8 minute read
The Future of Accessible, Compassionate Healthcare
Fashion for Good: Thunder Bay Sisters Bring Sustainable Fashion Home to Canada
“Every piece of clothing is touched by another life.”
Ungalli is on a mission to change the way people think about clothing. In today’s changing world, the pressure to buy new clothes, whether to be on-trend or for the thrill of owning something new, is underlined by a dark truth: the fashion industry is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Based in Thunder Bay, Ontario, sisters Hailey and Bree are fiercely committed to creating a new style standard, raising awareness about the negative impacts of the mainstream clothing industry while producing a superior, sustainable alternative. Since its launch in 2013, Ungalli has made incredible strides to create a community of environmentally conscious consumers, received praise from all over the country, and recycled over one million bottles to make into clothing. The sisters champion local in more ways than one: all of Ungalli’s products are ethically made in Canada from recycled and organic materials, and the brand makes giving back a priority.
In 2011, as the sisters became more aware of the major flaws within the clothing industry, they felt they had to do more to bring it to people’s attention. At the time, sustainable materials were not easy to find, nor was finding means of production. “We did eventually find a company in the USA who helped us bring our vision to life, but we always wanted to bring production to Canada,” Hailey recalls. “With the help of a very generous grant from Canadian Geographic Magazine, we were able to finally bring the entirety of our production home.” The sisters opened a retail store in their hometown of Thunder Bay and operated their business online. But the impact Ungalli has made goes past just t-shirts. By choosing Ungalli, shoppers are not just choosing to support a sustainable brand and ethically made clothing—they’re choosing to support local charities and programs that give back to the Thunder Bay community. From The Mashkawi-Manidoo Bimaadiziwin Spirit to Soar Fund, which connects vulnerable Indigenous youth with community programming, to Indigenous Canadian artists like Emma Forbes, who designed Ungalli’s Orange Shirt Day collection, Ungalli places immense power in supporting local.
“Ungalli is deeply rooted in community and believes in supporting and giving back to the community that supports us. We are also a big supporter of the Wake the Giant movement and music festival that supports Indigenous youth that come to Thunder Bay from remote First Nation communities to attend school,” says Bree. “It’s important for us to provide a platform for artists to showcase their talents, work, and message.”
That belief is also the driving force behind the Ungalli Collective, a storefront featuring locally made wares and small businesses. The sisters share that the vendors they feature in the collective are not only amazing at what they do, but they also represent a piece of the Thunder Bay community. From a small kiosk in a mall to a new retail store and warehouse space, Ungalli’s growth has made an impressive impact. The demand for their custom screen-printed tees, which they produce for businesses, charities, organizations, and more, have been in demand, which the brand is happy to accommodate. As the sisters describe it, organizations order hundreds (or thousands!) of t-shirts at a time, and by replacing traditionally manufactured t-shirts with sustainably and ethically produced shirts, the environmental impact is substantial. Ungalli is one of the only companies in the country that offers this kind of service on sustainable clothing.
To date, Ungalli is proud to have saved 5,076,312 days of drinking water, avoided 124,423 km of driving emissions, and recycled 1,169,242 PET bottles. As Ungalli continues to grow and expand its product line, the sisters want to share that the smallest changes can have a big impact when it comes to building a sustainable wardrobe!
“It’s not about replacing your entire wardrobe with sustainable clothing and throwing everything else out. It’s about a shift in your mindset and buying only what you need.”
What Dads Want: Easing the Transition Into Fatherhood
Being a dad is one of life’s most rewarding experiences, but the transition to fatherhood can be very difficult. Dads often struggle with this major life change, made even more isolating without any dedicated support. A 2019 Movember research study has found that mental health is the most difficult topic for men to discuss—beating out finances and relationships. Traditionally, fathers are considered the pillar of the household, which makes it harder to admit when dads need help. The truth is that dads need support too, especially in the beginning stages of parenthood, when postpartum depression is likely to appear in new families.
