Community Collaboration & Outreach

Beyond our own programs, A Little Relief has been proud to support and collaborate with many wonderful local organizations, agencies, and community initiatives over the years.

The Bench & 40 Baker
When Ed Pickersgill was with us, ALR regularly contributed to separate fundraisers at 40 Baker and The Bench, as well as donating many items directly to Ed for his work at The Bench.

The Stone Soup Project
Donated several meals in support of the Youth Hub.

Parkview Church
Donated Easter prizes for a free community Easter celebration.

Drop-In Centre & Elizabeth Place
Donated toiletries and other needed items on several occasions to Sr. Christine at the Drop-In Centre, hundreds of gifts to the centre, and free gifts for children at Elizabeth Place.

Guelph-Wellington Women in Crisis
Donated Easter baskets and toiletries.

Project Shoebox
Proudly contributed donations each year.

Trinity United Church
Contributed to a holiday gift-giving initiative.

Hope House
Donated Easter baskets.

Onward Willow
Helped support community fundraising efforts.

Canada Day at Riverside Park – 2024
With the tremendous support of local businesses, sponsors, volunteers, and community members, A Little Relief funded and organized Canada Day festivities at Riverside Park. Donations and community partnerships allowed the activities to be offered at no cost to families.

A Little Relief & The Good Games

In 2024, just before Canada Day, A Little Relief was approached by the CEO of The GOOD Games, beginning a relationship that would open new doors for our organization.

Through The GOOD Games, ALR was introduced to a much wider network of corporate resources, community organizations and valuable connections. These introductions have helped us build new relationships, increase awareness of the work we do, and strengthen our ability to support families within our community.

What began with a connection here in Guelph has continued to grow alongside The GOOD Games as they have expanded into other cities and provinces across Canada.

We are incredibly grateful for the connections, opportunities and ongoing support The GOOD Games has brought to A Little Relief. It is a wonderful example of what can happen when community organizations and businesses connect, collaborate and help one another grow.

Helping our Friends at The Bench

Thank you Stephanie Lynn and Clay for helping us bring down donations to The Bench today :) and thank you to everyone who has donated :)

We will be bringing our next donations to Rachel's Saturday table on Saturday :)

We dropped off a box of hand warmers, lots of socks, clothes, hats, mitts and scarves, a comforter, 2 sleeping bags, a quilt, drinks, snacks, 2 cups and a pair of shoes....

PS our pictures are for transparency of our donations, and to show community Impact for our funding. Not for kudos of any sort. Helping vulnerable populations is not a matter of pride, but a matter of human decency....

Thunder Bay Fire Relief Assistance

When devastating wildfires were affecting communities in Northern Ontario, A Little Relief saw posts from people in the Thunder Bay area who were in need and knew we wanted to help.

Cheryl Emond-Steffer of A Little Relief worked alongside Ward 6 City Councillor Katherine Hauser to organize a local donation effort. With the generosity of our community, a large collection of much-needed items was gathered and transported to Thunder Bay to assist those impacted by the fires.

What began simply by seeing people asking for help grew into a wonderful community response. It is a reminder of what can happen when people see a need, make connections and come together to help—even when those in need are several hours away.

At A Little Relief, community doesn't stop at Guelph's borders. When we have the opportunity to help, we believe a little relief can go a long way.

Guelph & District Labour Council Labour Day Picnic

A Little Relief was happy to roll up our sleeves and volunteer at the Guelph & District Labour Council’s annual Labour Day Picnic, a community event that brings people together for a day of food, activities, entertainment and connection.

Our job for the day? Corn husking! We helped prepare corn for the many community members who came out to enjoy the festivities.

For ALR, being part of the community isn’t always about organizing an event or collecting donations. Sometimes it’s simply about showing up, lending a hand and working alongside others to help make a great community event happen.

Why Not Italian Charity Event

A Little Relief was happy to join the community for a fun-filled charity event hosted by Why Not Italian, with proceeds supporting the Guelph Humane Society and Hospice Wellington.

At the ALR booth, we handed out flyers, colouring pages and lollipops, and set up giant yard games that were a hit with the kids—and quite a few adults too! Ward 6 City Councillor Katherine Hauser also generously volunteered her time at our booth, giving temporary tattoos to attendees.

It was a wonderful day of food, family, fun and community connection, all while helping support two important local organizations. For A Little Relief, events like this are another opportunity to get involved, meet our neighbours and be part of something that gives back.

The Village Fall Fair

🍂 Welcoming Week Village Fall Fair — Community, Connection and Belonging in Guelph 🍂

On Saturday, September 19, Margaret Greene Park was filled with community spirit as Guelph celebrated Welcoming Week with the Village Fall Fair, held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Village Fall Fair was a wonderful opportunity for people from across Guelph to come together, meet their neighbours, make connections and celebrate the many cultures, backgrounds and experiences that make our community what it is.

Events like this are about so much more than spending an afternoon in the park. They create opportunities for people who are new to Guelph to feel connected, for longtime residents to meet people they might not otherwise encounter, and for local organizations and community groups to introduce themselves and the work they do.

