Make It Happen

If you've been following the #365ofgoodWR project this year, you'll know that I love sharing about the great things people are doing to bring 'good' to our community. I also try to offer specific ways that any one individual can participate in this goodness. I want to share a few options today for you to do exactly that.

Very few of things highlighted through #365ofgoodWR are the result of one person doing something in isolation. Most, if not all of them, are the result of collaborations, teamwork, and partnerships...and a lot of hard work by those involved. Many of these things happen on limited budgets and minimal staff or volunteers. So when you add your donation of time or money, you truly are having a big impact on the good happening in our region.

With that in mind, I'd like to encourage you to support the things in your neighbourhood and city that you most want to see as we move forward. Do you think the arts are important? Attend a show (something at the Registry perhaps?), join a board (like CAFKA), or volunteer behind the scenes to help with a production. Do you value safe and complete streets? Volunteer with a city or regional active transportation committee, fill out an Engage Survey, or contact your local councillor to share your thoughts on this issue. Do you think we can be a more inclusive and welcoming community? Donate to Reception House, join the Coalition for Muslim Women, or volunteer with the Multicultural Centre. These are only a few examples of how you (yes you!) can make a real impact right where you live.

Here's one more way: become a member of Marit Collective's Causerie. Here's a little bit from Marit's most recent newsletter about their work: "So many people have been touched by this (Causerie) community. We've been told it's a healing space, that a space like this is needed in our region, that we are "making so much difference for so many people", that we are providing "important work, interesting workshops and events, and a chance to be part of a growing community of people ready to talk together towards peaceful solutions across experiences and ideas, without ideology." It is incredibly hopeful to hear from you about how our work is changing lives for the better.

Here's the thing: we need your (continued) help to keep going. Though we are a not-for-profit organization, we are financially supported in large part by our membership fees. We've been able to build what we've done so far with the help of many, many people, but we're now at a critical point in our existence. Marit Collective and the Causerie are not externally funded by grants, and because we believe so strongly in the work we are doing here, the community and resilience and learning we are growing, we have been doing so at immense personal cost — both time and money. 

In these complex and divisive times, we feel it's crucial to create a welcoming space for deep, socially relevant conversations — discussions that help us gain insight while acknowledging the humanity in each other." If this sounds like something you'd like to support, you can do so here.

I've seen our community lose some pretty great things over the years, like Night\Shift and Open Sesame's space, and I don't want to see that continue. I've also seen so many great things happen because individuals came together to create something awesome (see: everything posted in the #365ofgoodWR project!) You can help shape our community by supporting some of the great things happening by offering your time, resources, and support.

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