Salvation Bethany Hope Centre- 2022 Year in Review

YEAR IN REVIEW 2022

Message from the Executive Director

AS 2022 COMES TO AN END, WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE RETURN OF A DIFFERENT KIND OF NORMALCY. OUR TEAM HAS WORKED HARD TO PROVIDE NEW AND IMPROVED INNOVATIVE PROGRAMMING TO BETTER MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS.

WE ARE GRATEFUL TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE HOPE TO THOSE WHO STRUGGLED WITH THE CHANGES THAT THIS PANDEMIC BROUGHT OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. WE WELCOMED BACK CHILDREN WHO WERE BORN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC, AND NOW ARE 2 YEARS OLD. I AM IN AWE TO SEE HOW THEY HAVE DEVELOPED AND ARE NOW TODDLERS.

IN THIS ISSUE, YOU WILL READ ABOUT OUR NEW SAFECARE PROGRAM THAT HAS ALLOWED US TO DO OUTREACH WORK IN THE COMMUNITY WITH OUR CLIENTS. YOU WILL BE INTRODUCED TO OUR NEW CHAPLAIN AND SEE HOW WE FARED WITH OUR ANNUAL FUNDRAISERS--THE SANTA SHUFFLE AND OUR CHRISTMAS KETTLE CAMPAIGN.

THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT AND WE STRIVE TO CONTINUE TO BRING HOPE TO THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, CONTINUING TO HELP YOUNG FAMILIES ONE STEP AT A TIME WITH OUR WRAP AROUND SERVICES, PROVIDING COMPASSION, COMMUNITY AND CHANGE.

I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ALL THOSE WHO HELP OUR FAMILIES BE SUPPORTED, EQUIPPED AND EMPOWERED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. A SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT, OUR VOLUNTEERS AND DONORS. YOU ARE ALL VERY IMPORTANT PIECES TO OUR PUZZLE. WISHING YOU ALL A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS SEASON AND A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Sandra Randall

Executive Director

Message from our Community Council Chair

As it became safer to gather, 2022 was a year of welcoming the Bethany Hope Centre community back to the building and to the inperson programs we missed so much.

I have been so delighted to get back to volunteering at BHC, which has always been a place of welcome and love for me. Highlights this year have been bringing colleagues and friends with me to volunteer. I introduced colleagues to BHC as we took on an afternoon of working as a team in a different way. A group of friends joined me in the kitchen to cook a meal for a community event. As we look for connection and ways of giving back I am very grateful that these opportunities are available.

As Chair of the Community Council, I congratulate the leadership team and staff, who have been so creative in leveraging the learnings of the pandemic while launching in-person programming to best support young parent families. Thank you for your support of the the Bethany Hope Centre in 2022, and very best wishes for 2023.

Nathalie Schiebel Community Council, Chair

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

IN THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION, THE SALVATION ARMY BETHANY HOPE CENTRE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE LAND ON WHICH WE PROMOTE CHANGE, COMPASSION, COMMUNITY AND RESPECT IS THE TRADITIONAL UNCEDED TERRITORY OF THE ANISHINAABE ALGONQUIN NATION.

OUR MISSION OUR VISION

OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT, EQUIP AND EMPOWER ADULTS, YOUTH AND CHILDREN IN THE OTTAWA REGION BY BUILDING SERVICES, PARTNERSHIPS AND A FAITH BASED COMMUNITY SPIRIT WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON YOUNG PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN.

AS AN INNOVATIVE PARTNER, WE ENVISION A COMMUNITY IN WHICH YOUNG PARENT FAMILIES FEEL SUPPORT, HAVE DIGNITY AND HOPE, AND KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD.

BHC by

numbers

Learning Centre

Congratulations to one of our 3 graduates this year, Marcella Miron

"It has been such a struggle for me to get my diploma especially since my 8-year-old son has a weakened immune system, so I had to put my education on hold during the pandemic while I home schooled him,” said Marcella. “But I’m just over the moon having completed high school and I am a ball of emotions! I did it for my son; he is my biggest motivation. I also wanted to prove it to myself and my family.”

Our young parents perservered throughout the pandemic and continued to work hard at their own school work while homeschooling their children.

This year, 15 highschool credits were earned and 36 clients were assisted with Education and Employment Services.

Congratulations to Farah Dridi who was the recipient of the 2022 Hariot Munro Community Spirit Award

Children's Services

Playgroups and child care visits were back up and running this year. Over 400 visits to our child care room were recorded, which equals= A lot of fun!

