An anonymous St. Albert woman has offered a thirst-quenching gift to the many clients who utilize the services at the Boyle Street Community Services facility in Edmonton’s inner city.
She donated a drinking fountain. It’s now accessible to the public in behind the building located at 101 Street and 105 Avenue. It was installed in June.
According to executive director Julian Daly, the gift means so much to the non-profit Edmonton agency that has long worked with those living on the streets. It serves upwards of 12,000 clients, he noted, and sees more than a hundred thousand visits by them each year.
During the hot summer, those people are parched and have few other options for relief. A long cool drink of water can and does make a huge difference.
“She’s a remarkable woman with such a great social conscience,” he remarked of the donor.
“She has a lot of strong beliefs about the importance of accessing water. It’s always refreshing and heartening when you talk to people who feel so strongly about social justice issues but also who are very generous as well.”
He noted that the donor first considered the gift during media reports of how the homeless were affected during the height of last summer’s heat wave in mid-July. More people than usual suffered severe dehydration that required hospitalization.
In fact, there are a number of inner city agencies that distribute bottled water throughout the downtown.
The alley behind the centre is a well-attended spot for much of the capital city’s population that is challenged by homelessness and poverty. The spot is such a focal point for access to assistance that people even sleep right outside the facility in the back. Its popularity made perfect sense for installing the drinking fountain there.
Since the fountain was installed, there have been no reports of clients at Boyle Street suffering any dehydration emergencies.
Daly said that Boyle Street Community Services is very grateful for the tremendous gift, which has already helped so many people in such a profound way. The organization gladly accepts donations and offers a variety of ways that people can help it help others. There’s even a ‘Donate Now’ button on its home page at www.boylestreet.org.
Each month, it also highlights a specific area of need where donors could offer their assistance. Shelter from the Heat, appropriately, was the focus for July, whereas Personal Hygiene is August’s issue. The centre currently has a call out for gifts of new underwear and socks, hygiene products (including razors, toothpaste and brushes, and feminine hygiene items), plus hairbrushes and makeup. “It’s not just about hygiene; it’s about self-worth,” the website says.
“If someone wants to make a practical difference in people’s lives, that would really help,” Daly said.
