2014-15 Recipients’ Letters
I wanted to say
how thankful I am for the Host Program! Ever since I enrolled in it, I've been
able to pay my phone bills that I haven't been able to get to as well as paying
them on time now. With the rest of the money combined with the little work
income I get I was able to afford myself a new coat and new boots for this
upcoming winter. Being in this program has made me so thankful. Thank you so
much for including me in this program because now I don't have to worry about
as many expenses as I used. Once again thank you so much!
- - -
You
and the Host Program had contacted me at the beginning of October about
providing me with financial support in order to help me through my final year
of high school. Since then the money you have provided, and will continue to
provide until June, has assisted me in numerous ways, and will continue doing
so. I would like to share just what this support has done for me so far.
It has alleviated the stress I felt surrounding the need for a job this year,
due to the assistance I do not require employment (although I am still looking
for some for next year). It has given me more space to focus on my schooling
and mental health, without the need to worry about money for basics. It has
helped around the home, in buying food, new clothing for the winter, and
supplies for school (new canvases for art, materials for projects, etc.). It
has also helped me to feel more secure, I am able to do things that most people
my age do (movies, etc.).I can enjoy an outing once in a while without worrying
or stressing myself out about having the money to do so.
The finances you have provided will also continue to help in the future. It
will help around Christmas time, when money is typically stretched tight, it
will also be used to give gifts to the people I love. I am also planning on
using it to pay for any fees for school (such as prom, grad fees, and grad
photos). This money has been an enormous blessing that could not have come at a
better time. It has given me some reprieve from the stress I feel, and allows
me to focus on the more important things in my life, such as my health, my
schooling, and my family. I would like to extend my gratitude to you and the
people that have made this all possible. Thank you very much, and have a
wonderful Christmas.
- - -
Bonjour, j'aimerais
vous remercier de m'avoir inscrit au programme HOST. La bourse de 100$
m'apporte un grand aide chaque mois. Pour le premier mois, lors de mon déménagement,
j'avais besoin du nouveaux linge pour aller à l'école car le vieux étais finit.
Pour le deuxième mois, le 100$ m'a aider à payer
l'essence dans ma voiture puisque que je fais énormément de voyagement pour
aller à l'école ainsi que pour aller à la job. La bourse de 100$ m'aide
énormément et me sauve 10 heures d'ouvrage par mois qui est gros. Sans cette
bourse, j'aurais probablement quitter l'école. Grace à
vous, je m'enligne pour être vétérinaire ou bien un
policier. Je commence à m'inscrire aux universités et collèges demain! Donc un
GROS merci!
(Translation:
I would like to thank you for selecting me for the HOST Program. The $100 award helps me a lot each
month. In the first month, when I moved,
I needed new clothes for school since my other clothes were done. In the second month, the $100 helped me to
pay for gas for my car since I travel a great deal to get to school and to my
job. The $100 award saves me ten hours
of outside work which is a lot. Without this award I would have probably quit
school. Thanks to you, I am hoping to
become a veterinarian or a police officer.
I am starting to apply to universities and colleges tomorrow! A BIG thank you.)
- - -
First things
first, thank you so much for accepting me into this program. My family has been
struggling with money for a very long time and the HOST program has been a huge
help with getting me the things that I need which I normally would not be able
to afford.
With the money
from September to November, I used the $300 with a little help from my mother
to purchase a laptop as my old computer had died in early October. I need a
computer for school and work as my shoulders are injured and it’s painful to
use a pencil. The laptop will help me in the new semester as well as in my final
semester the following year to complete school work and take notes home in an
easier way.
In the future,
I plan to use the HOST program money to pay for things that I would not
otherwise be able to afford such as gifts for family members and friends and
paying for mental health care as well as the care of my pet who
is also my therapy animal for my anxiety disorder.
Thank you so
much for your help.
- - -
I
have written this letter to thank God and you for everything you did. I would like
to explain how you have helped me in both my studies and lifestyle.
One
of my goals is to stay active in my studies and to make all my dreams to come
true. If I want all of this to happen in my future, I must practice respect. I
remember when I was still a young boy at the age of seven, my mom used to tell
me that this world is big but once you disrespect it, it can turn your life
upside down. My mom took care of me even though she was a poor lady and that
gives me a big image showing me what I can do to pay back.
Helping
poor families and volunteering are among my big dreams and am very proud of
them in my future. Now, I am involved in my school’s program that helps
students in need. Although at this time I don’t have any job where I can get
money, I still have the ability to work hard in order to keep my report card
strong.
