This post was published as part of our 2023 Fall Check-In Newsletter.
Long-time donor continues to make a difference with donor-advised fund at the Ottawa Community Foundation.
The Lucy Grossmann-Hensel Fund, a donor-advised fund at the Ottawa Community Foundation, has worked closely with OCF staff for over two decades to identify funding opportunities aligning with the donor’s goals. These goals include expanding the available choices for women and youth, primarily in newcomer and Indigenous communities, on their path toward better, more resilient futures. This year, the fund has helped empower the dreams of two organizations by building on existing skills, experience, and knowledge.
Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO)
Sewing For Success – Industrial Sewing Skills for Employment
Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO) has supported the needs of immigrant and racialized women survivors of violence for more than thirty years. In 2023, the Lucy Grossmann-Hensel Fund provided seed funding for IWSO’s Sewing Group to train participants in using industrial sewing machines and teach industry-specific language skills.
“Many women have previous sewing skills from their country of origin,” says IWSO’s executive director Mercy Lawluvi. “They really enjoy our sewing club and earnestly desire to find employment in this field despite their limited language proficiency.”
The program will equip newcomer women with the skills to become industrial sewing machine operators and provide ongoing support, including connecting them to employers in the sector. IWSO is partnering with iSisters, which will offer its mentorship program to participants. They’ll also collaborate with World Skills Employment Centre, which will help provide language training.
“Thanks to the Lucy Grossmann-Hensel Fund, we can equip our sewing room with industrial sewing machines and hire an instructor,” added Lawluvi. “Funding like this, for what could be considered a niche but impactful project, is vital to improving the quality of life for the most vulnerable.”
The interest in the program was high, with 110 women applying for the specialized program at the application deadline. The organization hopes to continue to run this project over the next three years and train 45 women for employment in the sector.
Lawluvi notes that the goal is to increase employment opportunities for immigrant and racialized women in an in-demand industry. Including wraparound services allows IWSO to provide ongoing, consistent support to women through their employment journey.
“Support for this program goes a long way towards helping them become self-sufficient and empowered, and ultimately making our community stronger and more resilient.”
Click here for more information about Immigrant Women Services Ottawa (IWSO).
Isaruit Inuit Arts Centre
Core Programming Support
What grew from a vision by Inuit women who shared a love of sewing is today a sewing centre and a workshop space for sculpturing, traditional knife-making, and printing. Isaruit, which means wings in Inuktitut, received a grant through the Lucy Grossmann-Hensel Fund for the centre to build on its core operations.
“Isaruit gives space to Inuit to create and to connect,” says Beverly Illauq, the centre’s coordinator. “Here, they are grounded in their own culture and language through the arts – in stone, bone, antler, ivory, fabrics, beads, music and story.”
Isaruit’s sewing program offers daily drop-in hours to pick up materials, share patterns, and access equipment. The Lucy Grossmann–Hensel Fund grant helped create a dedicated room for sewing, away from the buzz of the other workshops.
This summer, a woman from Iqaluit named Aglak made a beaded floral frontpiece for an amauti – a baby-carrying parka – and donated it to Isaruit. According to Illauq, Aglak spoke of Isaruit as a workspace for Inuit culture and that the flower represented the idea that life can be beautiful even through difficult times.
Isaruit also houses a shop program with space for crafting traditional tools. Artists can consult with elders as they develop their skills.
“When Inuit come to Isaruit, they often breathe a sigh of relief, and say it feels like being at an elder’s home. This is probably the highest compliment we can receive,” says Illauq.
About 200 people use their services monthly, in addition to 75 artists who participate remotely through online programming. The Inuit-led centre also hosts formal consultations and gatherings that share Inuit culture with conversations in Inuktitut. Friday afternoons are particularly notable, when people come and share Inuit country food.
Isaruit has become a community hub, and Illauq acknowledges the support needed to keep it going.
“Grants like this keep the doors open and our vision alive,” she notes. “It sends a message that people believe in Inuit art and culture. Right now, when other funding sources can be unpredictable, this connection with donors for our small charity is vital.”
Isaruit imagines doing even more in the future. Illauq refers to a vision document that lists 24 projects they want to implement in the next 24 months.
“As the only national organization founded by Inuit artists that support Inuit artists, we want to continue to empower not only our participants and Inuit communities in Ottawa and across the North, but also non-Inuit whom we connect with, and the broader Canadian society at large.”
Click here for more information about Isaruit Inuit Arts Centre.
