#12DaysOfGiving with Rinaldi Homes - Tool Box Project

Tool Box Project

Supporting Start Me Up Niagara

When looking for different organizations to add to our #12DaysOfGiving, I came across an article in the paper about James Symons and his Tool Box Project. After a bit of frustration of trying to find ways to give back to the homeless men in our community and not finding much, he came up with his own initiative. 

James began looking for donations - items of need and items of fun - to build "tool boxes" to give out to men living in poverty. With a soft spot for giving, he wanted everyone to feel appreciated and loved around the holidays. 

After reading this article, I thought it would be the perfect addition to our campaign as we had many initiatives giving back to the women and families in our community already.

We began collecting men's necessities in our office, along with fun items. Our team brought in an abundance of thermal socks, underwear, hats, scarves, gloves, hand warmers, chocolates, puzzle books and more. Then we began creating our tool boxes!

We had an assembly line to create our tool boxes!

James original goal was to have 25 boxes this year, when he came to visit us he had already skyrocketed past that goal with over 100! He has received an outpouring of generosity from the community and many local organizations reaching out to him to try and help. What started as a small project of James wanting to give back, has now grown into a much bigger thing. 

"It's our responsibility as citizens. We have to take care of each other," said Symons in the St.Catharines Standard article. "It's the small things that can make a big difference." Our vision of the #12DaysOfGiving aligned perfectly with James and his way of thinking. I am proud that our team was able to contribute 20 tool boxes this year!

Our tool boxes were all packed and ready to go, even Paco helped!

James, creator of the Tool Box Project, came to collect the tool boxes to deliver to SMUN.

#12DaysOfGiving with Rinaldi Homes - Youth Unlimited

Youth Unlimited

We see the hope and potential in every young person

If you aren't familiar with Youth Unlimited, it is a beacon of hope for the youth of Niagara. About a month ago we attended a fundraising breakfast for the centre, along with Mayor Walter Sendzik, where we learned of all their great doings. Since then we haven't been able to stop thinking about how we could help!

We recently toured their youth centre located on Merritt Street in St.Catharines, where we were able to meet the team behind the scenes. The Deck Youth Centre is a safe place for young people to be with caring adult volunteers. They have the opportunity to be confidentially mentored and to explore life-related concerns and issues.

The amazing team at Youth Unlimited!

Teen years are tough! Young people are faced with many challenges today - physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually. They are also faced with finding a safe place to spend time with friends, and what to do when they get there. Rose and her team at Youth Unlimited join them on their journey and have developed many programs to help keep them engaged and facilitate healthy growth.

Youth Unlimited's programs include:

•  Friday night drop-in at The Deck Youth Centre 7 to 10 pm (ages 13-19)

•  Monday ‘Homework Helps’ 5 to 7 pm (all youth)

•  Tuesday night ‘Girls Only’ small group 6:30 to 8:30 pm (ages 12- 19)

•  Wednesday YPN—Young Pregnant in Niagara prenatal class 3:30 to 5:30 pm (up to age 23)

•  Wednesday night ‘Man Time’ small group 7 to 9 pm (ages 13 to 19) 

•  Thursday ‘Young Moms’ 4 to 7 pm (up to age 23)

•  Summer camp and special events

The Youth Unlimited team meet the youth where they are at in their daily lives and offer friendship and support, a listening ear and helpful direction, as well as problem solving guidance and conflict resolution. The centre also includes a baby boutique (gently used baby clothes), teen closet (gently used clothes/shoes/gowns), and food pantry.

Touring through The Deck

With all of the positive work going on at the centre, they are looking to expand! They want to add a teaching kitchen space, more room for young moms and their children, and improve accessibility, among many other great features. That's why we have decided to partner with the centre, Rinaldi Homes has committed $25,000 to help the centre continue to provide amazing services to youth in Niagara!

We were able to attend the Young Moms Christmas party this week to present our donation, and they were so appreciative! There was so much joy and Christmas spirit filling the play rooms - with babies as young as 11 days old.

