A Windsor advocate for women has penned a book to help children in grades one to three understand homelessness.
Executive Director of the Welcome Centre, Lady Laforet based the story on the experiences of her own seven-year-old daughter's visit to the shelter. It is called "One Day at the Welcome Centre."
The story is about a girl named Blue who volunteers her time and works to understand better why so many women and families in Windsor are struggling to find housing. It seeks to break down myths and the stigma of homelessness.
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Laforet came up with the idea after her children would visit the shelter during breaks from school. Their insights made her realize it is never too early to explain a pervasive problem in our society.
"With family homelessness on the rise, I wanted to create a comfortable way for other parents and teachers to see the benefits of children engaging in these tough conversations at an early age," she said.
Laforet said local date shows a 200 per cent increase in the number of families seeking shelter in the past year.
