Volunteer profile – Dana Nuttley
We acknowledge the Mississaugas of the New Credit on whose traditional lands we work, teach and play. We also pay respect to our Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Metis neighbours as we strive to improve our relationships with them.
Dana has been part of Shelldale Family Gateway since the very beginning of the drive to create a hub for neighbourhood services for the Onward Willow catchment area. From being a community organizer to now being Chair of our Board of Directors, Dana’s contribution cannot be understated.
In addition to being the Chair of the Shelldale Family Gateway Board, Dana also holds other positions in the community that helps other organizations understand the needs of various neighbourhoods. Furthermore, Dana is an integral part of our Breakfast Club and his smile and encouragement greets children and families every day as they come to Shelldale Family Gateway to enjoy the benefits of a vibrant community hub.
As Board Chair, Dana understands the need for funding better than most.
Shelldale Family Gateway’s Youth & Community Programs depend entirely on the generosity of the community at large, and of foundations and the United Way. COVID-19 has seriously and negatively impacted our ability to raise funds for the program and now we fear that some programs may need to be cancelled.
If you can, please visit our website at www.Shelldale.ca and click on the Donate Now button. To make it even easier, we have an option to donate monthly, which means you can spread your generosity out over the course of a year or more.
Please help us keep our programs running for this community.
- Published in Fundraising, Program Updates, Shelldale News
Shelldale Family Gateway supports our community
We acknowledge the Mississaugas of the New Credit on whose traditional lands we work, teach and play. We also pay respect to our Haudenosaunee, Anishinaabe and Metis neighbours as we strive to improve our relationships with them.
Good day to all of our Friends of Shelldale Family Gateway! It is my greatest hope that you and those you care for are safe and well during these tumultuous times.
We are witnessing an extraordinary time in our history. While dealing with the impact of COVID – 19, we are seeing peaceful protests rise across not just our country, but across the world. And they all have one thing in common: access to justice FOR ALL. Let me repeat that JUSTICE FOR ALL, NO MATTER WHAT. I was extremely heartened to see a wonderful Black Lives Matter march that took place in Guelph, supportive of our black, indigenous and communities of colour, asking that everyone be treated equally. Personally, this has been a determining factor in my life for as long as I have been conscious of the privilege I enjoy as a white woman. From working with survivors of domestic violence, victims of crime and tragedy and now working with an awesome community that is unique in Guelph in its diversity and needs, I believe in fairness, justice and equality. I believe there is much work to be done, and we at Shelldale Family Gateway are always doing our utmost to support our diverse families as we can with our amazing programs for families, children and youth.
Our staff are trained in Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppression (ARAO) work, and constantly update their learning. This includes myself and our Board of Directors. There currently exists a great deal of injustice in the wider community, and Shelldale Family Gateway seeks to make our organization one in which there is not just a reprieve from injustice, but we have programs with goals that seek to end it.
Shelldale Family Gateway programs are aimed specifically at our marginalized community. Whether it be because of immigration status, being black, a person of colour or indigenous, lacking in financial resources, Shelldale Family Gateway aims high, and we aim to provide the best possible ARAO programming for our ENTIRE community. Racism, ableism, ageism…all of these are antithetical to our Goal: Our respectful and multicultural approach strives to meet the needs of our diverse community, offering programs and supports for individuals and families in over 30 languages.
We know we can improve our work, and we are absolutely up to the challenge of doing it. I am very open to hearing ideas about how we can accomplish this. I can be reached at dboal@shelldale.ca .
I ask that you consider the ways in which you can help our community become safer for all, and guarantee equality not only in justice, but all matters. Think of what we can accomplish by working together!
Stay safe and well –
Diana Boal, Executive Director
- Published in Shelldale News