Ruth Renwick: An Inspiring Example of Compassion
By Samantha Frost
 I’ve
always felt that public service employees had
to be special. I thought you had to be a cut above
the rest because you subscribe to a very high
calling. And to me, your sense of civic duty seemed
to come from something other than picking up a
paycheque.
I used to think this. But now from personal experience,
I know it to be true.
I’ve only been with the Region for two years,
but in that time, I’ve met some extraordinary
individuals. One of them is Ruth Renwick, an Outreach
Worker with Ontario Works in Peel (OWIP).
On Feb. 1, 2001, I spent the day with Ruth. My
mission: to learn what the Region is doing to
help Peel citizens in crisis pull themselves out
of some of life’s toughest situations. It
is a day I won’t soon forget.
The experience of examining the complicated interactions
that take place between the homeless and the people
trying to help them was up close and personal.
It didn’t take me too long to realize that
Ruth’s work is rich with examples of friendship
and compassion. She’s a hugger. And simple
gestures like
that, along with positive and caring words, go
a long way toward breaking down the degree of
isolation that marginalized people, like the homeless,
typically feel.
Here’s a snapshot of the types of services
that Ruth carries out on the Region’s behalf.
Remember, we are talking about people in crisis,
so she could be doing her job anywhere —
under a highway bridge, in an abandoned parking
garage, in a soup kitchen or at an emergency shelter:
- Assistance with housing search and
getting people into shelter
- Free, impartial and confidential
advice
- Crisis intervention
- Funding and assistance with replacing
lost identification - many people who
are homeless do not have ID and this
severely limits their access to services
- Birth certificates
- Social insurance cards (SIN)
- OHIP cards
- Funding for medical necessities including
medications, splints and crutches
- Health care and health teaching
- Provision of basic needs
- Food
- Clothing
- Access to telephone
- Referrals for anyone who ishomeless to community
agencies that provide meals, mail service, and
access to shower, laundry and storage facilities.
Encourage people that you think are in crisis
to call Peel’s STREET Helpline at 1-877-848-8481,
and let them know it’s a free call from any
pay phone.
Back to top
|
