Help Children and Families Heal
As winter approaches, families across our community prepare for the holidays, a season of warmth, joy, and connection. But for families raising children struggling with mental health, the holidays can feel like an overwhelming weight. The disruption of routines, the expectation to be joyful, and the heartbreak of watching a child suffer.
At Starling Community Services (formerly Lutherwood), we witness the challenges families face every day... but we also see hope. Your support can make the season brighter for a child in need. Together, we can provide care that helps families not only through the holidays, but all year long.
Emma's Story
At just seven years old, Emma (not her real name) arrived at our Children’s Mental Health Centre silenced by severe anxiety. She couldn’t speak...not because she didn’t want to, but because her fear was too big. Beneath that silence was a bright, curious child, waiting for someone to believe in her.
At Starling, Emma found a place where healing could begin. Our team met her where she was - with art, music, movement, and play. Slowly, Emma began to trust again. She learned how to navigate her emotions. And one day, the quietest giggle broke the silence. That small sound marked a giant leap in her healing journey.
Emma will spend this Christmas surrounded by the people who love her most, her family. Her laughter, once silenced by fear, now rings through their home like music. It’s a sound that reminds us all what’s possible when healing begins.
Will you Help Children Like Emma?
While winter should be a season of magic for children like Emma, for so many, it feels unbearably cold.
According to a recent study, 38% of young people in Waterloo Region say they’ve felt persistently sad or hopeless. Many of these children will slip through the cracks, and their families will be left to carry the weight of their struggles alone.
But you can help change that!
Give Hope to Children and Families in Waterloo Region
"My first year, I didn't want to be here (and) did everything I could to try to get out. But eventually, I trusted these kind people with my life. I'm so glad I did because if I hadn't, I might have ended up in prison."