For one person who stops at the Trinity Community Centre in Peterborough, home means “being welcomed, even on bad days.” For another person, the community and staff at the Reid Street centre are like family, and the centre feels more like home than it would being alone in an empty apartment.
People define home differently depending on their circumstances, and there are many ways One City Peterborough is striving to create a sense of belonging for its clients.
With its annual “Home for the Holidays” holiday fundraising drive in gear, sharing with the community what makes housing feel like home is one of the key goals in addition to raising money through the campaign.
“We want this Home for the Holidays campaign to show how One City creates the feeling of home in many different ways across our programs, and to help the public better understand why these services are essential to the well-being of so many people in our community,” Mackenzie Clark-Smith, One City’s fundraising and communications coordinator, told kawarthaNOW.
“We want the public to see how the idea of home is truly more than just four walls, and that it can be seen in the way our community members show up for one another and create a shared sense of community,” Clark-Smith added.
The Trinity Community Centre provides a minimum-barrier space for people who are marginalized and/or unsheltered in the City of Peterborough, through the provision of two programs: a daytime drop-in program and an overnight program.
The overnight program provides accommodations for up to 45 unhoused individuals who are unable to access the current shelter system. This includes people who have shelter service restrictions, do not meet eligibility criteria, or who do not feel safe or comfortable accessing those services.
Through the centre, members have access to nutritious meals, their basic needs met, and the chance for meaningful connection, the organization noted.
While residents are always incredibly grateful for housing, “it is not fair to assume that housing alone is enough,” One City noted in a recent email appeal to community members.
“Housing is just the foundation for autonomy, safety, community, and purpose. It is deep connection and lasting well-being that makes for a good home.”
Community members can ultimately help create the feeling of home by supporting the Home for the Holidays campaign, Clark-Smith said.
Money raised is also funnelled towards One City’s other programs that rely on donations and grants, including the community development program, the Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) program, and the daily meal program at the Trinity Community Centre.
“Because these programs depend primarily on community support, many would not be able to operate without this generosity we see at the holiday season and throughout the year,” Clark-Smith said.
One City’s Home for the Holidays campaign goal is $200,000. The recent Giving Tuesday initiative was fruitful for the campaign, with the organization surpassing the amount it set out to raise on December 2, and marking its best Giving Tuesday outcome to date.
VIDEO: “Building Home for the Holidays” with Michael VanDerHerberg
“We raised a total of nearly $18,000 plus the matching donor who is giving $10,000, for a total of nearly $28,000,” Clark-Smith said. “This means that we are more than 50 per cent of the way through our main holiday campaign. “We are so grateful for the generosity of those in our community who have already supported us this holiday season, especially for it being only the beginning of December.”
“Thanks to the trust and generosity of our supporters over the past few years, we have been able to accomplish some wonderful things, including building a tiny home in the backyard of one of our houses, serving over 90,000 meals in a single year, creating an on-site clinic space with doctors and healthcare professionals, and developing incredible partnerships that benefit so many of our community members.”
“It’s difficult to fully express the sincere gratitude I have as a fundraiser, and that we as an organization share. Our community continues to show up for those we support in our programs, and we’re extremely grateful for it.”
One City Peterborough believes that everyone belongs and that “together we flourish.” The organization focuses on supporting those who have experienced homelessness and/or criminalization towards their full inclusion into the community.
Some of its programs strive to create stability and increase wellness, such as housing, employment, and support programs. Part of its work also addresses immediate needs, such as offering shelter and meal programs. In addition, One City focuses on advocating for systemic change such as challenging laws that criminalize individuals.
For more information about One City Peterborough, the Home for the Holidays campaign, and to make a donation, visit www.onecityptbo.ca.
