“Kindness above all else.”

Since the very first day, I’ve had the privilege of working with and for people who benefit directly from the kindness of the Ottawa community.

I see parts of myself in the people who come to us for assistance, recognizing that their circumstances could easily be mine.

One of those people is “Phil”. I’m changing his name to protect his privacy, but I’ll share a bit about Phil and how his life has changed, thanks to our donors, volunteers, and supporters.

I met Phil at our shelter, the newly named Taggart Parkes, Community Hub. Phil has schizophrenia. He is a sweet and likeable guy. Phil also faces many challenges due to his diagnosis.

In the Shelter, Phil had a hard time maintaining stability. He would come and go frequently. His medication and support weren’t consistent. It was hard to hold a conversation with him as he often wasn’t fully lucid, experiencing hallucinations and selftalk. It was hard to build a strong relationship with him.

But we never gave up.

When we opened our newest supportive housing residence, Phil was one of the first people to get his own place with around-the-clock supports and a safe, warm bed.

Since moving into the supportive housing program, Phil has made remarkable progress. He can hold a conversation; he is engaging; he remembers people by name!

Thanks to you and the incredible colleagues and volunteers I work with, Phil has found stability and consistent health support.

It is truly remarkable to see the changes we have witnessed in Phil. It is incredible because there is nowhere else that Phil would have been able to find that same success in Ottawa – I am confident in that. For us, it is helping individuals find and achieve these life-changing successes.

Phil is one of almost three hundred people living in Shepherds’ supportive housing. Everybody, including Phil, is there thanks to our generous community, which places kindness above everything else.

Just like my mother taught me.

If you want to help more people like Phil, donate today.

Adrienne
Senior Manager, Program Development and Engagement,
Shepherds of Good Hope