“Women really reported to us that they were tired of going from one place to another, telling their story over and over… when they’re in a crisis,” said Jeshani.
The centre comes as a result of a study revealing the barriers that those in need face when seeking services, and is based on a model that originally began in San Diego. That model is now in more than 80 locations worldwide, and another 140 centres are currently in development. The idea seems a perfect fit for Peel-Dufferin, where there are more than 90 different ethnic groups who speak more than 60 different languages. More than half of PeelöĎÓăĘÓƵapp population is comprised of immigrants — a total that is almost 10 per cent of OntarioöĎÓăĘÓƵapp immigrant population.
“The Catholic faith would tell us that we need to reach out to the poor and the marginalized,” said Mark Creedon, executive director of CFSPD. “Catholic means universal.”
And that applies to people of all faiths as well. Of the 28,000 people that CFSPD served last year, half of them weren’t Catholic. But for those who were, CFSPD had the unique ability to offer spiritual help as well.
“Unlike a lot of organizations, we don’t shy away from the fact that people come to us and say they’re having a spiritual crisis in addition to (another) crisis,” said Creedon, who has been in social work for 36 years.
This is all part of the “transfer of trust,” a term that CFSPD substitutes for referral. They’re not sending people several kilometres away with hopes of them finding the correct service; they’re walking them down the hall and introducing them to the exact person they need to talk to, Creedon explained.
“My days are surrounded by being in awe… in seeing the strength and resilience I see in people facing turmoil,” said Jeshani. “Families are so much stronger than we sometimes even recognize.”
The centre hopes to provide the resources to help further strengthen these families, all within a Catholic environment.
“I’m very fortunate that I can put my Catholic values into practice each and every day in what I do,” said Creedon.
There is also plenty of opportunity for other Catholics to put their faith into practice with the centre, Creedon said. To get involved or donate, call (905) 450-1608 ext. 103.
Family justice centre set to open this fall
By Luc Rinaldi, Catholic Register SpecialWhen a family member faces a crisis, the last thing they want is to be denied service because no one speaks their language, no one can care for their child, or the help they need is on the other side of the city.
When the Family Justice and Child Advocacy (FJCA) Centre opens in Brampton, Ont., later this summer, families in distress will no longer face these obstacles.
The centre, run by Catholic Family öĎÓăĘÓƵapp Peel-Dufferin (CFSPD), will house more than a dozen different services — from youth and womenöĎÓăĘÓƵapp counselling to legal aid and law enforcement — in a variety of languages. “We’re not going to just be working together under one roof, our services are going to be coordinated together,” said Shelina Jeshani, coordinator of the FJCA planning committee.
The goal of the centre, which opens Sept. 1, is to provide seamless, hassle-free service for abuse victims, families, couples and others in need.
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