Every once in a while, a story comes along that pulls at your heart strings.
It reminds you how blessed you are. It makes you selfless. It pushes you to action.
Such was the case for many in Surrey – myself included – after hearing of Andrea Ritchie’s plight.
Small gestures of help can translate into a world of difference for people who find themselves at a low and dark point in their lives. And Surrey proved that recently.
Ritchie, a single mom whose daughter Nora just turned one, found herself living in a shelter with her infant late last year.
She recalled feeling hopeless and scared in the shelter environment.
“I was trying every single day to connect with the outreach office. I applied for BC Housing, second-stage housing. There had to be something. I kept asking, ‘What do women in my situation do?’
“The answer was when they run out their 30 days in shelter, then you go to an emergency shelter. A low-barrier shelter.”
Though she didn’t want to tell people her situation, things looked so bad, she felt she no longer had a choice. Ritchie reached out to her good friend Taylor, who lives in Surrey, and let her know what she was going through.
“They were really, really upset to find out about that. Taylor reached out and told her mom the situation. She was just floored, they no idea I was in a shelter.”
Her friend’s mother, Karen Reid-Sidhu, sprung into action. In her younger years, Reid-Sidhu revealed she, too, found herself in such a shelter.
“I had never been so low in my life,” said Reid-Sidhu, “it changed me forever.”
Her post on social media resulted in a flurry of donations for Ritchie and people were lining up to help. The power of social media, as they say.
Donations of diapers, clothes, furniture – and even a landlord willing to take a chance on her – materialized. Businesses stepped up to help as well.
“I only get $550 from income assistance for shelter. It’s tough to sell a landlord in that situation.
“It’s been so great,” she added. “I’ve been floored by the amount of support and people who’ve come out and want to help me and want to see me and my daughter well and safe. I have people coming over dropping off diapers and clothes.
“My place within a week was just filled with furniture.”
My family, who usually sponsors a family at the Christmas Bureau, decided this would be the family whose holiday we make brighter this year.
And, a stranger has even stepped up to pay for a $500 online course to help Ritchie become a personal trainer.
The Surrey Food Bank was another big support, with its Tiny Bundles program.
“They gave us two huge bags of food, they also gave her a graduation gift because she was almost one – baby clothes and toys and a little knitted hat. They also gave me more stuff for my house, table clothes, cutlery, glasses.
“I don’t know where I’d be without all these people who helped me, I’d probably be in a low barrier shelter at this stage,” Ritchie told me, saying she worried things would get to that point. “I can’t say thank you enough.”
For the first time since her daughter was born, Ritchie feels her future looks bright.
“It’s been liberating. I’ve never lived on my own as a single person. It’s very freeing.”
Ritchie said for now, she must focus on her most important job – being a mother.
“I’m so incredibly grateful. I’m blown away by how many people have stepped up and want to help out of the sheer goodness of their hearts. I can’t wait until I’m in a position to give back like they’ve given to me. I’m going to make the most of this fresh start everyone has given me.
“It’s what I was looking for, even at the transition house. Praying that someone would take a chance on me and the only way I can show how appreciative I am of this is getting an education and getting a job so I can be financially independent. One day I’ll be able to help people in my position.”
Ritchie said she’d love to find a job where she’s able to give back.
Many of us need a fresh start at some point in our life, whether it’s a result of our poor choices – or someone else’s.
Compassion, understanding and a helping hand go a long way. One person may not be able to change the world, but together, a few people can change someone else’s.
