Broad-based community support for Shelldale Better Beginnings, Better Futures was evident Wednesday, as the organization’s second annual Winter Warm-up event brought about 200 people into the warm and inviting community hub.
The luncheon event featured culinary offerings donated by local restaurants. Guelph Mayor Cam Guthrie, Guelph Police Chief Jeff DeRuyter, and Guelph MP Lloyd Longfield were among the dignitaries who served the cuisine.
Each one praised the work being done at Shelldale, which is recognized for its longstanding preventative programs that give neighbourhood children and their families in the economically challenged Willow Road neighbourhood a chance at a brighter future.
Not only was the food donated, but live music performed by local musicians like guitarist/vocalist Bob MacLean and fiddler Fiona McCairley was also donated.
The event had a number of corporate sponsors, including Rona, BDO, The Ostic Group, Smith Valeriote, RBC Royal Bank, Burnside, and Insitu Contractors.
“Without these donations we could not have this event,” said Lorri Sauve, Shelldate program director. “We also have about 40 volunteers working on it.”
Located at 20 Shelldale Crescent off Willow Road, Shelldale runs preschool and early literacy programs, a breakfast club, a host of life-enriching activities for school-aged children, and a women’s circle that provides numerous workshops.
The centre also houses the programs of several partner organizations, including Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health’s prenatal pregnancy program, and Immigrant Services Guelph-Wellington’s counselling and ESL programs.
“First thing in the morning, children can come for breakfast club,” Sauve said. “We make sure they get to school safely. In the mean time, the moms can come back with toddlers and we have preschool programs for them. After school those kids can come back here for the after school program. And in the evening we have a teen program.”
Sauve said the public funding the organization receives is not enough to cover costs, and the organization’s funding has to supplemented by fundraising events like Winter Warm-up, which raised $5,000 last year. The money goes to support the centre’s programs.
“The Ministry of Education funding has never increased,” Sauve said. “For 25 years we’ve been running our programs on the same amount of money. That has caused us to look elsewhere for funds to continue to run the programs. The Winter-Warmup is our one big fundraiser.”
She said provincial funding covers about 70 per cent of Shelldale’s expenses.
Murals of Hope, a program of the Life Centre in downtown Guelph, partnered with Shelldale this year to do a fundraising mural for the centre. Young artist Jessica Buchanan painted a mural with a local food theme, which was unveiled at Winter Warm-up and will be permanently displayed in the breakfast club room at the centre. For a $20 donation donors have their name painted on one of the bricks at the bottom of the mural.
Sian Matwey runs Murals of Hope. She said Buchanan is the first artist to participate in the program. The mural was a way of helping an important community organization raise additional funds, Matwey said.
Many Guelph Police Service members actively volunteer at Shelldale events. Chief DeRuyter said the centre is making a difference in the lives of many people in the Willow Road neighbourhood.
“It’s really such a vibrant place,” said DeRuyter. “Guelph is a very affluent community, but this is an area where they do have some struggles. There are some wonderful people and some great success stories here. More recently it has become more diverse, with more new Canadians coming into this community. And it is a chance for us to build relationships with them.”
Mayor Guthrie said the work Shelldale does is vital in Guelph.
“They are a vital institution in this area of Guelph,” he said. “The people who work and volunteer here, and the people on the board have such passion for making sure this community is taken care of, that those in need have access to not only food and clothing, but to care for themselves and their own wellbeing. So it is a very holistic view of helping people.”
