Summer2019

In this Issue... Thank you for Stepping Up for Children's Mental Health!

Indigenous Housing Expert Focuses on Holistic Healing

Restaurant Owner Gives Lutherwood Clients the Opportunity to Shine

Front Door Expands its Quick Access Services

Caring people.Strengthening lives.

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www.lutherwood.ca Issue 13

Thank you for Stepping Up for Children's Mental Health!On Sunday May 5th, over 600 people stepped up to walk at Lutherwood’s Benjamin Road location in honour of its seventh annual Steps for Kids event. Many more of you stepped up figuratively, donating your time, money, talents, and passions to a day dedicated to raising funds and awareness for youth mental health across Waterloo Region.

Through your ongoing support since 2013 Steps for Kids has grown into a day to celebrate and reflect.

As well as a walk, the event featured live music and guest speakers sharing their personal stories of bravery and perseverance. One mother talked about her experience with taking her child through Lutherwood's youth mental health programs.She told the crowd passionately. “Lutherwood GETS families. They truly understand that they are not just meeting the need of one child or youth, they’re meeting the needs of families… because we all know that families are what keep things going in the long run.”

In the seven years since its inception, Steps for Kids has annually met and surpassed its fundraising goal. Because of the support of our community this year’s target of $130,000 was surpassed raising a whopping $138,373, bringing the event’s to-date total to over $800,000.

These are critical funds that allow Lutherwood to respond quickly to urgent needs and to fund gap areas in program funding, such as much needed Music Therapy at the Children’s Mental Health Treatment Centre, or to Safe Haven Youth Services. Through the incredible support of this community Lutherwood is able to ensure that help is there for a child and their family when it is needed the most.

Sandra Villarraga, Event Lead for Steps for Kids, said that although raising funds and awareness for mental health is vital, they are only two of the four pillars that make the event so important. The third pillar, she says, is to reduce the stigma. To show kids that it’s ok to say that they are struggling, that there are others like them, and

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A family participating at Steps for Kids on May 5th.

InSightLutherwood

Thank You for Stepping Up!

that there are programs in place that can help them.

“The fourth pillar, for me is the most important, it’s for the kids here at Lutherwood to see the community coming to support them,” Sandra explained. “Your support shows youth that you are behind them, and you want them to succeed here and that they are not in their struggle alone."

The funds you have raised will maximize the positive impact of the supports for children and youth who so desperately need it.

Thank you so much for being a community that shows so much compassion for its kids, and for continuing the never-ending conversation of youth mental health. Together we are giving hope to children, youth and families!

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Team RBC participating in the Steps for Kids walk on Sunday, May 5th, beginning at Lutherwood's Children's Mental Health Centre.

Over 60 event sponsors gathered at the Steps for Kids Champions Celebration on Tuesday, June 18th.

We are proud to look back on the tangible success stories and community impacts that we have achieved thanks to your support. Within the pages of our 2019 Community Report, we have compiled some highlights to share with you.

It takes a community to grow as a community, and it’s your support that keeps us on track to succeeding in our vision: Communities where all children, youth, adults and families experience mental wellness, financial stability and a safe place to live.

Read the Report at lutherwood.ca/community-report/2019or call 519-884-1470 ext. 1219 to request a printed copy.

Our 2019 Community Report is now available online!

Join us for next year's walk! Sunday May 3rd, 2020

SAVE THE DATE

Indigenous Housing Expert Focuses on Holistic Healing

Clarence works with them once they have been housed, to fill the deeper gaps in their lives.

“There are a lot of people that will stereotype these individuals for where they are in their lives, but there are so many contributing factors as to the ‘why’. People don’t just wake up one day and say ‘I’m just going to choose to be homeless.’ These are people and they have stories.”

Starting with a holistic assessment, Clarence looks at clients’ physical wellbeing first, helping to set up doctor or dentist appointments, and once they have created a relationship based on trust, they move on to emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

“The longest and hardest journey we all have to make is from our knuckles to our elbow. That’s the distance from our heads to our hearts.”

He says a big part of finding ourselves is by following our hearts, even when our heads are filled with self-doubt.

Clarence then works with these clients for up to 24 months, helping them with budgeting, personal goals, finding meaningful daily activities and connecting them with other agencies if needed.

