In Their Own Words - Wyndham House

51 Bellevue Street 519-763-8040

74 Suffolk Street 519-763-8660

Youth Emergency Shelter18 Norwich Street 519-837-3892

Administration & Resource Centre26 Douglas Street Tel: 822-4400e-mail: [email protected] website: www.wyndhamhouse.org

WINTER 2015

Long Term Residential Programs

In Their Own WordsThe following was written by a youth who lived at Bellevue this past year. In order to get the one remaining credit he needed to graduate, he attended summer school; obtained the credit, made connections to local counselling services and was supported in reconnecting with family and preparing to move out. The Wyndham House Aftercare Worker helped him find a place and helpedhim with the move. He is now working and living independently.

A Light in Dark

I found myself wandering the darkness alone, afraid and defeated. In this time, I only ever felt depression, despair, and utter hopelessness. Every day was a struggle but of course I never told anyone how I felt. I wore a fake smile to mask my pain but some people saw through my mask and saw my pain. They decided to hear my story for obvious reasons. I would very much prefer not to include my story but I will tell you, the pain I endured for this year is something I would dare not ever wish on my worst of enemies. I told the person my struggle and they told me about Wyndham House and when I heard, I felt as if I found this light in the darkest of the abyss.

When I first entered the Wyndham House program I was nervous and on guard but I endured. I met souls walking an almost similar lonely road. Naturally, everyone did some things I disagreed with. I didn’t join them in their bad habits but I knew they had their reasons. I never said nothing to offend anyone. In all honesty, I was more of a ghost in the Wyndham House. This made time fly and while time flew I spoke with staff; I mostly preferred the company of adults. I talked and worked together with staff and with their assistance I achieved my final school credit as well as my final volunteer hours.

After I had achieved two major goals, I continued to work towards my final goal, finding a place to call my home. This took me a couple of weeks to do, even with their help and well this all paid off. I managed to find a start to my new life and for once in my life the darkness was gone and only the gentle embrace of light remained.

The Wyndham House staff were friendly and understanding and made me feel welcome during my time. They made my experience enjoyable and they helped me achieve many great things including helping me find the light in the cruel darkness of the world.

The End

VISION STATEMENTWyndham House envisions a community that supports youth in achieving their full potential.

Friends of Wyndham House

This past July the Guelph Wellington Rotary Club held their annual Duck Race, an event that raises funds for charitable organizations in the community. Wyndham House is pleased to be the recipient of $4,250 from this year’s event.

The Rotary’s motto is service above self, and this event is the action behind the words. We are truly appreciative of the continued support of the Guelph Wellington Rotary Club and thank all the rotary members who helped organize and carry out the Canada Day Duck Race. Former Wyndham House Board Director, long time Wyndham House

supporter and Guelph Wellington Rotary Club member, Drew Hughes is seen here at the Canada Day event.

Hockey Helps the Homeless believes in a future where every Canadian has a place to call home. The money raised through their fantasy hockey tournaments support local agencies who also believe in that future. Funds provide immediate relief through shelters and survival kits, as well as more long-term change. The University of Guelph is partnering with Hockey Helps the Homeless to organize a tournament in March 2016, the proceeds of which will support Wyndham House long term residential homes. You can find out more information about the tournament and sponsor a player by visiting:www.hockeyhelpsthehomeless.com

This fall the Electricity Distribution Association - Niagara/Grand and Guelph Hydro hosted a conference during which, instead of individual honourariums, a donation of $1050 was made to Wyndham House. This kind of support from the business world is a wonderful example of how corporations can make a difference in the lives of a community’s most vulnerable members. We thank Guelph Hydro for thinking of Wyndham House.

MISSION STATEMENTWyndham House provides youth a continuum of care that includes referrals,

services and residential and educational options.

