Local Children’s Book Encourages Families To Discuss Homelessness

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A new local children’s book has been published with the goal to help children understand homelessness.

One Day at the Welcome Centre is geared towards children in grades 1 to 3, and was ritten by Welcome Centre Executive Director, Lady Laforet, based on experiences of her own 7-year-old daughter visiting the shelter.

The book is about a young girl, Blue, who volunteers her time at the Welcome Centre. Engaging with clients and staff, she is working on increasing her understanding of why so many women and families in the Windsor community are struggling to find affordable homes. Breaking down myths and stigma, Blue learns about the barriers faced in finding a safe home and the importance of empathy for everyone in our community.

Laforet came up with the idea after many visits her own children had to the agency during breaks from school; the observations, insights and empathy she would hear them share made her realize it’s never too early to create a strong sense of social justice.

“With family homelessness on the rise, I wanted to create a comfortable way for other parents, and teachers, to see the benefits of children engaging in these tough conversations at an early age; building empathy and understanding now will hopefully help us create more civically engaged adults down the road”.

Local data is showing that families are the rising face of homelessness in the Windsor community, with a near 200% increase in families accessing shelter in the past year. One Day at the Welcome Centre lays a safe foundation for discussing emergency shelter, homelessness, and the many barriers families face. The book is easy to read and features illustrations combined with real images of the Welcome Centre living and office
areas.

One Day at the Welcome Centre is now available for $10 a copy, in paperback format; readers can find it on the agency Facebook Page under SHOP, or email [email protected] to order a copy for pick-up or mailed delivery.