This year we welcomed 25 new children into our child development programs. We continue to offer our Swaddlers and Toddlers playgroups and have added a preschool group for those children 4-6 years in the summer months. We continued to assemble and provide activity kits on food share days. The kits consist of a craft activity that the children can complete with their parents at home. We gave out over 1000 kits this year. We continued to help parents monitor the development of their children through offering the Age’s and Stages Screening tools (ASQ). We were able to help our parents understand their children's developmental milestones and assess if any further support, resources or referrals were needed. Twenty ASQs were completed this year with 100% of the parents saying that the ASQ was helpful to them in understanding their child’s development. Besides playgroups, child minding is offered for any of our young parent participants who are accessing other programs and services at Bethany Hope Centre. Our young parent participants have shared that their children enjoy their time in the playroom, and that they are grateful to have a safe space for their children to access while at Bethany Hope Centre.

Health

In July 2022, we were offered the opportunity to collaborated with Nicole Greaves a Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist(RCRT) to create a Wellness Project for our clients; especially prenatal and postpartum clients with foot reflexology therapy.

Reflexology Therapy is a non-invasive holistic wellness caring; that uses specialized pressure point stimulation techniques on the feet (hands or ears) to enable mind-body connections between the body’s organs, glands and meridians, with the goal of facilitating a state of rest and relaxation of the nervous system (parasympathetic system). Therefore the project goal was intended to promote relaxation to decrease/better manage stressors, such as parenting and post pregnancy recovery.

This program was offered at no cost to participants from September 2022 to November 2022. Each client was offered a 30-minute reflexology session once per month. Some of the feedback we received was:

“That was amazing, I feel so relaxed and at peace!”

“It was so calming to take this time for myself today” “I really needed this today”

We hope we can continue to look for ways to enhance and sustain this holistic wellness initiative in the future.

We had 90 individual clients who accessed our health clinic and 75 health promotion sessions were facilitated by our Community Nurse, Myranda in 2022.

Parent Support

Our parent support team has been extremely busy this year with their group programs and individual support sessions. In 2022, over 650 visits were made to the centre for parent support. We also introduced SafeCare to our clients this year. SafeCare is a program for parents of children 0-5 years. Providers offer sessions in homes for weekly sessions of 3 topic areas: Parent-Infant/Child Interaction, Home Safety, and Child Health. So far, 11 families have been introduced to SafeCare in their homes.

Fathering Program

The Dads Matter group had a very successful year. The group enjoyed meals together on Wednesday nights with a discussion to follow. Various topics included Positive Parenting, Understanding Your Child and most recently the Super Dads Super Kids program. The dads have made meaningful connections with each other.

"For the first time in a long time I've felt comfortable around new people and that it honestly feels like a family." --Participant in the Dad's Matter group

Spiritual Care

This fall, several faith programs got underway including an experiential prayer experience called, ‘5 Senses Prayer’, a short film discussion group following the “I Am Second” film series and an open dialogue session on faith and spiritual life called “Coffee & Conversation”. Discussions have flowed easily as well as the cups of coffee, laughs and sometimes tears as hearts have been encouraged, challenged and heard. Messy church is a highlight each week as families gather to play games, do some crafts, listen to an engaging bible lesson and get a little messy! Our times together around the table enjoying the meal are precious and our families are growing together with a sense community.

Our Chaplain, Wendy and her Pyjama Crew

Halloween Fun!

Thank

Volunteers Donors and Funders

Our

Mr. David T. Williams in memory of Shelagh Caroline Williams

Ross Munro

Loretta Roper

Jackie Kallies

Neville Ward

Alana Hardy

Alicia Phinney

Celia Rheault

Donna DandeleMacNabb

Emily Kom

Erin Patrick

Frank Stanek

Gwendolyn Guth

Helen Quaresma

Jason Kempt

Dylan Black

Karen Lavigne

Katherine Finn

Kathy Connelly

Mar Marrow

Margaret Jeffery

Paul Cressman

Peter Angel

Roxanne Tubb

Sharmala Naidoo

Sharon Blackman

Taryn Newsham

Teresa Roberts

Terri Kelloway

Tom Flood

Vicki Thomas

The Salvation Army Canada

Home Columbus House

Roger's Foundation

Columbus Club

Parkdale United Church

Cobbs Bakery

Hobin Arhcitecture

Robertson Coyne Mechanical Ciena Cares Matching Gift Program

Capital City Choppers

Our Community Council Members:

Neville Ward

Sandra Hession

Barbara Peters

Nathalie Shiebel

Glenn van Gulik

Jo-Anne Drough

Finally, we must thank the Salvtion Amry for making the commitment locally, provincially and territorially to ensure that young parents in Ottawa have opportunity for a bright future.

Last, but not least, Thank You to our wonderful Bethany Hope Centre Staff!

Back row: Stacey, Maeve, 2nd row: Rachel, Debbie, Matt, Tristan, 3rd row: Carolyne, Sandra, Crystal, 4th row: Pam M, Wendy, Sachiyo, front row: Sarah Missing: Tori, Jessie, Myranda, Pam H