The Home Depot Canada FoundationNovember 10 2015, Wyndham House celebrated receiving the $25,000 grant from The Home Depot Canada Foundation for their long term residential home improvement project. The grant is part of The Orange Door Project Grant Program, which supports repairs, renovations and or modifications to housing accommodations or other support facilities for homeless youth. The funding will be used specifically to renovate the kitchen and bathroom, as well as minor repairs to the stairway and doorways of our Bellevue long term home. The home, especially the kitchen and bathroom areas, gets significant traffic, and this project will ensure the environment is safe, well-functioning and welcoming to the youth who live there.

The Orange Door Grant Project is part of The Orange Door Project initiative, the Foundation’s three-year, $10 million pledge to support renovation and repair projects and programs that provide vulnerable and homeless youth with access to safe, stable housing and support services. By the end of 2015, The Home Depot Canada Foundation will have distributed $3,175,000 in grants to 123 charitable organizations across Canada through this program which began in 2009.

Wyndham House is so grateful to be one of the charities to receive their funding assistance. We are indebted to both The Home Depot Canada Foundation as well as the local store and its management and staff for their amazing generosity and unwavering faith in bettering our community. We are also indebted to all the Guelph citizens who visited the Guelph Home Depot this past summer and donated their toonies during the store’s Orange Door Campaign. One toonie may not seem significant but when enough people give, it adds up and becomes tremendously significant. If you gave a toonie, please know it is appreciated and it, along with all the others that were given, is being put to good use.

Friends of Wyndham House

From the Desk of the Executive Director

Recently there has been a flurry of activity on-line about cups ... disposable coffee cups ... cups specifically designed to be tossed in the garbage. What these cups should look like and say, what they used to look like, what they used to say, and the subtext of their images and messages have caused some heated debate.

More recently something of significance and -in this case horrendous- happened and our focus on our throw-away coffee cups is seen for what it really is .... a distraction. Events like what recently happened in Paris put things in perspective for us. We have all read or heard about that tragic Friday night, and the dismay and heartbreak we feel is profound. There was another event in recent news you may not have heard of. It didn’t grab the world’s attention in the same way that Friday night did, but it is tragic in its own right.

This fall, Los Angeles became the first U.S. city to declare homelessness a state of emergency, which is not only a symbolic gesture to bring awareness to the problem, but also a method to free up money reserved specifically for emergencies. The city responded and allocated $100 million towards tackling the problem. That a city would declare homelessness a state of emergency -on par with earthquakes, tornadoes and floods- speaks volumes to how serious this problem has become.

Even though I am employed in the social work field -and specifically work with homelessness- I was taken aback by this story. The idea that a human condition, could be equated with a destructive force of nature seemed believable but at the same time incredulous. And I remember wondering when I read it if now there would be enough attention placed squarely on that problem? Would there be enough resources, enough political and social will to create real change?

The work an organization like Wyndham House does can feel like a drop in the ocean. The mental health issues, the psychological scars from family conflict, abuse or neglect, the cognitive or learning disorders our clients struggle with -along with additional financial stress, substance abuse, and conflict with society in general, create very real hurdles that can make our efforts feel like a drop in the ocean. Mother Theresa once said something to that effect about her own work, but added that if the drop were gone the ocean would miss it. The ocean would be lessened if that drop were lost.

What our December throw-away coffee cups look like and other similar social disputes are distractions we give our attention to when we don’t wish to look at the bigger problems we face. While empathizing with the human desire to look away from a social problem so big it has been given equal billing with an earthquake, what we need to do -rather than look away- is to look closer. Look harder. So while the complexity of the issues clients struggle with have increased over the 40 plus years Wyndham House has been ‘in business’, we continue to look harder and work harder. We seek to find and implement methods to engage and motivate youth, to empower them to believe in their ability to have a good life, and to give them the boost up they need to make that life a reality. Wyndham House is committed to reducing the number of homeless youth in the Guelph-Wellington area and believes, with the help of our community, we will continue to impact the lives of vulnerable, at-risk, and homeless youth and we will continue to get better at how we do this work. We can prevent what is happening in Los Angeles from happening here. We sincerely believe this, and we know that our loyal supporters and donors believe it too.

