Canada Day Kindness Drive By Youth
It's been an impactful few days! In honor of Canada Day, which is celebrated on the land and traditional territory of Indigenous people, The team at Communities Care decided to celebrate a bit differently.
It's only been five months since my family and I became Canadian citizens, and six years since we left the shelters. When my family immigrated to Canada in 2016, we faced immense challenges. With seven of us crammed into a single room at a shelter, those early years were incredibly tough. During the winters from 2016 to 2018, I often wore just a shirt and shorts, occasionally lucky enough to have a hoodie. At DA Morrison Middle School, as an eighth-grade student, I remember receiving a donated jacket meant for girls, which I wore once before teasing from other kids made me stop. I used to joke that I didn't feel the cold, when in reality, we couldn't afford proper winter clothes.
Those were dark and difficult times. My mom sold bread to feed us, my dad worked night shifts despite being ill, and my sister worked while still in high school. These circumstances took a toll on my grades. Additionally, as refugee claimants, we were navigating the process of obtaining permanent residency.
So, to celebrate Canada Day, we at Communities Care in collaboration with Kelly Cares decided to embrace kindness, love, and unity, because that's what it means to be Canadian. We went out to Moss Park, known for its large homeless community, and distributed over 100 kindness kits containing essential items and kindness notes, hot meals, juice boxes, and chocolate bars to the whole park's homeless youth and families. We also distributed extra kindness kits to the nearby homeless shelter and immigration shelter. It was so heartwarming to see kindness in action and have conversations with people, understanding that they are just like all of us who ran into unfortunate circumstances and need our help.
Each kindness kit included :
🧼 Hygiene Essentials: Body wash, deodorants, wipes, feminine hygiene products, hairbrush or comb, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
🩹 First Aid Kit: Bandages, antiseptic wipes, and face masks.
📘 Resource Book: Community services, mental health resources, and support systems.
💌 Positive Messages: Uplifting notes and cards from youth in the community.
We need to break the stigma around homelessness and show up for them, especially for our youth. This is what it means to be Canadian: not just watching fireworks and enjoying a day at the beach every year, but showing up for our neighbors and fostering unity. Our vision at Communities Care is to build a sustainable future for all through kindness and unity, and we remain committed to that mission. We encourage everyone to join us on this kindness mission.
There Is A Power In Kindness 💚
Nebiyou Timotewos
Founder/ Executive Director
A huge THANK YOU to our incredible partner organizations who played a vital role in making our recent community drive such a success!