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You can work wonders!
Last year, the family of ShareLife-funded agencies reached out to more than 250,000 people locally and assisted countless more in developing countries around the world. They fed the hungry, sheltered the homeless, protected the meek and cared for the sick. In 42 municipalities and in more than 20 languages, those in need received professional, faith-informed and compassionate care as a result of our generosity.  Saving George Bishop
George Bishop, a 64-year-old man with a developmental disability and health problems, was on his own in a dangerous, pest-infested apartment. After a heart attack and a bone-fracturing fall, he wasn’t able to get out for work or for his meals.
The staff at Mary Centre, a ShareLife-funded agency helping the developmentally challenged, are convinced George’s life would have been in great jeopardy if he had been evicted – he likely would have died anonymously in squalor. But today, with the ongoing help of Mary Centre, he receives care and support in a local nursing home, sharing the small joys of life with people around him on a daily basis.
 Maggie made it back
More than a decade ago, Maggi knocked on the door at Street Haven – a ShareLife-funded agency providing shelter, care and counselling for struggling women on the streets of Toronto. She had been clean for three years and getting her life together but she had a relapse. She entered Street Haven’s Addiction Case Management program.
During her four years of therapy, Maggie grew increasingly stronger and eventually started a peer support group, the Women’s Advisory Working Collective. In 2001, she went back to school, studying Psychology, Theology and Counselling. It’s impressive that Maggie attained her degree and it’s very impressive that she attained her Masters degree. Along the way, there were more hardships but , today, Maggie works as a counsellor in the very program that helped her get back on her feet: Street Haven’s Addiction Case Management program.
 Healing for a family
We had been advised of the existence of your walk-in centre and even though neither one of us is Catholic we decided to try coming to you, to be perfectly honest, as a last resort. My wife and I had tried marriage counselling some years ago with no tangible results. My wife was extremely apprehensive about the whole process, but Lee Anne, by the end of our first hour, had gained our trust and put my wife’s mind at ease.
We attended six more sessions where we discussed the issues that were of concern to us. Lee Anne has an amazing capacity to be objective, empathetic, understanding, insightful, and professional, together with a sense of humour.
This experience has strengthened our marriage; got us through the crisis we faced, and we are now looking forward to our future together. Thank you for this invaluable service.
- letter, CFS Peel-Dufferin client, 2010
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