- - -
When
school started I didn’t know how I was going to pay for my fees, that’s when I
started looking for a job hoping to get one before my due dates. I was definitely
surprised when I was called down to tell me that someone was coming to school
for me; of course the first thought that came into my head was ''have I done
something wrong?'' But the next day when you told me I was chosen, it was as if
a big weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I knew that my mother wouldn’t
have been able to pay for them because of her disability and not being able to
work. That night I cried because someone had finally noticed that I was
struggling financially. And in just three months I was able to pay my school
fee, my graduation fee and my college application fee, with the leftover of the
money I had the chance to buy myself a school bus pass for a month in order to
spare my mother. There are not enough words in this world to describe how
thankful I am for what you have done for me. This program has definitely
encouraged me more to achieve my dreams and that money should not stop any of
it. I am hoping that in the next few months I will have a little money saved up
for college next year. Thank you again for helping me!
- - -
I would like to
thank you from my heart for your efforts and your amazing program which helps a
lot of students;, the $100 you put in my bank account every month helps me in a
lot of things for example: to buy some stuff for the school to do projects. Even
out of the school it helps me to buy my personal needs and to go out with my
friends. Really your program helps me a lot in different ways. I hope your
program will continue helping students and give them a hope to stay at the
school and learn from it! Thank you so much.
- - -
Thank
you again so much for the opportunity to become a part of the host program. In
the last few months this program has changed mine and my little brother’s life.
With the $100.00 a month I have been able to provide myself and my brother
transportation to and from school, along with helping around the house with
food, rent, and even money for bills. With the recent passing
of my *****, my ***** has also been going through a struggle with depression.
Since being a part of the host program and working two jobs, we have been able
to find support for the depression through group counselling. I can only hope
to touch the lives of others as you have touched mine and the other students in
the school board someday. Being a part of this opportunity has changed my life
for the better. I appreciate everything you have done for me and my family
forever and a day. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
May your holidays be blessed.
- - -
I
am writing this letter to thank you for the monthly deposits through the HOST
Program I was recently selected for through my high school. I live in a home
with a single mother and two younger siblings. Being a what
they call a "military brat" has offered me quite the experience in
moving around from place to place and getting to do things that not every kid
gets to do. Although moving from town to town has been difficult, I'm glad to
call Ottawa my home for the past several years. Life at home has for the most
part been good, and I would call myself the second parent in the house since
I'm the oldest. This requires a lot of responsibility and at times can become a
challenge balancing home, school, and the various sports I try to be involved
with. I'm an active leader at my school, on student council and captain of the
***** team, and my grades have always been good.
There have always been times where money is tight at home, and so by having
this $100 a month really helps out, even if it's to pay for school supplies or
clothes or important things I need that I can pay for myself instead of putting
my mom in that position. I really appreciate what you've done for me in the
past 4 months and I can ensure you the money is always put to good use. Thank
you once again.
- - -
Although
it has only been a few months with receiving money from your HOST Program, it
has made my first semester of my graduating year that much better. With the
steady income I am able to afford transportation to and from school but also to
work. Also, I am able to work less and focus on school since this money can
cover my necessities. Since my dad is currently out of work and that my mom is
a single mother, any extra help really means a lot to this family. With this
money I plan to take her out for a treat since she deserves it! Words cannot
explain how grateful I am. Thank you so much, you have really made a
difference.
- - -
I
would like to once again thank you for considering me for the HOST program. I now understand how an act of kindness can
really impact someone’s life, for you have impacted mine. I have felt comfort
in knowing that there are people willing to extend a helping hand even if they
don’t know you. I guess that is just an example of the compassion human beings
are capable of.
With the $100 I have been receiving from this
program, I have been able to use it to help my family when times were rough.
Seeing as I could use this money without restrictions, I have bought things for
myself like treating myself to lunch every once in a while. I do
not know what I would do without this extra help. If it were not for the help
of the HOST Program, I do not know where I would be and I would like to offer
my thanks.
The HOST Program is one of the best opportunities I
have had all year. For me, the HOST Program showed me that I meant something to
the community and that there were people who cared about my well-being and the
hard work I was putting into school.
Although I might not have been able to explain it
all in words, the money you have given me has been life-changing for me in many
ways; to a lot of people $100.00 might not be a lot of money, but to me it was
the help that I needed to be able to move forward in my life and keep
challenging myself to do well in school so one day I can achieve my hopes and
dreams.
I personally wanted to thank everyone for letting me be a part of this
program. Your
support is truly appreciated.
- - -
I cannot thank you enough for what you have done
for me and my family. We have used the money for lots of different things. My
sister was able to buy different sports equipment to use for her after school
tryouts. The money has also been a great help to buy some of the groceries; we
even used it to buy some of the food that we used for our Christmas dinner, and
we will also be able to buy food for New Year's Eve. Most of the time, I even
use it to buy lunch from my school cafeteria. We can also, now, buy toys for my
baby brothers to play with. My family and I are very much grateful to you and
the HOST Program. I hope that your organization grows successfully. I am most
certainly sure that you have helped many families that are struggling
financially. I can assure you that those families are also using it for their
needs and even help others who are even less unfortunate than them. Thank you
again that you have chosen me and I hope that you spent your Christmas happily
and I wish you a Happy New Year!