Youth Unlimited is always looking for more volunteers - women and men! If you would like more information visit yfcstcatahrines.com for more information.

Presenting our donation to Youth Unlimited!

#12DaysOfGiving Day 12 - Community Care

Throughout the #12DaysOfGiving we had bins in our office to collect winter clothing and canned food for Community Care. What began in 1919 as food and clothing assistance has grown to 17 programs - with their vision for a healthy, caring community where everyone lives with dignity and purpose, they are making a huge impact in our community!

Fast facts about Community Care:

• EVERY client is interviewed, assessed and registered for need
• 1 can of donated food is one can of food we did not have the day before
• 6 times per year (or every other month), a registered client may access 3-5 days worth of food, as well as clothing at Community Care, plus in emergency situations
• 12 percent of our trusteeship caseload are baby boomers
• 13 percent of the population of St. Catharines will access our food services
• 17 different programs are offered at Community Care
• 30 community garden plots were tended by 78 adults and 47 children
• 39 years of age is the average life expectancy of a homeless person in Canada
• 40 percent of our food bank clients are children
• 47 percent of all clients served at the ID clinic are children and youth
• 70 percent of youth seeking shelter assistance are female (16-24 years of age)
• 84 people seek shelter-related assistance through Housing Help on a daily basis
• 206 volunteers are scheduled weekly at CC in St. Catharines & Thorold = 30,900 hours
• 262 clients were supported through the Regional Trusteeship Program to stabilize their housing and keep them safe and warm, including youth 16-24 years of age
• 440 individuals participated in our seasonal tax clinic program in 2014
• 482 children and youth were given the opportunity to participate in sports through the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program
• 566 ADDITIONAL volunteers assisted in many capacities at Christmas=1,700 hours
• 1,087 households had IDs replaced/obtained for the first time through our ID Clinic
• 1,500 children received back to school support through the Snacks 'n' Sneakers Program
• 1,850 households have access to food security each month
• 1919 is the year Mrs. Leone Taylor recognized a need within the community, leading to the agency now known as Community Care
• 3,638 phone calls were received seeking assistance with utilities
• 4,000 pounds of food is distributed daily, 5 days a week
• 13,000 students are fed each school day through Niagara Nutrition Partners (Region-wide)
• 13,732 phone calls were received by Housing Help seeking access to shelter needs
• 358,180 dollars was distributed to 733 families through NEEF (Niagara Energy Emergency Fund) utilities program
• 1 person can make a difference in the life of someone in need in our community

#12DaysOfGiving Day 11 - Acts of Kindness

This year we wanted to add a new way of giving. We thought acts of kindness would be a great way to give people a surprise Christmas present.

We packaged up thermal socks, gloves, hats, and a $10 Tim Horton's gift card in a little bag to be handed out to the homeless. These packs would offer them warmth in the winter and a hot meal. We drove around downtown to try and find people that we could offer these gifts to. We will continue to hand out the packs till we run out.

We also had $2 Tim Horton's gift cards to offer to people we ran into on the street - it's always a nice surprise to be offered a free Timmy's coffee!

We hope everyone enjoys their Christmas with a little warmth! :)

Michael making up our warmth packs to hand out.

#12DaysOfGiving Day 10 - Site Visits

Michael, Paco & Danielle bringing coffee and timbits to site.

Yesterday was our annual site visits! This year we took Paco along for the ride - we brought Tim Hortons coffee and Timbits out to Merritt Meadows, Rosewood Estates and Optimist Village. It wasn't as cold yesterday as it has been but it was still a nice treat for everyone to warm up with some fresh coffee. 

As someone with a nice and warm office job, I'm not sure how all of our guys and the trades do it. I was out there for just a few short hours and my toes were frozen! They say you get used to it, but I'm not sure I would. It's not easy being out there everyday, but we really appreciate our guys and our trades! They help us to maintain our high quality and build your dream homes on time. Thanks guys for all that you do, we are very grateful.

