2010-2011 Recipients’ letters
“This award has helped out very much. With the $100 I have been receiving from this program, I have been able to use it to buy groceries for my family when we needed them. This money will be really beneficial for my Christmas shopping; it has already given me a gift for my mother and I plan to get a lot of gifts for the family. Seeing as I could use this money without restrictions, I have bought things for myself like treating myself to lunch every once in a while. My thanks go out to every person and every company who donated to this great cause. People have no idea how much of a difference $100 a month can make when you don’t have much. I will cherish this act of kindness throughout the rest of my life.”
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“I would like to say that I am extremely grateful to be a part of the HOST program. It has certainly helped me keep my head above water so to speak. Having the extra money for meals and/or groceries, school supplies and otherwise has made things a lot easier on not only myself but my family as well.”
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“This year has been stressful, with the pressure of grade twelve and the expense of preparing for university. I also have other expenses such as rent that take up much of my resources and have made me mature much faster than I would have liked.
I just applied to universities this month and I was able to use my award to pay the 160-dollar application fee. If I am short on money or need something for school, I feel relieved because I know that I have the funds to support myself.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the Host Program is that I now have a savings fund and account where I can deposit some of my own money for university.
The relief and financial stability the Host Program has provided me with has been insurmountable. I appreciate everyone who has contributed to my success. I hope that people will continue to support the future of students and provide them with financial opportunity.
With all my love, blessings and gratitude.
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“When I got chosen to receive this award, the money that was given to me every month really helped me with my home situation, which made it easier on me a lot to get things for me and any school items. I would also like to report that if I keep my marks up which are in the high 80% range, I will be graduating with honours. The money really gave me time to focus on my schoolwork and not home problems. To anyone who may be reading this letter, you are making the life of one student who is having a hard time into one where they can be a productive member of society.”
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“All my life, I have somehow managed to be blessed by numerous encounters with people or events that have helped change my life for the better. At 18 years of age, I often find it hard to tell my life story to others as I always feel that I am complaining. I come from a divorced family, a workaholic father and a mother suffering from mental health and alcoholism. In my grade 8, my grandmother was murdered at the hands of her husband in a domestic dispute. At age 16, I moved to Ottawa for a fresh start with my mother and unfortunately could not remain living with her due to her ongoing mental health and substance abuse.
The HOST Program is one of the best opportunities I have had all year. Being in grade 12 and financially struggling, it allowed me to feel confident that I would be able to attend university after working hard to maintain an 85-90% average. For me, the HOST Program showed me that I meant something to the Orleans community and that there were people who cared about my well-being and the hard work I was putting into school.
I sincerely thank all those who have donated towards this program because without this help, I may not have been able to pursue my dream of post-secondary education. More importantly, however, is that I was shown a generosity that I will continue to pass on by volunteering myself.”
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“When I was first chosen for this program, I just couldn’t believe that after having gone through some of the things I have in my life, all of a sudden for someone to do this for me was hard to comprehend.
This year has been rough. I lived with my mom and step-dad then for three months I lived on my own. The money I received has helped me to stay afloat. It has helped provide a safety net for food or supplies when needed. When the first of every month came around, I felt relieved to know that there was something there for me to live off of. It is hard enough to have a rough time outside of school but it is important for me to try to keep up my grades.
I hope that his donors continue to support Mr. Lussier. I would like him to know that as soon as I can, I would like to support the program as well.”