‘At The Lighthouse, we want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to have the holidays be a special time for them’
This is the 17th in a series of columns written by staff from The Lighthouse to help the community better understand people experiencing homelessness and those who support them. This column will appear every other Monday.
Imagine staying in an emergency shelter at Christmas. Now imagine staying in a tent over the holiday season.
For approximately 100 people who are connected to The Lighthouse and experiencing homelessness in our community, they won’t need to imagine it; this will be their reality
Nolan (not his real name, for privacy reasons), for example, is staying in The Lighthouse’s emergency shelter. He’s worked hard to be able to buy a couple of presents for his son and he’s looking forward to giving them.
But his mental health is also taking a hit. Christmas reminds him of the ways it feels like he’s failed as a father, and he’s struggling with suicidal ideation. He’ll be able to stop by to drop off his son’s Christmas gifts on Christmas Day, but Nolan won’t be able to spend quality time with his son as he doesn’t have anywhere to go with him to do that. A home would make all the difference.
For many who are staying at The Lighthouse or accessing our services through outreach or our community meal program, Christmas is not “the most wonderful time of the year.” Instead, it can be a reminder of the series of losses someone who is experiencing homelessness has gone through. Many will be missing time spent with family or friends, unable to provide gifts, or host others as they have in past Christmases. Many have no family or friends and are completely alone.
At The Lighthouse, we want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to have the holidays be a special time for them. In our various programs, the way in which Christmas is celebrated is unique to the program parameters, but the message is the same: We want to encourage people with hope at what can be a difficult time of year.
Participants, volunteers and staff came together to decorate The Lighthouse’s community services building at the end of November. This was an opportunity for anyone staying at The Lighthouse who was interested in spreading some Christmas cheer to be involved in putting up the Christmas tree and “decking the halls.”
For participants staying in the adult or youth emergency shelter, The Lighthouse provides a small gift on Christmas morning, thanks to the generosity of our donors. This gift generally includes a card with a message of hope, a small gift card, and chocolate. Our goal is to let people know they are cared for. Anything else participants need would be given to them on an as-needed basis through our regular programs and partnerships. Last week, we hosted a participant Christmas social with prizes and games for anyone staying in the emergency shelter. Participants will also enjoy a complete turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Christmas Day.
Supportive housing at The Lighthouse is similar. Thanks to partnerships in our community, participants receive a stocking delivered to their door. Supportive housing also hosts a Christmas celebration and dinner in the building’s common room for all participants staying there.
The Lighthouse also partners with Uplifting Blessings to provide gifts for families in the motel voucher program. This program is used by families with children, and every child should have a gift to open on Christmas morning.
As we know, Christmas is not just about the gifts. Most of us also get together with friends and family over the holidays. Where appropriate, we encourage participants to spend time with their family or friends on and around Christmas.
With Christmas just a week away, The Lighthouse continues to support people experiencing homelessness in our community. When most places put their ‘closed’ signs up and lock their doors for the holidays, The Lighthouse doors stay open every day of the year. Homelessness does not take a holiday. The Lighthouse’s amazing shelter and supportive housing staff spend Christmas working to ensure participants feel cared for and are not alone.
It’s not too late to make a difference. Interested in helping to make Christmas special for someone who is experiencing homelessness? The Lighthouse has five ways to give this Christmas. You can read about it here.
Linda Goodall is the former executive director at The Lighthouse . For more information contact Dale Rowe, Executive Director at dale@orillialighthouse.ca
Rosemary Petersen is the assistant director at The Lighthouse.