As a community nurse in the 1980s, Anne saw the best and worst of the human experience. “As a nurse, I saw so much suffering,” she recounts. What broke her heart – and set her path in life – was witnessing child abuse patients admitted to the hospitals where she worked.
For many years, Anne worked hard to bring to light the long-term effects of abuse, motivated by a philosophy that, “Child abuse is a community responsibility. I saw it up close. And I think it’s preventable.”
Anne was part of a parent volunteer group that provided essential community education at a time when child abuse was not part of public dialogue. At the same time, Anne and her colleagues presented research at clinical conferences, rallying the sector to address the issues.
In the 1990s, Anne’s work expanded internationally, and she was part of a Canadian coalition advocating at the United Nations for the rights of children and youth.
“Sometimes advocacy is really hard, and sometimes it just takes one person saying something,” Anne says as she reflects on those years.
Because of her personal connection to the cause, Anne feels a strong affinity for the work at Covenant House: “The minute I learned about this agency, I knew Covenant House was absolutely vital to youth who have been abused, neglected and may be homeless or trafficked because of it.”
She is also proud to be able to continue to support young people during her retirement: “It’s a complete joy to me to know that youth are able to access a safe and welcoming place to go and such comprehensive services.”
We are deeply grateful for Anne’s support. With the help of our donors, each young person who comes through our doors has the opportunity for a brighter future.