#12DaysOfGiving Day 9 - Canadian Martyrs' Breakfast Club

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for kids who are growing and learning all day long! Robyn let us know about Canadian Martyrs Elementary School, who runs a Breakfast Club on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for their students who may not have access to a healthy breakfast every morning.

Norma and Pam have taken on the task of feeding the children before classes begin. It's a very short window they have between buses arriving and the bell ringing, but they manage to do it in a very smooth manner.


On Wednesday we brought an extra special breakfast in for the students! With the help of Sunset Grill (Fourth Ave), we were able to serve up a big hearty breakfast of pancakes, bacon and fruit. You could smell it down the hall and throughout the whole school by the end of serving - smelt amazing!

The kids' faces were priceless when they walked in - I think the best word to describe it is "shock". They were stunned when they walked into the room and saw a big heaping pancake on their plates. Some were so excited just to have bacon, which they don't normally get at home. They were all so polite and grateful - one student said to Joan, "Wow, thank you so much for this. This is the best breakfast ever!"

We were in and out with the children in about 15 min - but those 15 min meant a lot and we were so happy to help out with such a great program. Thanks to Pam and Norma for putting in the effort every day to serve the children a healthy breakfast to start their day off right!

Andrea, Don, Joan & Danielle serving up breakfast

Robyn & Andrea helping out at Breakfast Club

#12DaysOfGiving Day 8 - YWCA

The YWCA Niagara Region provides emergency homeless shelter, food, and assistance to women in poverty. They are committed to social change and work to create a community that supports women who are living in poverty and provides support through each step towards financial stability and independent living.

They impact on the community is amazing:

- 720 women and 130 children stayed in their Emergency Women's Shelter

- 88 families and 266 children stayed in their Family Shelters

- 54 men with 11 children stayed in their Men's Shelters

- 4,443 participants took part in their Skilled Development Workshops



The YWCA is a leader in the Niagara Region providing awareness through education and advocacy to raise the equality of women and the visibility of issues in our community. They are also one of the local organizations that is feeling a real stretch of resources with the increase of demand for homeless shelters and meal programs this season. In the Niagara This Week article, Elisabeth Zimmermann, Executive Director of the YWCA, had said that they are seeing cots being set up in program rooms to accommodate the overflow.

I have had the opportunity to meet and work with many of the staff at the YWCA and WOW - they are all so genuine and have such big hearts! They really care about the work that they do and you can see that in the events that they run. This year we were sponsors for their No Fixed Address event, and we even slept in our cars overnight to gain a new appreciation for all that we have. We also took part in their Women in Leadership event that brings new light to many topics surrounding women in leadership and raising each other up.

YWCA, thank you for all that you do in the community!

#12DaysOfGiving Day 7 - Welland & District Humane Society

A member of our team, Brian, brought up donating to the Welland & District Humane Society this year and we thought that was a great idea. He supports the centre and has adopted his family dogs from there in the past - as animal lovers, we were totally onboard! 

Paco wanted to make his contribution to the #12DaysOfGiving this year too!

The Welland & District Humane Society is an affiliate of the Ontario Humane Society and that affiliation gives them authority to investigate cases of animal cruelty and prosecute offenders when necessary. Over the last few years Welland & District SPCA has grown to include its own spay/neuter clinic and a mobile S/N clinic. A close partnership with Petsmart Charities of Canada has helped their clinics and their S/N initiatives. They continue to set the PACE for animal Protection, Advocacy, Care, Education - and they are striving for a future where no animal is left alone, unwanted or mistreated.

If you have ever visited the SPCA you know how hard it is to see all of the animals there without homes (and not take them all home with you). This year we brought them lots of treats, leashes, toys and food. Paco helped to bring all of our donations to the centre and visit all of his buddies!

#12DaysOfGiving Day 6 - Start Me Up Niagara

Start Me Up Niagara operates a vibrant Outreach Centre located in downtown St.Catharines serving those in Niagara who are experiencing significant life challenges such as poverty, homelessness, unemployment, addictions and mental illness. They provide opportunities to improve health, increase community integration and support employment.