Research shows Canadian dads care about their fatherhood role and want to be involved, supportive parents—a mission that is only possible when dads feel they have the skills and confidence to engage with their children, the ability to balance home and work responsibilities, and the resources needed to provide a caring, stable home. Positively involved dads help their children with brain development, which is paramount to developing learning and language ability. Research shows that fathers who are sensitive and less anxious have infants who score higher in mental development. With resources created for dads, by dads, Dad Central has a vision of a world where dads can access the support they need, creating a new generation of children who have access to involved, responsible, and devoted dads, easing their adjustment to one day becoming parents themselves. Dad Central is also developing new digital courses that are simple, practical, and relevant for the unique challenges of being a father, encouraging dads to be more positively involved in creating healthy families.
Dad Central exists due to their project partner and host organization, the George Hull Centre for Children and Families in Toronto, as well as support from the Public Health Agency of Canada. To better serve dads, Dad Central relies on the generous support of partners like Dove Men+Care. Dove Men+Care believes in celebrating the importance of care. Caring for himself helps him be his best but caring for others is the best a man can offer. To help men care for others, Dove Men+Care partners with Dad Central to provide a variety of tools for Canadian Dads, including webinars, trainings, and resources. Despite the overwhelming validation for the importance of dads to the lives of children, there is no federal funding dedicated to supporting fathers. So we need your help!
Learn more and donate at dadcentral.ca, and sign up for the FREE Fatherhood Fundamentals course at dadcentral.ca/fatherhood-fundamentals
The Future of Accessible, Compassionate Healthcare
While the world makes strides to recover from the pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 isn’t over yet. Around the world, accessible health care is needed, now more than ever. Ongoing restrictions and lockdowns have been tough on health care professionals, families, and local leaders. This means that the ways care is provided have changed—especially for organizations like Medical Ministry International, which brings healthcare services to developing nations and works to establish and support Health Care Centers, increasing access to quality care. Medical Ministry International provides spiritual and compassionate health care to countries around the world. Their work brings together traditional faith and cutting-edge technology to make healthcare more accessible, everywhere.
Claudia’s Story
Claudia is an enthusiastic teacher from Ghana who has many ambitions for her future. Whether it’s pursuing higher education, starting a family, or serving her community—her story is yet to be written. But life came to an abrupt halt in her late 20s, when she developed non-cancerous growths called fibroids in her uterus. Each day, she woke up weakened by pain and fatigued by a steady loss of blood. Unable to work, Claudia had to take leave from her job several times. “My life was at a standstill as I was always in and out of hospitals. My finances went down the drain, my dream for further studies shattered,” Claudia says. It became clear that a myomectomy, a surgical procedure to remove the growth, was her only option. Not only was Claudia’s anemia impacting her quality of life, the fibroids in her uterus could destroy her chance of having children. Fortunately, your compassion allowed MMI to be there! Despite a long and difficult surgery, the growth was removed and Claudia began her journey to recovery.
With your help, Claudia received financial support and personalized care. “MMI called me, prayed with me, and even visited me at home. The surgeons also made time to follow up with my doctors in Ghana,” says Claudia Stories like Claudia’s show the incredible value of compassionate support and spiritual care—both of which are made stronger through donor support. In Azerbaijan, MMI has provided 10,000 vision services each year through the Caspian Compassion Project, a vision care centre in Baku. MMI also works with the UNHCR to provide glasses to internally displaced people currently settled in Baku. As care centers grow, MMI assists with specific needs for buildings, renovations, and equipment. Donor support makes an incredible impact in all areas of MMI’s work, but there are many more ways to support accessible healthcare worldwide. By joining a one or two-week Project Team as an international volunteer participant, you can put your skills to use and make a difference, building medical capacity for the long term. As the team looks towards the future, they’re grateful to the donors and volunteers who have continued to support them.
