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OAKVILLE BEAVER Wednesday, October 14, 2009 · 14 Changing lives T he Empty Bowls event funds hope for homeless people in our community. Community-minded sponsors join in the event to support Home Suite Hope for the same reason: to address local homelessness. "Local investment in community support pays off; helping people improve their lives when times are tough makes good sense," said Sarah Adams, regional vice president of RBC, a Gold Spoon sponsor. Home Suite Hope is a local charity that provides innovative local solutions to local homelessness. Last year, Empty Bowls helped fund the downpayment and startup operations on a six-unit apartment building that will house six families in distress. This year, Empty Bowls will help finish the job of renovating and furnishing the last three units. Funding includes facilitated support, addressing a range of causes underlying poverty and homelessness. Greg Huxter is one of the participants. His life changed suddenly last year, when he took on the responsibility of caring full-time for his two young children. When their mother was no longer able to care for them, he turned to Home Suite Hope for help to take his children full-time rather than the kids going to foster care. He made the difficult choice to quit his job out of town, in order to prevent having to further uproot his children from their community and he chose to move to Oakville, find housing and take on full-time custody to care for his children. Both children were under the age of seven and one has special needs. Without employment, he was unable to get into market-rate housing, and while the Region provided emergency housing for a limited amount of time, Huxter applied to Home Suite Hope. The decision to take responsibility for his children had to be made in 24 hours, and radically changed the direction of his life when he chose to step up to it. He knew that with this new life he would need some help, having never been responsible for fulltime care of two children. He asked for help in meal planning, medical care, schooling and child care and financial assistance for food and clothing. Beyond that, for assistance in getting back on his feet with a job that will support his young family. Supporting families and com- PHOTOS BY NIKKI WESLEY / OAKVILLE BEAVER FILLING EMPTY BOWLS WITH HOPE: From left, Gold Spoon sponsor RBC's Regional Vice President Sarah Adams and Fourth Line and Speers Road Branch Manager Wendy McCartney learn to throw a bowl at the annual Empty Bowls sponsor appreciation evening at the Crack Pot Studio last Thursday. Oakville Beaver reporter Tina Depko also created a bowl for the event set to take place at Appleby College on Sunday, Oct. 18. munity is fundamental to the Longo's family business. "Being a part of a strong community and helping charities help families is part of our way of business," says Gay Longo, who along with her husband, Anthony, are supporters of the Empty Bowls event. Beyond the Gold Spoon Sponsorship that Longo's provides, Gay herself is a potter who makes and donates bowls to the event. They both lend a hand to the event itself, stocking shelves and serving soup. "At Empty Bowls, we stand in line as if we were at a soup kitchen. Thankfully, most of us will never experience the real thing. Filling these empty bowls is important work for our family." At home in his modest Home Suite Hope apartment, Huxter has had support to learn tools for everyday parenting, shopping for nutritious meals and even helping with homework. HSH has also been able to helps secure things for the family, such as furniture, bicycles, clothing donations, and even help during the holidays. Now that his children are safe, stabilized, and well cared for, Greg has begun taking steps towards rebuilding his own life too. He has worked on some job skills training, driver's education training and is about to write his G2 driver's licence test. He volunteers as building superintendent. His next goal is to get his high school diploma as he looks for full-time work. Presented by Gold Spoon Sponsors Longo's Fruit Market and RBC, Empty Bowls will be held at Appleby College on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 12:30-3 p.m. Tickets cost $50 minimum, although donations of more would be appreciated. Tickets are available online at www.homesuitehope.org, at the door or in advance at the RBC branches at Lakeshore Road at Trafalgar Road and Lakeshore, or Fourth Line and Speers.