Guelph resident Joanne French spends her days working tirelessly to help as many people as she can.
Joanne is the co-founder of the grassroots initiative A Little Relief, a group that collects clothing, toys and food for children and families in need during the holiday season and Easter.
During its first year of operation, A Little Relief managed to help 12 local families. Since then, the program has grown and now helps over 100 families each year, ensuring they receive the support they need during difficult times.
Joanne dedicates herself to this cause, putting in countless hours to ensure the group’s mission is being fulfilled and continues providing families with joy and warmth. Her empathy creates a supportive environment for the volunteers at A Little Relief as well as the families it helps.
GuelphToday was delighted to surprise Joanne with a Random Act of Kindness, to let her know that her hard work and big heart are appreciated.
Although she is a private person, she was very excited to see the GuelphToday team, as well as Karla Hebden of Montana's BBQ & Grill and Erin Phillips of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa show up at her group dinner to present their gifts for her.
“I started helping out with A Little Relief in 2015 after Joanne reached out to me,” said Jen Nelson, a volunteer and Joanne’s nominator. “It has been an amazing, beautiful and sometimes heartbreaking journey. The stories we hear about have made me shed a tear on more than one occasion.”
“Joanne has been the backbone of this group,” Jen shared. “Nobody realizes the time it takes. From our Christmas hampers to our Easter hampers, she has spent countless hours and her own resources to help this group thrive. We simply wouldn’t exist without her.”
A Little Relief is completely donation-based and relies heavily on support from the community to continue helping families in need. If you are interested in volunteering or providing donations during this year’s holiday season, please visit A Little Relief’s Facebook group here.
Thank you to our generous co-sponsors, JL’s Home Hardware, Market Fresh, Montana’s BBQ & Bar, Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa and Robinson’s Flowers for making this Random Act of Kindness possible.
If you know someone in the community who deserves recognition for their selfless actions, positivity in the face of hardship, or just for being a great person, you can nominate them for a Random Act of Kindness. Fill out our nomination form today!
If you would like to support our Random Acts of Kindness program, please email [email protected].
GuelphToday is proud to make a difference in our community by highlighting extraordinary individuals and organizations with our Random Acts of Kindness, a foundational piece of our GuelphToday Cares program.
The GuelphToday Cares team's mission is to create meaningful change in Guelph - and inspire others to do the same.
