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This story was previously posted on StratfordToday.ca.
WARNING: This article contains details some may find disturbing.
Optimism Place in Stratford has received a very generous donation from an unlikely source. But the story on why the donation came doesn’t start in a happy way.
It was a place he felt safe. It’s also a time that Ashley will never forget. The story starts all the way back in 2021.
“My daughter was two, and my son was four, and their dad, my husband at the time, had a mental health breakdown,” said Ashley. “I recognized that something was wrong, and tried to get him help but I became the enemy, as he didn’t think anything was wrong. That’s the hard part when dealing with mental health.”
The family situation got worse and worse, with Ashley’s then-husband having to go into a temporary mental health hold at the hospital. It was then that Ashley decided she needed to leave the situation.
“I started calling around to a few places, but this was prime COVID time and a lot of places were full,” said Ashley. “Eventually I was put in touch with Optimism Place, where we would have to be masked outside of our rooms, but we wouldn’t have to complete a 14-day quarantine.”
Optimism Place found Ashley a spot the very next day.
“I packed up a go bag with just the essentials,” said Ashley. “I left a lot at my house because I wanted to give the illusion that I hadn’t left.”
Their new temporary home was beyond expectations for the young family.
“I had heard of shelters, and I thought I knew what it might be like, but it was so much more,” said Ashley, whose voice quivered. “It just felt so safe, that’s one of the things my son kept saying.”
During their stay at Optimism Place, the family shared a room with two beds and a cot but it was a safe space. Doors are double locked with alarm systems in place to protect anyone at the shelter, and at the time of their stay there was only one other child, a baby, so a lot of the women helped Ashley with the kids.
“It was like having all these mom’s and grandmothers around,” said Ashley. “The kids got to play in a playroom, and we would meet with social workers.”
Throughout the stay, Ashley met with lawyers and other agencies to develop the next steps, including a restraining order and safety plans. Her husband would be arrested for violating the restraining order, and Ashley documented everything to ensure her lawyers would have all the information needed during the court proceedings. The family was jolted again in 2022 when Ashley’s husband died by suicide.
Fast forward to this year when her son, Craig, was getting ready to celebrate his eighth birthday.
“We talked about his previous birthday, and about the toys that didn’t get played with so they were donated,” said Ashley. “We talked about maybe asking for donations for the hospital foundation, but he felt that the children didn’t need toys, because they were sick. So we talked about the humane society, but Craig also felt that animals didn’t need toys either. Eventually he said, what about to our shelter? We got toys when we were there, so that's what he decided to do.”
After confirming with Craig that he indeed only wanted a gift from his mom, Ashley put out the word on his invitations and on social media.
“I have a video of Craig finding out he had raised $1,000,” said Ashley. “He was completely overjoyed.”
The final total raised by the eight year old was over $2,100.
“It was a surprise to us,” said executive director of Optimism Place Jasmine Clark. “We didn’t know it was coming. “
Optimism Place offers residential support, a crisis line, along with numerous outreach programs. The local organization is open 24 hours a day, every day, year round
“The biggest impact of my job is knowing the impact we have on the women and children that come through our doors,” said Clark. “For some people it may be the first time they feel safe, so to see someone celebrate a birthday and support us in the process it is really special for us.”
If you or someone you know needs to call Optimism Place call 519-271-5550 or 1-800-265-8598 (Toll-Free). And if you or someone you know is dealing with a mental health crisis click here for local resources.