“It’s about setting up a support network so that we can slowly transition them out, and then they will have maintained housing stability.”

When asked about his dreams for the future of his role at Lutherwood, Clarence said he would love to take clients out to more cultural events, or out into nature to help them discover their ‘who’, ‘why’ and ‘purpose’ like he was able to, which has transformed him to the point that he is now writing a book about his life.

“Who am I?” Clarence asked with a smile. “I am Kiway Tinway Innine. I am North Wind Man. What does the North Wind do? It puts everything to rest and cleans everything it touches. Why am I? To bridge gaps and walk in both worlds. What is my purpose? To walk with people both Caucasian and Indigenous and to bring them together.”Kam’s Auto Service was recognized at the 2018 Annual Guelph Wellington Employer Recognition Awards by Lutherwood for its significant contributions to helping young people like Gabriel.

*client’s name has been changed to protect their privacy

Thank You for Stepping Up!

Every person deserves to know three things about themselves. Who they are, why they are, and what their purpose in life is. At least, that is the belief of Lutherwood’s Indigenous Housing Specialist Clarence Cachagee.

“I walk in both worlds. I am half settler and half Cree. I’ve always wanted to have a role serving the indigenous population, and for a long time such a role was never available,” said Clarence. So, when he saw the position at Lutherwood eight months ago, he jumped at the chance.

Growing up in the foster system, and more recently battling addiction and homelessness here in Waterloo Region, Clarence is passionate about taking what he has learned about himself and about life to help those going through the same struggles.

Starting with a case load of about half Caucasian and half Indigenous clients, Clarence has already worked his way up to helping 80% Indigenous clients, with the hopes of soon giving them his full attention.

He says many of his clients have suffered traumas, and they are so disconnected from who they are that they have lost their sense of identity and purpose.

Clarence at Lutherwood's Housing Resource Centre.

Our 2019 Community Report is now available online!

Caroline is no stranger to the hiring process. As the owner of four Tim Hortons franchises, employing strong workers is a vital part of what keeps her restaurants thriving.

So, connecting with Lutherwood’s Employment Services seemed like a win-win partnership for Caroline three years ago, and it is one that is still going strong today with no end in sight. Her fourth and newest franchise on Paisley Road in Guelph celebrated its grand opening this past February, and she attributed Lutherwood to helping make it a success.

“We did some job fairs that Lutherwood helped us advertise for on their social media,” Caroline said. “And they were constantly supporting me, helping us find people to potentially hire, and generally checking in on how we were doing.”

Since connecting with Lutherwood, Caroline has employed over fifty clients.

“We give everyone a fair chance to work with us, regardless of whether they come from Lutherwood or not,” Caroline said. She added that all her employees must meet a certain standard, and if they do, she is happy to welcome them onto her team. “At the end of the day it’s about the individual we’re bringing in. Your team is a good reflection of your business.”

One of their hires happened to have a disability and was struggling on his journey to finding employment. Caroline worked with Lutherwood and with the client to create a position specifically tailored to his abilities. It was important to her not to assume what he could and couldn’t do, and in the end, they were able to find him employment with tasks that he could carry out with confidence.

Caroline knows that the quick service restaurant industry generally has a higher turnover rate, and that not everyone will want to grow their position into a long-term career. She wants everyone to be given the opportunity to do so, but she is happy to provide future references.

“Some of our team members are working to better themselves and gain experience. Some are even in school and when they finish their studies they quit to go into their fields. I’m happy for them but it’s tough to see them leave!”

On June 7th, Caroline was invited to the 29th Annual Guelph Wellington Employer Recognition Awards, where Lutherwood Employment Services presented her with an award for her involvement with the programs.

“It seemed so unreal,” Caroline joked, “They are the ones helping me find and hire great people, and then I get an award? Amazing!”

Restaurant Owner Gives Lutherwood Clients the Opportunity to Shine

Lutherwood has various Employment Services programs and incentives for employers. Learn more about these programs on our website.

Front Door is the single point of access for children’s mental health in Waterloo Region. A partnership between Lutherwood and Carizon, it offers options for quick access to single session walk-in services and, in some locations, walk-in appointment options.

The term Quick Access is a service that Front Door offers that allows children, youth and families instant access to single session counselling and referral resources based on their needs and where they live. Thanks to some recent government funding, Quick Access has been able to expand to add four new locations, bringing the total number of access points up to eleven.

