THE JOY OF GIVING: Mario Deo, left, and Jonathan Fine (right) display some of the gifts their law firm will be sending to two families at ETA Vaughan. Each basket is worth about $500. (Joshua Freeman/Vaughan Today)
It may be getting colder, but a number of groups in Vaughan are lending their warmth to those most in need this season.
Just a couple of months after becoming fully operational, ETA Vaughan, the city’s new women’s shelter, has been inundated with calls from individuals and groups wanting to lend a hand.
“I’m feeling so touched and overwhelmed at the calls that have been coming in,” said Susan Cochen, counselling coordinator at ETA Vaughan. “A group of seniors at a nursing home knitted all these scarves for us.
“It’s been heartwarming. People and companies have been calling and saying ‘What do you need?’”
One such call came from Jan Chaffay, director of business operations at the law firm of Fine and Deo.
New to the organization, Chaffay suggested all the staff at the office give up their traditional “Secret Santa” exchange in order to buy gifts and supplies for two families at the shelter instead.
“Our staff have been incredible,” Chaffay said. “The donations have been amazing.”
With the firm matching staff donations, Chaffay is delivering specially tailored baskets of pajamas, slippers and toys to two families at the shelter, each consisting of a single mother with two kids.
“We’re quite excited about it,” Chaffay said. “The only downside is that we don’t get to see their faces … but I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.”
Others have reached out as well.
Staff at Associated Hebrew School’s Kamin branch decided to support the shelter this year as part of a number of activities to celebrate Hanukkah with the theme of “light and hope.” Staff are donating items and packaging 25 gift baskets consisting of toiletries and other supplies to send to the shelter.
“It’s a way to give back to the community,” said principal Kathy Friedman. “With every holiday we celebrate at the school, we always have a giving back component.
“The Hanukkah story really highlights the bravery of women.”
And helping women to be brave is exactly what the shelter aims to do, Cochen said.
“Domestic abuse occurs everywhere and women of all cultures are filled with shame when it happens,” she said. She also noted that with a lengthy wait list for government housing, there is a strong need for shelters such as ETA Vaughan.
“A woman in an abusive situation could be dead by the time she gets housing,” Cochen said.
With that in mind, Cochen said the outreach has been incredible.
“We’re really touched at the community’s support,” she said. “What’s really incredible is the amount of women calling in saying ‘What can I do?’
“It helps victims of abuse feel ‘I’m not totally alone. There are some people out there that care.'”
