Christmas might be 5 months away from today, but for one Chestermere resident, the holiday spirit is alive and well this summer.

After her separation, Lindsay* found herself managing her anxiety, unemployment, and health issues in isolation.

Running out of options and not sure where to turn, Lindsay connected with the Family & Community Resource Centre to get back on track.

The Community Resource Coordinator, Olimphya, welcomed Lindsay with open arms.

“When Lindsay came in, I could see she was very upset. It’s always hard to see clients that are in difficult situations and I wanted to provide her with some services and options,” says Olimphya.

Olimphya started by providing Lindsay with resources that would help her access food and mental health services. Through further discussion, Olimphya determined that Lindsay was also eligible to access some support from the Christmas with Dignity fund to avoid disconnection of essential utility services.

“She started crying, but not sad tears,” Olimphya remembers. “You could tell she was feeling supported and finally felt that someone cared about her. She had hope.”

Since working with the centre, Lindsay participated in the Money Management courses where she learned about financial literacy. She has applied her learnings to reduce expenses and exploring how she could earn extra income by renting a room.

“Lindsay has found some new friends and isn’t isolated anymore,” Olimphya shared. “I am so happy to see that she is more confident and motivated to do other things. She’s doing so much better.”

Olimphya explains that anyone can make a difference - even in small ways. By donating to Christmas with Dignity or providing something as simple as a transportation voucher, it can be ‘life-changing’ for clients, she says.

“Everything we receive is put to good use,” she explains. “Thank you to all in the community who support programs like this.”

Donations to Christmas with Dignity can be made anytime at City Hall (tax receipts are issued for donations over $20) and are used throughout the year to support residents in crisis, like Lindsay, in Chestermere.

*Name changed due to protect privacy.