LIVING Giving Back
BEGINNING WITH A
M VE
“We have done some high risk moves, and the police make sure that it is safe for us to go inside and move the belongings, so we go in, get the things, take the client out and help them move toward a new beginning,” explains Patricia. “When we shut the doors on the truck, the client often starts crying because they know it’s final—they’re leaving their home for good—and we have to give them a lot of reassurance, telling them they’re going to be ok, that better things are ahead,” she explains. While Patricia’s involvement with Shelter Movers has taught her skills she is proud to have learned—like how to drive a moving truck, buy a tool kit and work an Allen Key like a pro—it’s those personal interactions with survivors which leave the biggest impact. “These women are so used to people putting them down that they stop believing in themselves, and we are some of the first people to show them that they have value,” concludes Patricia. “I love Shelter Movers. Every time I have a move I know it’s going to be a special day.”
For information on how to volunteer for—or donate to—Shelter Movers Ottawa, please visit sheltermovers.com/donate
PHOTO BY MARK HOLLERON FALL 2021 ottawaathome.ca 53
