There are so many worthy causes that need help. This one is particularly touching.
-Cheryl
The weather was dangerously cold in Moncton, New Brunswick. A man and his dog approached the homeless shelter looking for warmth, but the man stopped short, and rather than going inside to get warm, he huddled next to the building in the Canadian cold with his beloved pet.
It’s a scene that plays out commonly at homeless shelters, which often welcome people inside, but not their animal companions. But Harvest House Atlantic embodies its organizational vision by “Connecting people of compassion with people in need to make a difference,” and that compassion extends to pets. “He stayed with us, and so did his dog,” explains Denise McCluskey, development and marketing officer for Harvest House Atlantic. “Within a week’s span we were able to help someone who was living on the street, to see them back working and in an apartment again. And they were able to keep their family with them.”
What started as a shelter with a few mattresses on the floor has grown today to 34 beds, life skills classes, food for the hungry (two meals daily), bible study classes and addiction recovery services. Today Harvest House Atlantic in Moncton, New Brunswick, helps those who are lost, lonely, addicted, homeless and hurting. Their clients include a variety of people: women, men, families, veterans, the elderly and those with mobility challenges (Harvest House Atlantic has the area’s only wheelchair accessible shelter). Last year alone, they saw more than 1400 admissions to the shelter.
As a recipient of a 4imprint® one by one® grant, Harvest House Atlantic ordered two promotional products to promote its brand, including custom lanyards and custom bookmarks. “Having the right branding and information makes it easier for us to find the right people who want to be involved and walk alongside us,” McCluskey explains. The lanyards went to the dedicated volunteers who put in more than 4,000 hours of work last year, while the custom bookmarks assist their prison book ministry. They serve as a reminder to people who are incarcerated that people of compassion are there to help if they find themselves in a place of need.
To read more stories like this one, check out Cheryl’s blog. If you’d like to learn more about 4imprint’s one by one program, visit our website at onebyone.4imprint.com.