the women would use and enjoy.  Others donated many knitted items or money to the effort. The items included practical things such as full-sized shampoo, hand cream, body lotion, lip balm, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, socks, gloves, hats, scarves as well as fun stuff such as activity or adult colouring books, colouring pencils, pens, notebooks, daily agendas, and chocolate.

The bags were delivered this year on Wednesday, Dec. 21.  Sarah Johnston, team lead at the Dempsey Physical Distancing Centre and operations lead for the City of Ottawa’s housing services was there to accept the donations.  The Rev. Rosemary Parker, Peter Martin, and Lois Wynn from St. Aidan’s as well as the Rev. Tim Kehoe and Karen Scott from St. Thomas all brought the bags to the Dempsey Centre.

Residents of the centre were excited to see all the gift bags come in.  There were more than enough for everybody.  The women were delighted with their gifts and to know that people in the community care about them.  

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