At this time of year we wish to extend our gratitude and appreciation to our donors - not only for their financial support which we rely on- but for their faith in Wyndham House and their belief that at-risk youth deserve a chance to change their lives for the better. This holiday season-whatever you call it and however you celebrate it- I hope you feel truly blessed rather than stressing to make things perfect, or dwelling on what our coffee cups depict or what we say in greeting to people on the streets. And while contemplating on your blessings, please consider sharing your good fortune with the at-risk, vulnerable, and homeless youth at Wyndham House.

From all of us at Wyndham House, thank you and we wish you and your family all the comforts and joys of the season.

May your days be merry and bright,Debbie Bentley Lauzon

Wyndham House News

Executive Director, Debbie Bentley Lauzon ~ President - Board of Directors , Terri MillarBoard of Directors - Goldie Barth, Pauline Breitman, Dan Burnham, Buzz Dean, Michelle Dwyer, Garry Ransom, Frank Tersigni Jr., Morris Twist, Steve Wynen,

Resource Centre & Outreach(26 Douglas Street)

Blankets & PillowsGuelph Transit Bus tickets

Gift Cards (Shoppers, Zehrs, Timmies etc)Movies (D.V.D.’s)

Canned goods, Can openers & CutleryCoffee Maker

Journals & Art supplies Socks, Hats & Gloves

Sleeping BagsBackpacks & Purses

Men’s clothingBrushes

Bike locks, Headphones & Alarm clocksWinter Coats

Deodorant & other Hygiene Products

Youth Emergency Shelter(18 Norwich St)

Timmies/McDonalds/movie gift cardsHead phones (the small ear bud kind)

Journals and pensMarkers / Pencil crayons

Colouring booksSocks & Boxers

Toiletries: Shampoo, Conditioner, Tooth Paste & Brushes, Floss,

Deodorant & TamponsGuelph Transit Bus Tickets

Long Term Residences (51 Bellevue Street or 74 Suffolk Street W.)

Bath TowelsBed PillowsTwin-size Sheet SetsTwin-size ComfortersCasserole DishesPots and PansKitchen Tea-TowelsMugs & CutleryKitchen utility KnivesTupperware Containers Measuring Cups/SpoonsCoffee Make & Blender Toiletries: Shampoo, Conditioner, Tooth Paste & Brushes, Floss, Deodorant & TamponsJournals & Day Timers Back Packs School SuppliesAlarm clocksGuelph Transit Bus TicketsHoodies (L) Boxers and Socks (guys)Gift Cards & TreatsArt & Craft SuppliesHats and Mitts

Our Christmas Wish Lists

“I finally know what it feels like to have presents

under the Christmas tree”

“Thank you so much, this is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me”

“This is definitely a Christmas dinner that won’t be forgotten!”

Dear Friends of Wyndham House:

At this time of year, we ask you to remember the young women and men who, unable to live in their family homes for a variety of reasons, come to Wyndham House. With your assistance, we can help our residents fulfill their dreams – by keeping them safe and warm and in school. We’re counting on you.

Name: ___________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________

City: _______________________________ Postal Code: __________________

Contact Phone # _________________________________________________

I wish to make a one-time gift of: $100 ___ $50 ___ $25 ___ Other _______

Cheque Enclosed ____ Master Card ___ Visa ____

Card # ________________________________________________

Expiry Date __________ Signature ______________________________________

Please make your cheque payable to Wyndham House

Wyndham HouseP.O. Box 1898, Stn MainGuelph, ON N1H 7A1

An online option exists through Canada Helps. Visit www.canadahelps.org

All donors will receive a charitable tax receipt. Registered Charity # 119305217RR0001

Contact your bank to participate in a monthly contribution plan and show your support of Wyndham House year round. Please contact the office at 519-822-4400 to set up an automatic payment on the first of each month.

Thank you for your support!Happy Holidays from all of us at Wyndham House!

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.” ~Charles Dickens