These new locations; the Cambridge Christopher Chaplin YMCA, Waterloo Early Years Centre YMCA, the main downtown branch of the Kitchener Public Library and the Cambridge Library Idea Exchange, will now have a counsellor on site at specified hours available for walk-in appointments.

“Often times when families come to Front Door, they’re confused about how to access support,” said Heather Fedy, Director of Operations for Mental Health Services at Lutherwood. “We know there are gaps in service in the region, so anything we can do to get the service to families quickly and early on so that the issues don’t become more intensive, is why Quick Access centres are so important.”

Program Manager for Joint Initiatives Jennifer Jackson explained that these new centres will go beyond just helping the youth and their families. “It’s also for us to further explore how the system can meet their needs and reduce their overall stress, and helping families move to better.”

For more information about Front Door, Quick Access and how you can receive help, visit www.frontdoormentalhealth.com.

Front Door Expands its Quick Access Services

Front Door's Quick Access Service is offered to children 18 and under.

Walk-in services in KW and surrounding areas improves

MENTAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ACCESS

WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN, YOUTH & THEIR FAMILIES

Offered in a variety of locations across KW, Walk-In services provides timely options for children, youth, and their families facing mental health difficulties.

OVERALL GOALTo help identify issues and equip families with tools and strategies to address their concerns through a single free counselling session and provide access to more intensive mental health services when required.

In Just 7 Months (Nov/18 - May/19):

youth (and their families) accessed services

732

walk-in sessions occurred

Multiple Service Locations are Accessed Removing Client Service Barrier

Most Common Presenting Concerns

✓Aggressive Behaviour

✓Emotion Management

792

907

"This service was more than amazing. It helped me with everything that I was too scared to talk about. Thank you very much for your help and support."

- Youth

✓

✓School Difficulties

✓Anxiety

✓

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Community Pro-gram

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5%98% 88%93% 73%

Overall Satisfaction

I feel more hopeful

Parent

Youth

In 7 Months (November - May 2019):

Most Common Concerns:

Your Special Gifts

We are so grateful for you, our many friends and supporters who gave generously the past few months. Your donations are celebrated and treasured. And your gifts help make positive change for children and families in Waterloo Region.

We gratefully acknowledge the following tributes made during the

past months:

Gifts in Honour of Beingessner Home Exteriors Ltd.

Beth DuffyCaroline Netto-Navaretnam

David GascaigneDirt Cheap IncEmily Taylor

Framing & Art CentreGiesbrecht, Griffin, Funk & Irvine

Peter Zinch and Drivers of Grand River TransitGreg S. RomanickPM Justin Trudeau

Kitchener Horticultural SocietyLGBTQS2 youth

Lisa SlackOntario Seed Company LimitedRaj Saini, MP - Kitchener Centre

Dr. Schied and AssociatesScott Berry

Nelson, Isabel and Anna of TD Canada TrustWLU Graduate Students’ Music Therapy Association

Gifts in Memory of

Birthday ofAnita Flootman-Paterson

Kate SpereWilliam A. RothHenry KlingsponRaymond Beskau

Thank you for supporting your community through Lutherwood!Our mailing address is:

285 Benjamin Road Waterloo, ON N2J 3Z4

Registered Charity Number: 10765 0178 RR001

Quarry CommunicationsSpecial thanks to Quarry Communications who have supported children’s mental health corporately through Steps for Kids as Community Champions, and as individuals through their employee giving program. You are great neighbours and caring friends!

Boston PizzaA big thank you goes out to Boston Pizza and to everyone in the community who attended the Boston Pizza Waterloo fundraiser on April 15th in support of Steps for Kids. It was a great night out with great food!

Follow Us:

The Graduate Students Music Therapy Association

The Graduate Students Music Therapy Association (GSMTA) at Laurier raised $1,390 for youth to experience music therapy at Lutherwood through a Music Therapy Awareness Night and fundraiser event. Amazing work from the dedicated music therapists of the future!

Bernice P. Weiberg Curtis L. Dauber Diane E. Prokop

Donald Stroh Erna Amstein

Joseph Schanzenbacher

Helen Adams Josephine Kains

Neil Mah Nicholas Matthew David Janisse

Oscar Zarnke Pauline Krayetski