On Sunday we brought lunch to SMUN, as they provide lunch every weekend to those in need! They envision a society where all people are included, healthy and self-sufficient. 

Looking to get involved and give back in the community? SMUN's Coldest Night of the Year is coming up in the new year, February 25th, 2017 - look at the impact their event has had on the community!

#12DaysOfGiving Day 5 - World Vision

This year we had a lot to celebrate at our Christmas party!

It was a record year for our company - we closed 64 homes and added more team members than ever before! That's why we wanted to make our Christmas party extra special this year and Peller Estates helped us do that - the venue really set the tone for the night and the staff was amazing!

 

Looking back on the year, our team had a lot to be proud of. We were CHBA & OHBA Finalists, NHBA's company of the Year, and we contributed to a number of organizations in our community: Big Brothers and Big Sisters, The Holmes Foundation, YWCA, Niagara Dog Rescue, Niagara Life Centre, Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre of Niagara and Community Care to name a few.

For our #12DaysOfGiving we wanted to go bigger as well, we looked at giving back outside of our community to those in need. With World Vision we made a donation on behalf of each employee - we gave the gift of food, a source of income, health and education to families in need.

The impact that World Vision has in communities around the world is amazing:

• 41 million life-saving medications were shipped to stock medical clinics
• 1.7 million people including children benefited from food distributions, helping them to fight hunger and malnutrition
• 318,326 books were distributed to support children's learning and development
• 55,537 people including children are better equipped to protect themselves from disasters and respond to emergencies 

We are so proud of our team and what they have been able to achieve this year, we are so excited for what the future has in store for this amazing group of people!

#12DaysOfGiving Day 4 - Community Living

This year one of the members of our team, Ryan, suggested we look at giving back to Community Living St.Catharines - and what a great idea! As soon as I reached out to the organization, Mary was more than happy to tour me around their facility and show me all of the amazing programs that they run. My tour ran at the perfect time, I was able to see a sneak peak of their Christmas pageant finale!

If you aren't familiar with Community Living St. Catharines (CLSC), let me take a moment to give you some history. CLSC was formed in 1953 by a handful of parents who were determined that their sons and daughters would get every opportunity to reach their full potential. With this in mind, they have been serving children, teens, and adults with intellectual disabilities for over 63 years. With a population base of approximately 165,000; they assist some 800 individuals and their families residing in St. Catharines, Thorold, and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Their services include a participant driven adult day program that promotes individual growth through meaningful community and center based recreation and leisure activities. This program currently creates opportunities for about 285 people throughout the week with plans for adding evening and weekend programming for newcomers. They also provide 24 hour/7 days per week staffing support to assist 65 residents living in group homes throughout Niagara. Individualized support plans offer life skill development and learning opportunities that promote healthy lifestyles. The staff are also made available to provide assistance to another 62 individuals either living with host families or renting their own apartments. Further, nearly 400 children and their families are aligned with members of their staff team providing emotional support and practical assistance navigating the service system.

Danielle & Michael with Board President, Rick Jones, and Peter Doherty

They have recently finished the construction of a modern, fully accessible Community Living Center. Program space has been doubled allowing for new and innovative activity areas. If you have the chance, I strongly encourage you to check it out! They are working hard to achieve their mandate which states that; “People with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to participate in all elements of living in the community.”

As part of our #12DaysOfGiving we attended Community Living St.Catharines' Christmas pageant and presented them with a new stereo system for the gym. The system is an integral and very fun part of their day programs. We were happy to help support this amazing organization and help them make the community truly accessible for all members of our community!

#12DaysOfGiving Day 3 - Out of the Cold

Start Me Up Niagara's Out of the Cold program began again in November - and this year they are seeing record numbers. We have been very lucky with the weather thus far, but if the last few days are anything of what's to come, we are in for a cold winter!

In an article in Niagara This Week, Director Susan Venditti has said there is an increase in attendance in not only the dinner program, but also overnight stays. “We’ve had nights where there have been as many as 46 people staying over,” she said, adding that’s well over the usual “busy night” of past years that would see a high of 25 to 30 people.

