It’s not a secret that the past few years have been challenging. Through illness, grief, losses, and unstable environments; it has been crucial to come together and support our communities.
Throughout the pandemic, Women Empowered Unite Communities (WE Unite) has continued to help those in need.
“People were dispersed, and not just geographically,” said Teena Sauvé, Founder and President of WE Unite. “There was a lot of isolation. It should be easy to walk across the street and give somebody some soup when they are experiencing a crisis.”
WE Unite held their annual Soup Off event in November, donating over 45 litres of homemade soups to Redwood Park Communities.
“We had so much community interest in running a Soup Off event last year, so we did whatever we could to make it happen,” Sauvé said. “I’ve had people tell me in the past that they have never seen our community come together in the way they do for WE Unite.”
They have also continued their Meal Trains to give meals to those in need and the annual Christmas Lantern Delivery program, giving lanterns to members of the community who suffered the premature death of a loved one.
Despite difficult times, Sauvé was motivated to continue We Unite’s work to support community members.
“I got a message from a family that has received our memorial lanterns for a few Christmases now saying that they use the lanterns to decorate their rooms in memory of their mom,” Sauvé said. “How could we not deliver lanterns to these families for Christmas?”
On February 26, WE Unite will also be hosting a Community Memorial Walk to remember loved ones that have been lost.
“To see the families that have lost a loved one, come and participate in the walk is a very touching moment,” said Pam Rowe-Tetford, organizer of the Community Memorial Walk. “The path is lit up with more than three hundred lanterns. It really is a moment to take it all in and reflect.”
After hosting the memorial walk virtually in 2021, WE Unite is excited to be able to get together in person again.
“In these times especially, it is important to be there for one another,” Rowe-Tetford said. “To remember together, to grieve together, and to celebrate life together.”
In order to keep serving the community, WE Unite is seeking new volunteers and donations.
“We owe it to our own community to continue to meet the demands and the need to keep those signature things alive,” said Sauvé. “It’s what makes our area so special.”
WE Unite has launched a new website to post about upcoming events, collect donations, and keep volunteers informed through the volunteer portal.
“Our website is a place where people can learn and connect with the community.” said Sauvé. “ We wanted a way to show our volunteers the difference they make.”
To help WE Unite make a difference in the community, sign up to volunteer or make a donation. Anyone interested in registering for the upcoming Community Memorial Walk can sign up at https://weunite.ca/events.