- - -
Over the time I
have been getting the money from the program, it has provided so much help, and
I am unbelievably thankful for this. To begin, the money has been a great help,
and for the most part was spent purchasing groceries, gas for vehicles, and
clothing when they were needed. Over all, the money was very helpful for myself
and my family as a whole and has made my life better.
- - -
What
this has helped me with is I would be able to do 80% more than the things I
could do. Before in my life I wasn't able to go to the movies, mall, and eat
out. This has made me happier every day in my daily life. And I thank you!
- - -
J'aimerai prendre un
moment pour vous remercier pour ma bource scolaire. A cause de cette bource
j'ai pu m’acheter du linge et aussi payer pour mes cours. Aussi pour la
première fois de ma vie j’ai pu acheter un cadeau de noël pour ma sœur, mon
père et ma mère. Merci
beaucoup de m’avoir choisi.
(Translation)
I would like to take a moment to thank you for my scholarship. As a result of it, I was able to buy some
clothes and to pay for a course. For the
first time ever, I was able to buy a Christmas gift for my sister, my father
and my mother. Thank you very much for
choosing me.
- - -
It
has been awhile since our meeting and I have received a lot of money since. I've
also bought a couple things to spice up my room like a couple posters and a
figure to put on my shelf. I used some of the money to try and make someone
else happy for their birthday. I was rather happy to see the smile on their
face. Along with that I bought myself a necklace I wear almost every day. I
definitely have bought useful things with this money. I have bought replacement
strings for my guitar and neat little tools to help me put on/remove the
strings from the guitar. There has been a considerable amount of transportation
done that I could not have without this money. I have been able to spend a bit
more personal time with friends and family. This has helped me see my mother
and grandmother a lot more since I can afford more bus tickets than usual. For
the upcoming months I hope to make a bit more use out of the money hopefully,
buying more clothing, buying things to help me in a profession or simply to
expand the style and usefulness of my room.
- - -
The funds that
you have been sending are great. I have been saving most of it up so far for
college ( I am wanting to attend Algonquin college for
either construction classes or music arts ), but they were needed for some
school resources such as my laptop needing a new battery. I can now bring my
laptop to school, saving my work right away and remembering what I have to do
rather than keeping it at home forgetting what I needed to write up and
potentially lose marks in some classes. I would like to thank you again for
sending these funds which is helping me with school (and possibly with college
as well).
- - -
I would first
of all like to say thank you so much for the amazing opportunity. It has helped
me so much. I was able to get my winter coat, boots, and everything else that I
needed. For Christmas I was able to get all of my family and friends something.
You all are very generous for giving me this opportunity. Thank you so much.
- - -
I would like to
thank you for all you have done for me. The money you and the HOST Program have
provided me has helped me greatly. From using it to help support my family and
get school supplies, to using it to buy myself food and such, to going out with
my friends, and even buying electronics for myself. It has been a luxury that,
in this dark time of mine, has been a light, and the source of many other
lights.
- - -
Our holiday
season would not have been the same had it not been for the many generous
donations you have made already to me and my family. This year was a year of
giving, and with the money I had saved up in my account thanks to you I was
able to give back to a family that has always supported me financially,
emotionally and in any other way you could think of. My parents always manage to stop at no
expense to see us smile for Christmas, even if it means saving up every penny
they can, and I was so happy to be able to put the same smile on their faces
that they have put on mine every year.
With the other
continued donations that I hope to receive this school year I intend to put
them toward small living expenses (buying dinner at late work shifts, lunch at
school, etc.) and even indulging a little for games and clothes, allowing
myself to put ALL of the money I make from work into a savings account for
future College/University expenses and tuition, and to hopefully help my
brother finish school so that he can move on to a brighter future. I hope you
are having a very happy holiday season and I wish you all the best for the
upcoming New Year, again we can never thank you enough.
- - -
First of all, I want to thank you for the great opportunity you
have given me through this program. I feel extremely lucky to have been chosen
for this program. Every month the one hundred dollars I have received has made
my financial life significantly easier, in many ways. I used a lot of the money
towards applying to university, which would not have been as easily achieved if
I was not being assisted by the HOST program. Applications for university are
extremely expensive and it would have been very difficult to gather the money
for it otherwise. I also gave my parents a good portion of the money around
Christmas time to help them pay for food and other things. Also, I used the
money to sometimes lend my parents money for food and/or bills if they really needed
it. This has helped both me and my parents significantly. However, above all of
this, my favourite part of using the money was to
finally buy my parents a Christmas present. I have never been able to purchase
my parents a Christmas present because I have never had my own money to do so.
I really wanted to get them something to show how much I appreciate them for
all of their hard work. Thanks to the HOST program, I was able to finally buy
my parents a small Christmas gift which is definitely a dream come true for
both me and my parents. I just want to thank everyone who works hard to make
the HOST program possible because it has most definitely changed my life.