A Little Relief was extremely proud to be invited to attend as a community resource. ❤️

We brought along candy and colouring pages for the kids, handed out flyers, and had the opportunity to talk with so many wonderful people about who we are, what we do and how we support our community.

For us, being there was about more than handing out information. It was an opportunity to spread awareness about A Little Relief, meet people face-to-face, listen to our community and let people know that we are here.

We believe strongly that community resources should be accessible, visible and connected to the people they serve. Being invited to events like the Village Fall Fair gives us an opportunity to do exactly that.

Welcoming Week is about creating a sense of belonging — reminding people that they have a place here and that everyone has something to contribute.

And that's what made the Village Fall Fair so special.

A city isn't just its buildings, roads and infrastructure. A city is the people who live here, the organizations that support them, and the relationships we build with one another.

Thank you to everyone who organized the Village Fall Fair, everyone who participated, and everyone who stopped by to say hello.

And a special thank you for inviting A Little Relief to be part of it. We were honoured to be there, and we loved meeting so many of you. 💙💛

This is what community looks like.

Praise the Ward Festival

On Saturday, September 19, the vibrant spirit of St. Patrick’s Ward came alive for the annual Praise the Ward Festival! Running from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Tytler School served as a bustling hub of community connection, creativity, and family-friendly fun.

Two Rivers Neighbourhood Group was thrilled to be invited back as a community resource partner, setting up shop right in the heart of the children’s programming area.

Spreading Joy in the Ward

Our booth was a non-stop destination for smiles, giggles, and family fun. We loved connecting with local families and welcoming visitors to the neighborhood festivities. To keep the energy high, our team handed out:

Sweet treats: Plenty of candy for festival-goers with a sweet tooth!

Balloons: A festival classic that brought extra color to the school grounds.

Creative outlets: Fun coloring pages to spark imagination for the young artists in attendance.

Giant Games & Big Smiles

In addition to our giveaway tables, we brought along one of our giant yard games, which proved to be a massive hit! It was wonderful watching kids, parents, and neighbours team up, challenge one another, and share a lot of laughs out in the sunshine.

Events like Praise the Ward remind us just how special, creative, and tightly knit our community truly is. Thank you to the festival organizers, our wonderful volunteers, and every single family who stopped by to play and chat with us. We’re already looking forward to the next time we can celebrate together!

Take Back the Night

This past weekend, A Little Relief was also proud to be out in our community supporting Take Back the Night, an important event hosted by Women in Crisis.

For us, being part of events like this is about showing up, making connections and supporting the incredible organizations and people who are working to make our community safer, stronger and more connected.

We were happy to be there, meet new people, reconnect with familiar faces and continue building relationships throughout our community.

Every connection matters. Every conversation matters. And we are grateful for every opportunity to get out there, support our community and let people know that A Little Relief is here. 💙💛

Thank you to Women in Crisis for the work you do and for bringing our community together. We were happy to be part of it. ❤️

Take Back the Night

Bike the Night

🚲✨ Bike The Night 2026! ✨🚲

What a fantastic night in Guelph!

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to get out and take part in Bike The Night, the sixth annual celebration organized by the Guelph Coalition for Active Transportation (GCAT). Riders of all ages and abilities came together at Market Square before heading out through downtown and The Ward, lighting up the streets with bikes, costumes, music and plenty of community spirit. 🚲🌟

For A Little Relief, events like this are such an important part of what we do. They give us the opportunity to get out into the community, meet people, make new connections, introduce people to A Little Relief and spread awareness about the work we’re doing.

And yes… we had some fun too! 😊

I love getting out to community events and seeing just how many different people and organizations are working to make Guelph a more connected, welcoming and vibrant place. Every conversation, every new connection and every opportunity to share what we do helps us reach more people.

A huge thank you to GCAT and all of the volunteers, organizers, riders and community members who made Bike The Night happen. Events like this don't just happen — they take a lot of people coming together and putting in the work.

A Little Relief was happy to be there, make connections, spread the word and enjoy the ride! 💙💛

Friends of Friends Connection Expo

💛 A Little Relief at the Connection Expo

This past Sunday, A Little Relief was very happy to be part of the first annual Friends of Friends Connection Expo at the Guelph Farmers’ Market!

This was such a great little community event, bringing together local organizations, clubs, community groups and people looking to find new connections and discover ways to get involved in our community.

For us, it was another opportunity to get out there, spread awareness about A Little Relief, meet other community organizations, make new connections and let people know what we’re all about.

We love being out in the community — not just because we want people to know about A Little Relief, but because every event gives us the chance to meet people doing amazing things, learn about other resources and build the relationships that make a community stronger.

A big thank you to Friends of Friends for creating a space where community organizations and residents could come together, connect and find their people.

We had a great time, met some wonderful people and were reminded once again that community is built one connection at a time. 💛

Community Collaboration & Outreach

A Little Relief & The Good Games

Helping our Friends at The Bench

Thunder Bay Fire Relief Assistance

Guelph & District Labour Council Labour Day Picnic

Why Not Italian Charity Event

The Village Fall Fair

Praise the Ward Festival

Take Back the Night

Bike the Night

Friends of Friends Connection Expo

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