The FRIENDS Peterborough agency continues to be a source of blessing, help and encouragement to many residents of Peterborough and area. Every day we meet new clients who hear about us by word of mouth or have been referred to us by other agencies such as the Salvation Army or the Canadian Government offices.

Here is a sampling of the concerns we have dealt with or are presently helping clients with:

• Helping an elderly lady find affordable housing as she is presently paying out 80% of her ODSP income for housing.

• Assisting an elderly gentleman locating his estranged daughter.

• Assisting a man from a foreign country work through a divorce case as he has no family or support in Canada.

• Helping a middle-aged man to get his “special diet” provision re-instated by ODSP

• Helping a lady find suitable housing in Peterborough as she has many family issues that are seemingly insurmountable.

• Assisting many seniors as they apply for CPP, Old Age Security or the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

• Arranging dental and medical appointments for clients.

• Helping a single mother get repairs done at her apartment and overturning an eviction notice by her landlord.

• Referring a lady with many issues to a local pastor’s wife who mentored her, found her an apartment and got her involved in their church.

Every week we are told by clients how helpful we have been. Many have said that they don’t know what they’d have done if we hadn’t been there to support them.

Our staff works very well together and we all enjoy the interaction with our clients. We are grateful for the opportunity to be there for these clients, many of whom are disadvantaged, marginalized and often shunned by the general public.

Thanks for the opportunity to offer help, hope and a “hand up” to friends in our community and surrounding area.