This year we continued the tradition of serving at Out of the Cold. Seeing the number of families and individuals that don't have a warm place to stay or food to eat is really heartbreaking, especially around this time of year. It is hard to describe that feeling of realization and appreciation for what you have after that experience. It really brings a new meaning to the holiday season!

We were very happy to help the Out of the Cold program and serve a special meal to those in need.

#12DaysOfGiving Day 2 - Community Care

The tree is starting to fill up here at the office!

This year we sponsored a family of 4 with Community Care, we were so happy to give back to such a staple in the Niagara community!

Community Care has been meeting the needs of the less advantaged since 1919. Their mission is to compassionately provide vital service and assistance to individuals and families that meet their basic needs and help bridge their journey to self-sufficiency.

Their impact in the community is best seen through their clients' words:

"Community Care went beyond what would be required to ensure that I had proper housing first and foremost...and nurtured me back to a place where I once again am beginning to feel as if I belong to this community."

"Having warm water for the first time in 6 weeks meant warm baths for all of us. Thank you for giving us back our dignity."

"I have a new outlook on life with a brand new smile on my face. I am no longer in pain with my infected teeth, and I enjoy smiling!"

"My son went to school in his new sneakers today with his new backpack. He was happy to go back to school for the first time ever."

"Thank you for listening...that is all I needed today."

#12DaysOfGiving Day 1 - Big Brothers Big Sisters

The #12DaysOfGiving is back!

It's time to get in the Christmas spirit, and what better way than to give back to our community. This year we started by reaching out to our team to see which organizations they would like to partner with, and we have come up with a great line-up!

Day 1 of giving began on Saturday when we had our Construction team out to the Niagara Ice Dogs game. Along with our team we welcomed a big group from Big Brothers Big Sisters! With our team being so busy, it was a nice outing for them to relax and enjoy some team bonding. The mentors and kids from BBBS loved the game and they had the chance to see an exciting one that ended in OT!

The Big Brothers Big Sisters organization has such a huge impact in our community and we were happy to be able to kick off the #12DaysOfGiving with them. The proven results that mentorship has is amazing, take a look below:

We would like to thank not only the staff at BBBS, but also the volunteers that dedicate time to mentoring children in our community! 

Day SEVEN: It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We are just over half way through our #12DaysOfGiving, and that means we are so close to Christmas! Have you finished all of your shopping yet?!

It's a crazy time of year, with all of the hustle and bustle around the malls, we don't seem to have much time to slow down and really appreciate the things around us. The 12 Days of Giving has really given us a chance to be grateful for everything we have! It's been a time to reflect on so many things that we take for granted.

Think about your morning routine - you get up, have a shower, eat breakfast and rush off to work in your car. You don't really think too much about it. You always have shampoo, conditioner and soap handy in the shower, fresh clothes to put on and you struggle over the decision if you want a bagel or a smoothie for breakfast. What I've realized over the last couple of days, is that even that warm shower I wake up to every morning is a luxury! Some people (more than you might have ever thought right here in Niagara) are struggling to eat everyday, let alone put a roof over their head.

Tonight we will give thanks and be grateful, as our whole team comes together to celebrate our accomplishments in the past year and what's to come! The most important thing is that we will all be together and we can share in the happiness of the season. Along with our Christmas party tonight, we will be collecting food and winter items to be donated to Community Care.

"It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving"

- Mother Teresa

Day FIVE: Empowering Youth Through Mentorship

Big Brothers was founded in St. Catharines on May 28, 1937. As Canada’s leading child and youth mentoring charity, Big Brothers Big Sisters facilitates life-changing relationships that inspire and empower children and youth to reach their potential, both as individuals and citizens. In the past year, Big Brothers Big Sisters served 1037 children! Wondering how it is possible to pull all of this off? There are 542 volunteers who gave their time to provide friendships and guidance to the young children of our community.

