Evelyn House is a shelter for girls aged 12-20. They have a roof over their heads, but they need wifi. Many girls have only wifi-enabled phones to search for jobs and look for permanent housing. These phones are their only connection to family.
Organizer: Melanie Coulson
Type Of Group: Other Community Benefits
Location: Ottawa, ON
Let’s bring wifi to YSB’s Evelyn House in Ottawa. The girls at Evelyn House are between 12-20. They might come from a home of abuse, they could be gay and thrown out, some are refugees fleeing family pressures of marriage, etc. in another country. The stories of the young women who live there offered so much hope: All of them were gone by 9 a.m., off to work at their jobs or school. One of the young women in the shelter attends uOttawa – she is in social work, hoping to help others like herself.
When I asked the co-ordinator of Evelyn House what they needed most she said on a smaller scale, they needed wifi. I was surprised by this, until I was told that most of the girls have phones, but they are only wifi enabled. To search for jobs, look for permanent housing, make appointments for the doctor – things they have never done before on their own, and which Evelyn House helps them with – they have to go to coffee shops or schools to connect with their community. These phones are in some cases the only connection they have to family members also.
It’s a little thing, but I think we can show these young women that we care about them, and help these young women turn their lives around.
Please make a donation and help bring wifi to Evelyn House
Melanie Coulson is the Director of Communications and Content at United Way Ottawa. She was moved by the people working at YSB's Evelyn House, and wants to make the lives of the girls who live there a little easier. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my campaign: mcoulson@unitedwayottawa.ca
