For many, Christmas is a time of celebration but for those staying at Agape House, a shelter in the Southeast that offers support to survivors of domestic violence, the holidays are bittersweet.
Outreach and Housing Counceller Lisa Fast shares that a lot of guests at the shelter have fled a situation and are coming in with pretty much nothing.
“Starting over is incredibly hard, especially when you don’t have a lot, and financial support is really difficult. Christmas can be an especially difficult time for our clients.”
To make the season brighter, the team at Agape House work to bring holiday cheer to women and children staying in the shelter.
“We really like to just try and make things special for them over the holidays because we know it’s hard. They're in an unfamiliar space. They're in a shelter and far away from their home or friends or family.”
Throughout the month of December, Fast says they plan to do crafts, baking, and other activities to get the women and children in the Christmas spirit and think less about other things going on in their lives.
“Christmas day, the staff put together food and presents. We get some very generous donations over the holidays for the clients, so we're able to give them those gifts. Clients are also sometimes interested in cooking, so we have everyone together, making some sort of dinner and doing activities for Christmas.”
Agape House asks the children in the shelter to put together a Christmas list for Santa to make sure they get something special over the holiday season.
Fast asks for the community's help in donating some gifts.
For those interested in donating a gift or making a monetary donation, call (204) 326-6062 or email info@agapehouse.ca.
“If people want to reach out, I'm happy to go and pick those things up,” Fast adds.
Local Crisis Line – 1-204-346-0028
Provincial Crisis Line – 1-877-977-0007
With files from Carly Koop