“It’s nice to get an outing, but it’s also learning and meeting new people. Reclaiming Beauty checks all the boxes.”
Ann J.* is sitting at a table with five other women on the third floor of the Wilmot Family Resource Centre, a social support organization in Wilmot and Wellesley Townships. The evening summer sun pours in the wide windows, lighting up the bright paints, ceramics and other craft supplies that are spread out in front of the women. They are all participants in Reclaiming Beauty, a 12-week program by MCC that was dreamed up as an upcycling pilot project between MCC’s Walking with People in Poverty program and MCC Thrift shops.
The idea came out of a brainstorming session where a symbolic overlap came to light. “At Thrift, we receive things that someone does not want, or that have been deemed no longer useful to the owner, and we gratefully see the potential for new life and purpose,” says Walking with People in Poverty program coordinator Margaret Smart. “In much of our local programming, we engage with people that have been homeless, incarcerated or displaced. There’s a parallel journey of finding new life, new beginnings that our staff and volunteers are so privileged to come alongside.”
For Ann, who is a single mother of two with a teenaged son at home, building new relationships and being creative was a bright spot during a challenging time. “It’s a coping mechanism through COVID-19. It’s been a huge outlet for me that way,” Ann reflects. She is also in the midst of a five-year journey with numerous health challenges including an overdue knee replacement surgery that makes every day painful. Ann, a gifted artist, started a custom wreath business during the pandemic. Reclaiming Beauty was a perfect opportunity to enjoy her crafting skills with others. “I needed to do something gratifying and beautiful that I enjoy, that I could sit and see and spend time with,” Ann says. She also wanted to show her son that it was possible to stay creative and fulfilled even during hard times. “I want him to see that even though I’m not working outside the home right now, I’m finding a positive light when my knee replacement is making me feel very depressed.”
The sense of community and welcome that was palpable at Reclaiming Beauty was established in large part by Rachel Morton, Reclaiming Beauty program facilitator. “They are all such incredible women,” says Rachel. “It really has been an honour to facilitate this group!” The first cohort of participants came through community partner Supportive Housing of Waterloo (SHOW) in the fall of 2021. The next group was recruited through the Wilmot Family Resource Centre. “This time together is not just about the literal act of re-creating beautiful things,” says Rachel. “We also reflect on our own journey and goals for personal wellness and positive social connections.”
Here are a few words of reflection from the Reclaiming Beauty participants at the Wilmot Family Resource Centre:
Together with our program participants, our incredible team of staff and volunteers works to build more inclusive and supportive communities through relationships, creativity and compassion. If you would like to get involved in this life-changing work, visit our volunteer page.
*Last names are withheld for privacy reasons.