On Wednesday, October 31, 2012 We are having an inner-city Halloween Party with face painting, games, food, costumes, contests, goodie bags and so much more!! This is an opportunity for kids and their families living in the inner city to attend a safe, healthy and fun Halloween event, an opportunity many otherwise would not have. All children up to 12 years old are welcome with their families.
Hours: 5:30pm – 7:30pm | Location: Bissell Centre East, 10527 96 Street
Want to volunteer for this event? Please contact Amanda Almeida at [email protected] or 780.423.2285 ext. 134.
Want to donate toward this event? Candy, small prizes, costumes, & more needed. Please contact Barb Nickel at [email protected] or 780.423.2285 ext. 159.
Kayla, a mother of five, came to Bissell Centre at the end of 2011 while trying to acquire housing through our Homeless to Homes (H2H) program. Kayla had been going through very difficult times as she had lost a child three months prior; she had been physically assaulted which resulted in her hospitalization and two children being apprehended by Children Services.
With the help of Bissell Centre, Kayla was able to apply for Supports for Independence (SFI) benefits and access our Inner City Victim Services program. We are happy to report that Kayla and her children were housed in March and are doing quite well.
Click here if you’d like to help more people access our multiple services.
Bryn MacDonald, a proud father, went from making $1,000 a day to an average of $1,000 a month, but he couldn’t be happier. When his daughter was born, he made the choice to work for himself as a graphic and website designer over working for a large corporation overseas. He explains, “She is my first child and I want to be the best parent I can be for her. I want to see her grow up and have stability.” He saw how important family values were in Asia and wanted to give his daughter the same caring and supportive environment to thrive in.
Since 2009, he has been spending his days working at home, while spending quality time with his daughter. When he needs a break, he brings his daughter to Bissell Centre’s Child Care centre. He drops her off twice a week at the day care so that he can have some time to relax and take naps. He is also taking the parenting courses offered by Bissell so that he can learn to be a better parent.
Bryn lives in the area, but it is not the only reason he enjoys coming to Bissell. “The staff are so nice. They really do care about the children. It is obvious by how they treat the children,” he tells me. And over the years, he has become good friends with some of the staff. They are so supportive and caring and are great role models for his daughter.
It is obvious that he is happy with where he is at right now. He doesn’t care about the money he could have made overseas. He is making ends meet, but he has a close relationship with his daughter and that is priceless.
Written by Guest Blogger Karen Lee.
On Wednesday, October 31, 2012 We are having an inner-city Halloween Party with face painting, games, food, costumes, contests, goodie bags and so much more!! This is an opportunity for kids and their families living in the inner city to attend a safe, healthy and fun Halloween event, an opportunity many otherwise would not have. All children up to 12 years old are welcome with their families.
