Driving up to the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre, the first thing that caught my eye was the building itself - a small, pastel-colored building that was probably once a neighborhood corner store, housing the owners in its upstairs bedrooms. Nestled in one of Canada’s lowest-income postal codes, the building stands out, not just because of its bright and joyful color, but because of what happens inside. It’s a space where community is not just supported but actively woven together, creating a fabric of strength, care, and reciprocity.

I visited the center a couple of weeks ago to deliver a donation - the funds raised at the first Old Girls Club event that we held in January. But this visit wasn’t just about handing over a cheque. I had heard about the center through my friend Carlos, whose sister, Maria, had been deeply connected to this space. When Maria passed away last year, Carlos learned just how much the center had meant to her - not just as a place of support, but as a place where she was seen, valued, and part of something bigger. The staff and community members didn’t just know her; they considered her part of their family. They depended on her and her kindness and joy as much as she depended on them.

That kind of belonging is something we all need and deserve.

On the day I visited, the center was quiet - closed to drop-ins to give the staff a chance to organize donations, plan programming, and manage the administration that is required for so many areas of support. But Bernadette, the Coordinator, and Melissa, the new Executive Director, welcomed me with big smiles and took me through the space. As Bernadette talked about how the small-but-mighty space was used, I could easily imagine the energy on a typical day: women stopping by to pick up essentials while doing a load of laundry, neighbors connecting over a cup of coffee and some toast and jam, the hum of conversation as people shared stories and laughter, or took some quiet time to do a word search or puzzle in the corner. The North Point Douglas Women’s Centre isn’t just a place that distributes supplies or offers a safe space - it’s a hub of connection and a place where community is nurtured.

The team does so much with what they have. With a small staff and a tiny space, they provide free clothing and household items, hygiene products, diapers, baby formula, and non-perishable food. They host shared meals, and work hard every year to organize a summer street festival that brings the community together. They run programming and cultural sharing circles and they support the Mama Bear Clan, a community patrol that walks the neighborhood on Friday nights, building relationships, connecting people to resources, and handing out sandwiches. Every donation they receive is stretched as far as possible - not just to meet immediate needs, but to create moments of community care, celebration, and resilience.

This is what reciprocity looks like.

It’s easy to think of networking or community building as simply gathering people together in a room. But the kind of community I want to foster - through the Old Girls Club (to be renamed very soon) - is one where we don’t just show up for ourselves. We show up for each other. We contribute, we share, and we create opportunities for others to thrive. It’s about recognizing that we are all connected, that our actions ripple beyond us, and that giving and receiving are two sides of the same coin.

So, if you’re reading this and you want to be part of that kind of community, here’s something simple you can do today: support the North Point Douglas Women’s Centre.

They need monetary donations, but also tangible essentials like diapers (size 3 and up), baby formula, hygiene products, and non-perishable food. If you have the ability to give, your contribution won’t just provide supplies - it will help strengthen the fabric of this community, ensuring that support is there for those who need it. You can learn more about their work and how to donate on their website.

Community isn’t just something we have. It’s something we build - together. If you're not already signed up for updates from the Old Girls Club, make sure you sign up now. And fyi, when you sign up, you'll be given a link to complete a survey that will help us understand what you are looking for in community.