Spring at the Community Laundry Co-op-Celebrating New Arrivals
Spring 2021 is bringing lots of new life to the CLC. In addition to Beatriz Banos Matos who joined us as Co-ordinator/Counsellor last fall, we are welcoming our new Executive Director, Phil Robinson. Phil brings lots of energy and new ideas along with his 20 years of experience in student, community and non-profit organizations, including managing two social enterprises.
With Phil as our Executive Director we now have the capacity to build for the future. We are strengthening our management systems and tools to handle expanded laundry business and increase our income while investigating other ways to secure our future and support expansion to other parts of the city.
This work wouldn’t be possible without the support of our strong Community Partners: The Ottawa Community Foundation, the City of Ottawa, The RBC Foundation and the Centre for Social Enterprise
Development.
The Newest Arrival for the Co-op!!
A family recently came to the Co-op needing more than clean clothes – they needed an obstetrician. Newly arrived with the baby due in a few weeks, they were getting desperate. Beatriz stepped in and after 2 days of phone calls to many organizations, she finally managed to arrange an appointment with an obstetrician right away. The baby was early but arrived healthy and safe with proper medical assistance.
The happy family is now celebrating their “little Canadian Princess”. They will soon be moving into a subsidized home. The older kids will attend a bilingual school in their new neighbourhood and Beatriz was able to help with applications for subsidized daycare for the younger children. The father is helping his wife care for the kids and doing online technical training to prepare for governmental work while continuing to volunteer for Social Development NGOs and express his gratitude to Canada in his global podcasts.
The Opportunity is yours
We never know what the need is going to be at the Co-op but we are here to do our best to meet it. This is your opportunity to help us continue to make miracles happen. Please contribute generously.
Please make cheque payable to: Community Laundry Co-operative OR
Donate Online at: Canada Helps: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/5812
Free Face Masks Available at the Co-Op
The Co-op has been distributing free disposable face masks to residents and organizations that need them. If you know of an organization or individuals who would benefit from free masks, please let Beatriz know at beatriz@communitylaundrycoop.ca.