This coming Friday will mark the beginning of the 5th Kindness Week in Ottawa. I’ve have the distinct pleasure of being involved with the steering committee for the last three years. In that time I have come to love my adopted city like it was my hometown. More so even.
If there is one thing I want my daughters to have is the benefit of growing up in the Kindest City in Canada. I’m not going to lie. It takes work. We have busy lives, we get wrapped up in our own problems. We become disheartened by rude acts. We forget that even a small gesture can mean the world to someone else. This is why Kindness Week is so important. It is a celebration of all the kindnesses that have happened in our city leading up to it and a kick start for all the great things to come. It brings front and centre the beauty of kindness, rather than the harshness of the current anti-this or anti-that campaigns. It is the “antidote” to mean.
This year, I ran into my daughter’s former Principal at a gala for Ottawa Youth Services Bureau. She informed me of her move to Youville Centre. I was intrigued and asked if I could come visit. I knew nothing of this high school for teen moms or of the work they did prior to my visit. When I left, I was on fire. I wanted so desperately to help this place, these moms, these children and I knew what I had to do. I sent out a rallying cry to fellow bloggers in the city. To moms who sometimes write about being moms and know all too well the challenges of parenting, let alone doing it when you’re a teenager. I asked them if they would go visit Youville and help spread the word. They very kindly agreed.
I am humbled and touched to call these women my peers. They are part of what makes Ottawa so wonderful to me.
I ask you to join me this week on a blog carnival to read and learn about what these women walked away with from Youville Centre. I’d like you to meet some of the kindest women in Ottawa. Watch for their blogs this week.
Andrea @missfish – A Peek Inside The Fishbowl
Melany @melgallant – Mel Gallant
Karen @karencwilson – Karen’s Chronicles
Diana @onyababy – Onya Baby
Stephanie @fleur_de_lotus – The Lotus Pad
Charlene @charlenebside – Charlene Burnside Photography
Brie @capitalmom – Capital Mom
Danielle @danigirl – Postcards from the Mothership
I’m excited for you to learn more about Youville Centre this week. It is such a great facility, that desperately needs the help of our community to continue to help these young women to succeed. If you’re interested in helping them please click on the Canada Helps button below.
Heather Williamson
I’ve heard people say Ottawa is unfriendly because of the gov’t influence, politics…. but thanks for giving a voice to people that love Ottawa and people and making O-town a friendlier place to live and get involved.
Cindy W
As I mentioned when we met IRL at the United Way gathering, I used to work at Youville. It is a remarkable organization where the daily acts of kindness by staff are wonderful to witness. It’s thrilling that you’re focused on them and that these amazing young women will be showcased by your friends and fellow bloggers. Congratulations on moving things forward for not only Kindness Week, but our adopted city as well. 🙂
DaniGirl
Thank you so much for the kind (there’s that word again!) words and especially for inviting me to learn about the Youville Centre. I was blown away and have been so keen to share what I learned about this amazing organization. I’m so grateful to be part of this. More soon on the blog! 🙂
Youville Centre
Thank you so much for your support! It is because of people like you in the community that we are able to continue serving young moms and their children so they can provide brighter futures for themselves and their children! We are grateful!
Mel Gallant
Thanks Candace. Touring the Youville Centre was a wonderful experience. It’s awesome to see such a great service being offered to young mothers in our community. I look forward to sharing my thoughts in a post very soon!
Karen
I was truly honoured to be invited to tour Youville. Thank you for arranging this and helping me to learn more about them. They are doing such great work for these young women and it will be a pleasure for me to be able to help them!