BONNYVILLE – An initiative that aims to give people back dignity and comfort after a visit to the hospital started because of one concerned citizen.
Angel Gamache, community engagement coordinator with the Dragonfly Counseling and Support Centre (DMSC), said she was approached by a resident who shared the story of a friend who had been sexually assaulted and was left without clothes to go home in.
“She had no family members and nobody here to help her,” Gamache recalled. “(The community member) then reached out to me and said ‘I think this is something that we could work on.’”
Gamache recruited a group of Portage College Community Social Work students, who are required to do a community project in their second year, to help her out with the Hospital Care Kits pilot.
The students were able to go out to local businesses to buy items that would be included on the Hospital Care Kits. The bags consist of a complete change of clothes, including pants, underwear, socks, and a t-shirt, along with personal hygiene products for men and women.
“The support from the community was amazing,” expressed Treena Kurek, one of the Portage College students involved. “I couldn’t believe that all we had to say was ‘I’m partnering with the Dragonfly Centre community work program for a project’ and they said ‘yup, I’m in.’ It was really easy and people were so generous.”
Kurek described working on the kits as an "eye-opening experience."
“I think it resonated with a lot of us and we put ourselves in a victim’s shoes, that it could give someone just a little touch of human kindness that we might all want or need at that time.”
On Friday, March 19, 40 kits were put together to be split up between the Bonnyville Healthcare Centre and Cold Lake Healthcare Centre.
The kits were made with the intention of helping anyone who is leaving a hospital setting after experiencing a sexual assault, domestic violence, accident, or any situation where their clothing was compromised.
“It’s for people experiencing homelessness and for anybody who maybe has suffered from domestic violence and doesn’t have any clothes, or they were ripped from an accident or whatever it was,” Gamache explained.
Kurek added, “Sometimes, clothing is taken for evidence. Someone may have nothing to wear when you walk out of the building, so this helps provide dignity and respect for those who have just suffered a trauma.”
The Hospital Care Kits also include pamphlets on the services that the Dragonfly Centre offers and other resources in the community.
“I hope these bags give people hope, healing, and let them know they’re not alone on their journeys,” Gamache stated. “They’re never alone and it just gives them that little boost to know that people do care and that there are some things that will help them along because some people may not have enough money to get a change of clothes.”
Gamache considers this the pilot for a program that can be offered into the future.
“Financially, if we can keep getting donations for this initiative, we’re going to keep it going.”