The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Relief Society is holding a drive in Athabasca on March 15 from 1-3 p.m. for Hope Haven Women’s Shelter, which is located in Lac La Biche but serves a wide region.
This is the relief society’s fifth annual event to help raise awareness and donations for the shelter.
When asked how the church became involved, volunteer Sue Anderson stated, “We were looking for a community service project five years ago and felt like this was something that was needed. It was real and helpful.”
The relief society is looking for donations of sleepwear, underwear and socks for women and children, along with gently used bedding, towels and children’s backpacks.
“They are also looking for used suitcases so that when they leave the shelter, they have something to carry their possessions in,” Anderson explained. “The women and children most often (arrive at the shelter) with a garbage bag with their stuff thrown into it.”
The drive will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Cornwall subdivision in Athabasca (4510-28 St.), and Anderson said cash donations are also welcome.
Anderson said they cannot take general donations of clothing, “because we don’t have the facilities and the staff to sort through it all.”
The group is, however, looking for school supplies for children so that when they go back to school, they will have all the supplies they need.
“Often when the children leave their homes in a crisis, they don’t take school supplies with them,” Anderson said.
Items donated to the shelter make an immediate and long-term difference, because when the women leave the shelter, they take the bedding, sleepwear, and towels with them to help with a new start.
Athabasca women in need of shelter services are often referred to Hope Haven.
“We don’t have a women’s shelter in Athabasca,” Anderson said. “That’s why we turn to Hope Haven in Lac La Biche for our donations.”
The shelter portion of Hope Haven can house 21 women and children and offers refuge for approximately 21 days.
“Then the services at the shelter and the community services are used to help them rehabilitate and get back into society, whether in the same town or a different one,” Anderson said. “There is a new phase that was added last spring, and they call it the extended stay phase. They are allowed to stay up to a year there, but they are encouraged to pay some kind of rent.”
If people have donations to contribute but cannot drop them off on March 15, they can call 780-698-2360 in Rochester, 780-689-3017 in Boyle and 780-675-3606 in Athabasca.
