By Sarah Tremblay,
Domestic Violence Court Case Worker, Elizabeth Fry Society of Mainland NS
COVID -19 has impacted everyone in a different way. Working from home not only shifted my personal life but of course, changed the nature of my profession as well. I was used to meeting my clients in person, one-on-one as well as conducting Elizabeth Fry’s Women for Change group that happens on a weekly basis. I had tasks of completing reports and a set schedule that filled until May with routine and expectations. Well, one of my favorite sayings is “when you make a plan the universe laughs”. So as my routine, life, and goals for the summer were quickly uprooted, I began to ask myself a new question: what would Creating Communities of Care look like during a global pandemic? How would we strengthen our community, foster a sense of belonging, and uplift the hope and prosperity of our people during a time where social isolation was considered a top priority?
I came up with the idea for these Wellness packages when a community member was in search of sage, an important medicine in the Indigenous community. It was difficult to find any and my colleagues and I considered ordering online. I thought to myself that it would be a nice idea for many of our clients to have medicine, which then snowballed into an idea of providing a package full of self-care items.
I proposed this idea to my colleagues who agreed and loved the idea. We, therefore, brought it as a collective and the project was approved! We began ordering products from a variety of businesses and decided to choose local products and companies when available. Each organization was a pleasure to work with and I would like to thank each business for their cooperation and incredible products. The community who received these packages were ecstatic!
A big thank you to:
Sankofa Gifts for a collection of face masks
https://www.facebook.com/Sankofa-Marketing-113412708700494
Dragon Moon for worry stones, sage, and sweet grass
https://dragonmoon.ca/
Mi’kma’ki Craft Supplies for dream catcher kits
https://www.facebook.com/mikmakicraftsupplies
Abalone Retreat and Busy Mamas Soaps & Such for lotion, soaps, and lip balm
https://abaloneretreat.com/
https://www.facebook.com/busymamassoapsnsuch/
Seafoam Lavender for lavender hand sanitizer spray
https://lavendercanada.com/