THUNDER BAY – A local business owner hopes his donation to the Shelter House will spur others to support Thunder Bay’s most vulnerable, heading into a winter that’s sure to be more difficult than usual thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Titus Semple, owner of recently launched Semple Enterprises, visited the Shelter House with his family on Friday to present a $10,000 cheque, saying the donation was meant to honour his late ex-wife, Michelane.
“She utilized the services that this organization provided, and it’s always been a goal of ours to give back to the place,” he said. “It’s such a great organization that serves such a large under-serviced population.”
“This is sort of a way to say thank you for being there for someone we loved, someone we cared about.”
The funds will have a major impact supporting the Shelter House’s Kwae Kii Win managed alcohol program, which offers transitional housing and support to people who are struggling with alcohol addiction and have experienced homelessness.
The program’s annual $600,000 budget relies heavily on the generosity of those like Semple who choose to donate, said executive director Michelle Jordan.
“It’s difficult to gain stable funding, so this donation will help greatly,” she said.
The gift is appreciated even more during a year in which the organization can’t rely on typical donation levels – while there's been good news, some areas like donated Christmas gifts have taken a hit during the pandemic, Jordan noted.
Semple said he hoped his own contribution would inspire other businesses to contribute what they could to help those who need a hand up.
“I’d like to put out a challenge to the local business community of Thunder Bay and maybe even regionally, to look at giving back,” he said.
“This is an organization that’s there for individuals when others can’t be there. They’re there to provide them the assistance they need to get through their tough times.”