The Mentoring Effect

"Mentoring is the key to unlocking a young person’s potential and making a lifelong impact. through our research, carefully documented outcomes and evaluation process, we at Big Brothers Big Sisters of St. Catharines- thorold & district know that mentorship positively and dramatically alters the course of a young person’s life and the volunteer’s life too." - Dale J Davis, CEO

Changing the course of young lives changes the future of communities. Big Brothers Big Sisters returns positive results in the mental health, employment and civic engagement of the recipients of our mentoring programs. In a recent Social Return and Investment Study, $1 invested in mentoring by Big Brothers Big Sisters returns $18 to society!

The effect of mentoring on youth:

63% of mentored youth went on to have post secondary education

Adults who had a mentor in their youth earn $315,000 more income in their lifetime.

47% hold senior leadership positions.

Teens who engage in mentoring are 1/2 as likely to engage in alcohol and drug use.

Boys are 2 times less likely to engage in bullying.

Girls are 4 times less likely to engage in bullying.

Volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters

Have you been thinking that mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters only includes one-to-one, long-term matches? Think again!

Big Brothers Big Sisters offers a wide range of mentoring opportunities to meet the varied needs of volunteers, children and families.

Serving as role models, our mentors teach by example the importance of giving and giving back, of staying in school, and for having respect for family, peers and community

Mentoring Programs include:

• Big Brothers Mentoring
• Big Sisters Mentoring
• In-School Mentoring
• Big Bunch
• Go Girls! Group Mentoring
• Game On! Group Mentoring 
• Enrol a Little
• Kids Corner

Learn more about BBBS: http://www.bbbsmentors.ca/en/Home/mentoringprograms/default.aspx

Rinaldi Homes Welcomes Big Brothers Big Sisters to the Ice Dogs Game!

We donated 20 tickets to Big Brothers Big Sisters for children and mentors to attend the game tonight. We are so excited to share in a great night! Keep an eye on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for live pics at the game. GO DOGS GO!

Day FOUR: Hope for Homeless Women and their Families since 1927

Established in 1927, in an effort to respond to identified needs in the community. The YWCA Niagara Region has a long standing history of providing safe, supportive housing and programs directed to the development of homeless and impoverished women and their children.

As the largest provider of Emergency Shelter in the Niagara Region and a recognized expert among funders and community agencies, the YWCA offers innovative housing programs and services that provide hope for women and their families living in poverty. The YWCA provides shelter and programs, including:

• Two 20 bed emergency homeless shelters across the region
• 6 apartments throughout Niagara, which serve as emergency shelter for families
• 3 phases of transitional housing across Niagara
• Skill development programming, including at-school programming for youth
• A new modified men's shelter
• A new family shelter that will be built in 2016

Curious how many individuals in Niagara the YWCA has helped?

The YWCA helped 1254 women, 444 children, and 71 families last year. In 2014/2015, 1254 women, 444 children, and 71 families stayed in YW Emergency Shelter last year. They served over 59,835 meals and 4,414 women took part in their skill development programs. 

The YWCA is committed to social change and work to create a community that supports women who are living in poverty and provide support through each step towards financial stability and independent living.

What a humbling experience - bringing over 330 items to be added to the many donations they have already received for the Christmas program this year. All being sorted by volunteers to be packaged and given to over 300 women, men and children! Some of these individuals may have never received a gift before, so having something to open on Christmas is such a special experience (and something many of us take for granted). It's amazing to see the impact such a small gesture can have! 

A Year to Transform Margaret - A Success Story

How much time do you think it would take to get your life in order when it’s brought you to a place you never imagined you’d be? This varies from person to person depending on their commitment to change and Margaret exhibited unmatched drive from the very beginning.

Leaving behind her old life meant starting fresh. Without the trust of her family, Margaret bravely set out to navigate her own journey on the road toward independence. Coming to the YWCA Women’s Shelter was no easy task, but moving on meant leaving a home that held too many memories of a lifestyle best left behind. Margaret faced her fear of strangers as she joined the other guests at the Shelter, unsure if she could even trust the Women’s Advocates.

