News
Living Our Values Everyday
Date: 2025-02-17
Introducing...Living Our Values Everyday!
We're excited to unveil Living Our Values Everyday - an opportunity to celebrate the everyday moments where our values of Care, Compassion, and Commitment come to life through our staff. Through real stories, we'll showcase the impact of compassionate care at St. Joseph's Care Group.
Each month, we'll feature a new story that highlights how our community are living our values in meaningful ways, building connections and making a difference in the lives of those we care for.
To kick things off, we're sharing our first story for Family Day! This is a wonderful time to reflect on the care and compassion that guide our work and how those values are woven into every moment.
Read our first story below, and stay tuned for more heartwarming stories ahead!
Family Bonds: Living Our Values Everyday
In honour of Family Day, we're celebrating how our staff and volunteers are Living Our Values Everyday!
Meet Karen and Yvette. These two sisters share an unbreakable bond after losing their mother to cancer in 1995. Yvette, who has a disability and epilepsy, previously lived at home. When their mother became ill, Karen helped Yvette move into Community Living supportive housing. Unfortunately, it wasn't the right fit. But just two years later, Yvette moved in with Karen, her husband Gary, and her son Adam, and they've lived together ever since.
When Karen joined SJCG in 1999, Yvette began working at the Thunder Bay International Airport. Though she retired from the airport in 2021, she quickly found a different way to give back by volunteering at Hogarth Riverview Manor. Whether Yvette's supporting recreational activities for clients or helping transport them to their hair appointments at Shirley's Salon, her infectious joy and selflessness have fostered deep connections, making clients feel like family and creating a sense of belonging that enriches the lives of everyone she meets.
Yvette's commitment really shows - this past September, she received a Citizen of Exceptional Achievement Award from the City of Thunder Bay for her dedication to residents. "I love to see all the clients smile when I help them," Yvette adds.
"Yvette and I have an incredible bond," adds Karen. "She has brought so much joy to our lives - her joy and happiness are infectious. Of course we have had our challenges, but we are a family, and our priority is always to each other."
From one SJCG family to yours, Happy Family Day!
