LONDON, ONT. -- Louise Blakey says her situation would be dire if it wasn’t for My Sisters’ Place.
"When I first came in, at the time I was homeless and very suicidal," said Blakey. "I felt like nobody cared, nobody loved me and then I came here and all that changed."
Blakey has suffered with mental health issues for most of her life due to domestic violence. She is one of more than 150 women who go to My Sisters’ Place on Dundas Street every day for food and life skills programming.
But since the outbreak, all indoor activities have been suspended.
"It's been a continued struggle," said Jennifer De Melo, the team lead at My Sisters’ Place. "It’s tough on the clients that are struggling with the anxiety of the pandemic."
However they're hoping to change that in the next few weeks as restrictions lighten.
"We're slowly reintegrating services so that we can provide more group programming and more supports for individuals that are struggling," said De Melo.
With colder weather coming, more money is needed to continue the work, but due to the pandemic fundraising has been tough.
They are hoping that changes in the coming weeks with the annual Run for Women sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart.
This year it’s a virtual run or walk and it will be held between Sept. 17 - 27. The goal like other years is to raise more than $100,000.
"Please help as much as you can 'cause it really does make a difference in someone's life," said Blakey.
