Tim L
Kicking off year 4 for The Streets Initiative is Melissa McArthur from Fort Saskatchewan! Melissa is my neighbor and a genuinely wonderful person, and I’m thrilled she stepped up to choose a charity for our donations over the next couple of months. At 37, she’s a busy mother of two, but she and her husband, Dean, are also actively involved in fostering children and providing respite for other foster families.
Melissa’s commitment to Canada’s foster system spans many years, rooted in her experiences caring for her mother, who struggled with mental health issues, and later for her sister, who battled substance abuse. This is known as kinship care—caring for someone you have a prior relationship with. From there, Melissa and Dean became licensed foster parents in 2015, eventually adopting two amazing kids!
The other day, I visited their home, and while we shared a beer at the kitchen table, Melissa shared stories about fostering and the challenges facing the system. It was no surprise that she chose a charity focused on supporting young mothers and pregnant teens. Head to http://www.terracentre.ca to learn more about the Terra Centre and their mission to help young families get on the right path. Every donation to this fantastic organization makes a positive impact. Head to the donation tab on my site’s homepage or click this link to contribute: https://thestreetsinitiative.org/edmontonians-love-donating/
Thanks, everyone!
