Glowing Hearts Community Give and Get wants everyone to know they are in the community and they’re here to help.
Glowing Hearts got its start when Frank Nelson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2013.
Nelson wanted to help as many people as he could and created a bucket list to do just that. Through sponsorships and donations, he helped get $1,000 to 43 of the 50 families he aimed to.
He died in 2017 at the age of 61, but the organization lived on to continue his pay-it-forward initiative.
Glowing Hearts president Janette O’Ryan-Hamilton told BarrieToday the organization plans on continuing what their founder started and working with whomever it takes to do so.
O’Ryan-Hamilton said that Glowing Hearts is on track to start a free year-round tax clinic for low-income families as well as getting other social programs underway.
The current location at 110 Dunlop St. W., Unit 102, is temporary until they can get a bigger and more permanent hub.
A new space would help greatly with events as well, though Hamilton and her team are getting ready for their annual Christmas party.
“We have no immediate events scheduled, but are working to put together our annual Christmas party and plan a few large fundraising events for the coming year,” said O’Ryan-Hamilton.
“Our biggest issue right now is, of course, funding. However, we are in dire need of a new space for the centre, and at the moment must rely on the charity of a property owner in the downtown area," she added.
The centre annually serves over 11,000 people, and with four more months to go has already exceeded last year’s numbers.
Heading into the colder months, O’Ryan-Hamilton says there are items that are needed to help those without access to proper warmth.
“We are desperately in need of men's winter clothing boots and shoes,” she said. “We are always in need of reliable volunteers, and anyone wishing to volunteer can drop by the centre and fill out an application.”
Glowing Hearts is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, with the doors open 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information or to help, visit their Facebook page.
