Senait Abadu is a single mom of three struggling to get by.
She’s not the only one, as many others in Guelph’s Onward Willow neighbourhood are in similar positions.
Nineteen per cent of children in the neighbourhood live in low-income households according to a recent report from public health.
Abadu’s primary concern is making sure her kids have everything they need and more. A recently single mom, Abadu was working part-time, but had to stop after her knee surgery. Ontario Works gives her just over $1,100 a month for herself and her three kids – just enough to cover rent.
“It’s not enough,” said Abadu, who is originally from Eritrea.
Food, childcare and activities to keep her kids busy are another story altogether, which is where Shelldale Family Gateway comes in.
Shelldale offers a variety of programs for those in the neighbourhood, from a breakfast club to after school programs and summer camp, all free or low-cost.
“I can’t even find the words to describe, because it’s meant a lot, not only for our kids, but for us as mothers,” she said.
Even before her kids began attending school, she said it was difficult to find a pre-school her family could afford, but the EarlyOn programs are free for children six and under.
Since starting elementary and high school, her kids go to the after school programs Shelldale offers. They especially love the art and music programs and summer camp.
“They love coming here,” she said.
Abadu said the Shelldale programs are “amazing” for them because she wouldn’t be able to afford after school and summer camp programs for her three kids otherwise, with some camps asking for around $600 for just a week.
Instead, she can pay around $25 per child for a week of summer camp, and they get snacks and go places like the African Lion Safari or Chuck E. Cheese.
Likewise, the after school programs are around $25 or $50 per child for the whole year.
Not only do they offer a free breakfast program and snacks with their after-school programs, they offer free fresh produce for families to take home from time to time, donated by a former participant.
“For me it’s like a dream. My kids enjoy their time, I have no hard time in the summer because they have a place to go,” she said.
Her eldest daughter loves the programs so much, she racked up hundreds of hours in high school community service by volunteering there. Abadu herself is a member of the board of directors, advocating for those in her community. She also volunteers quite often, cooking for students.
She doesn't think she could move away because she and her kids have developed such a strong sense of community, making friends and feeling supported. It’s something Shelldale tries to prioritize – supporting clients through positive reinforcement and positive role modelling, ensuring a diverse staff.
“It’s important for the kids who come here to (be able to) look at their counsellors or leaders and say, that person looks like me, I can do that one day,” said executive director Diana Boal.
“Growing up in poverty is an adverse childhood experience,” she said. “These kids have no control over their surroundings, so we try to provide them an opportunity to experience what every other kid in Guelph can have.”
While she said Abadu is a “shining example” of a mom in the community, not every child is so lucky, coming from households with too many people in them or mental health struggles.
“When they’re here, none of that matters,” she said. “That’s why it’s super important that we do it, and in a way that there are no financial barriers. The only barrier we have is we don’t have enough staff to take care of our waitlist.”
For Abadu, the love and warmth people are met with there is unmatched, she said, for both the kids and the broader family.
“Shelldale is our second home,” she said.
Her middle daughter is on the spectrum – a diagnosis Shelldale staff encouraged Abadu to seek out – and struggled with communication when she was younger. But she feels so safe and supported in the community there, these days she can’t stop talking, and has continued to thrive.
“She loves everybody. Everybody loves her. This is a big support,” she said.
Where she would be without services like this is not something she even wants to consider.
“Ask every single family and mom here: this community means a lot,” she said.
Still, rising rent and food costs mean the need is growing, and Shelldale is struggling to keep up.
They’ve seen a significant uptake in their breakfast club. Last year they were serving between 35 to 50 children and occasionally other family members like mom, dad or grandma. Now, they’re regularly serving around 85 families, which could be anything between four to six people. Around 700 kids come through their summer camp, and at least 300 in the after school programs.
“We doubled our numbers in (the) breakfast club alone. We have a huge waitlist for our after school programs. There’s very little we can do about that because we can’t afford to hire more staff,” Boal said. “The need is real and it’s growing.”
The programs are funded precariously through donations and grants, with a focus on two major fundraisers. Consistent funding from the government could help alleviate the waitlist.
“It’s very concerning,” she said. “Our Breakfast Club program, two months in, is already over budget. And it’s not because we’re not good stewards of the money; we’re just not going to turn people away.
“As Senait said, this is a place where every single child or teen who comes here feels safe. It’s totally non-judgmental, and you can eat. There’s no shame, no stigma. Everyone enjoys it,” Boal said.
