By Matt Beutel
This is the third issue of the new Lowertown Echo and you may have noticed that we at the Lowertown Community Resource Centre have jumped in with gusto! Allow me to explain why…
When I arrived at the Resource Centre in August 2016, I was struck by two things: the quality of our staff and services and our under-the-radar profile.
Every day I see the impact that we have on the lives of Lowertown residents: the gratitude expressed by someone struggling with anxiety or family conflict after having been listened to; the relief felt by a resident who has been given a bus ticket to get to a medical appointment on the other side of town or a bag full of groceries to help feed her family for the week; the joy on the face of a youth who has made a trusted connection with one of our after-school workers. The team here is exceptional. They are a group of compassionate and dedicated social workers, child and youth workers, counselors, educators, receptionists (see our article in the previous Echo), volunteers, coordinators and managers who go above and beyond. We serve hundreds of residents every year and those who know us well are great ambassadors. Yet I am continually amazed at how many residents of Lowertown do not know us at all despite our having been in the neighbourhood for 40 years! Some folks have grown up across the street and only just realized who we are! When I explain to residents what we do, I often hear a version of the following response: “Oh, I don’t need those programs.” It is quite clear that we need to improve how we promote ourselves!
So back to the Echo. Obviously, we like this newspaper so much because it gives us a chance to be better known by the people that we are here to serve: the residents of Lowertown. But more importantly, the Echo and our Centre share the very thing that is central to each’s reason for existing: to improve the quality of life in this community. You may never need any of our resources directly, but our Centre helps make a safer, more connected and more vibrant Lowertown for all who live and work here. We provide a safe and healthy place for kids and youth to go after school and in the evening, we support people facing mental health challenges, we offer welcoming spaces for Lowertowners to connect with one another, we work with residents and partners on community safety and so much more.
We want every single Lowertown resident to feel connected to us. This is a standing call and invitation! Please get to know us. Reach out to us if you, a friend or a neighbour could use a helping hand. Volunteer for our Board or for one of our activities. Attend one of our community events. Drop by for a chat. Let us know how we can do even better!
We are YOUR community resource centre!
Lowertown Community Resource Centre, 613-789-3930, www.crcbv.ca
Matt Beutel is directeur général, Centre de ressources communautaires de la Basse-Ville