Margaret proved to be the definition of not only a success story, but a woman of inspiration. She is who I think of when I consider how I would react if ever faced with hardships that challenged my every concept of existence.

Read more about Margaret's story here!

Do you want to learn more about the YWCA and their programs?

• The YW offers transitional housing to help women and families to overcome poverty: http://www.ywcaniagararegion.ca/our-work/transitional-housing/ 
• The YW now also runs a program for men who struggle with homelessness: http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2015/12/15/lafleche-sheltering-men-at-the-ywca
• Interested in volunteering? The YW is always looking for helping hands: http://www.ywcaniagararegion.ca/ways-help/volunteer-2/

Day THREE: Project SHARE = Support. Housing. Awareness. Resources. Emergency.

Project SHARE started back in 1989 and was formerly known as C.O.E.S. (Community Outreach Emergency Services). The offices were located within a small building on Victoria Avenue.

In 1992, the agency became incorporated and changed its name to Project SHARE, with the acronym meaning Support, Housing, Awareness, Resources and Emergency. The name change was accompanied with a move of their offices to 1st Avenue. By 2002, the organization found a need for a bigger building due to the increase in demand of its services. Project SHARE then relocated to Stanley Avenue, where they currently are situated.

Project SHARE serves individuals living in poverty in the Niagara Falls community by:

• Addressing the short-term need for food and creating long-term solutions for food security
• Mobilizing resources in the community
• Adapting services to respond to changes around us

Project SHARE has numerous programs to help the community:

An average of 100 families go to Project SHARE every day for emergency food. 30% of those are children. The most requested items in their food room is fresh fruits and vegetables.

Individuals were helped with emergency food 39,671 times during the last fiscal year! Over 800,000 lbs of food is distributed each year. The food bank usage has doubled since the 2008 recession.

The Christmas Program provides a holiday meal and gifts for children ages 16 and under. An average of 4500 Niagara Falls residents are helped each year through this program. The items that are most needed are peanut butter, canned fruit, canned fish and gifts for teenagers.

Project SHARE is more than just a food bank and runs several support programs including Homelessness Prevention Program, Clothing Referrals, Funding for Emergency Utility Assistance, Funding for Emergency Prescriptions, Recreation Funding Programs and more! There are also educational programs including 2 community garden sites, cooking and canning workshops, as well as healthy recipes to help increase food security.

This year, we partnered with Project SHARE to sponsor a family of five. It was so exciting to buy for the children, and give a little something special for the parents who might not be able to treat themselves very often! We had Santa Don help deliver the presents, with his decked out work truck - if you look close you can see the Christmas lights lining his truck.

Project SHARE helps residents of Niagara Falls who are living below the poverty line as defined by Statistics Canada. Each client must show proof of residency, income and dependants every time they come to Project SHARE. For more information on programs and services, please visit www.projectshare.ca or call 905-357-5121.

Melt into the Serene Setting at Coyle Creek Estates

Our Coyle Creek Estates community is nestled in a beautiful area, within minutes of Pelham and
Welland. It is a sprawling site, leaving plenty of space for parks, walking trails and other professionally landscaped community areas.

New homeowners in this community have everything at their fingertips - shopping and recreation amenities are a stones throw away. There is even a beautiful golf course, Sparrow Lakes, just around the corner. Melting into the serene setting, the Coyle Creek Estates community will provide spacious luxury living, a relaxing locale and peace of mind for the environmentally aware.

With ONLY 5 lots left in Coyle Creek, there is limited opportunity left to be a part of this beautiful community - don't miss your chance to build your dream home! Detached homes start from $264,900.

For the Parade of Homes we will be showing 2 of our models - The Hampton and The Dorchester.


The Dorchester (461 Gaiser Road, Welland)
This was one of our fastest selling model homes, you have to come see what all the fuss is about! This gorgeous bungalow has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. 9 ft ceilings throughout the main floor add to the spacious feel of the open concept design.

There is no lack of space for entertaining - whether you are having a dinner party in your formal dining room, a casual tapas night using your large kitchen island and great room, or hanging out in the finished basement. You could even move the party outside under your covered deck (with Sienna Pressure Treated Wood)!

The kitchen in the Dorchester is one of my favourites - it features Elmwood cabinets and Cambria Quartz Stone countertops. As if that wasn't enough, there are crystal orbs in the legs of the island to make it even more elegant. Other features include under cabinet lighting, soft close, and plenty of pots and pan drawers.


The Hampton (471 Gaiser Road, Welland)
The Hampton is the perfect home for a family - the chic and sophisticated exterior embody everything I think of when reminiscing on the "American dream" home, it's just missing the white picket fence. The James Hardie siding and shutters are complimented by the interlock driveway and fully landscaped gardens.

As soon as you walk into this 2-storey home you are welcomed by a statement oak staircase and beautiful foyer. There is a formal dining room at the front of the home, as well as a dinette within the open concept kitchen and great room area. All 3 bedrooms are upstairs, with a separate loft area for the kids to enjoy, overlooking your grand foyer.

If you need a night to relax and just get away, escape to your master bedroom with your private, 5 piece ensuite! You can soak in the tub with some candles lit, or take a nice shower after a long day in the glass tiled unit.

Do you have a boat or plan to do lots of entertaining in your backyard? This custom Hampton has a tandem third bay garage with a rear overhead garage door.


Click HERE for more information on our model homes!

*Reminder: For the Parade of Homes (May 30/31st) our models will be open from 12-5pm. We will be giving away free swag bags to the first 20 people at each of our model homes this weekend - we will also be having a draw for 18 holes of golf (with cart) for 2 at Sparrow Lakes - ask our sales associates for details!

Watch for the Parade of Homes insert in The Standard, The Tribune, and The Niagara Falls Review on Thursday, May 28th - it will have a map and directory of all participants. Click HERE to see the electronic version.

Building for Change in Niagara!

What a better way to start our blog, then to talk about one of our latest community events!

Everyone was all smiles at the end of the day. This was
the family who won our playhouse in the auction.

Niagara's first Playhouse Competition was on April 19th and it was all about building for change, as it kicked off National Victims of Crime Awareness Week. Along with Parklane and Gatta Homes, we built our own custom playhouses to be auctioned off to support Victim Services Niagara and the Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara.

The Kristen French CACN is a safe place to help, heal and end abuse for children and youth who have been physically or sexually abused, become the targets of internet luring, or who have witnessed violence. Before Kristen French CACN existed, a case of child abuse was generally handled by taking the child to different locations - to medical facilities; police facilities; offices at Family and Children’s Services. This round of visits is confusing, upsetting and is detrimental to the child.

The Kristen French CACN improves on this process. They provide a child friendly, non-threatening single location where those involved in the investigation come to the child, and supportive services such as counselling are offered. In addition to their “safe haven” mandate, they also take on important advocacy and prevention roles. Taken together, these activities fulfill Niagara’s Children’s Charter where they commit to looking after the children’s fundamental needs so they are better able to contribute towards creating a civic community. Today’s children will be the leaders of the future!

Everyone involved with the event was amazing, especially Laila Eman! Helping to create this day of family fun with Laila, was Angela Arsenio (Executive Director, Victims Services Niagara), Janet Handy (Executive Director, Kristen French Child Advocacy Centre Niagara), and an amazing team of volunteers. The whole day would not have been possible without them, and the playhouses would not have been possible without the event's official sponsor, Penner Building Centre, who graciously donated all of the building supplies. (Thank you!)

The event was such a great way to bring awareness to both Victim Services Niagara and the Kristen French Advocacy Centre Niagara, we really hope that this becomes an annual event for the community. We had so much fun with our team, and the cherry on top of the day - we won first place in the competition! Check out our Facebook page to see more pictures of the day and our playhouse: www.facebook.com/RinaldiHomes

What a great way to support the community! Danielle, Amanda, Franco, Ken,
and Victor had a little fun with our finished product before it was auctioned off!