Ella

Ella was four years old when she came to The Shelter with her mother and two siblings. Her father physically and verbally abused her mother and threatened Ella and her sisters. The family lived in constant fear.

When she first came to childcare, Ella was shy and had difficulty relating to other children. Slowly, she began to take part in art, music, and dramatic play. With time, she began to open up and was more comfortable coming to childcare and better able to focus on her activities.

Watching Ella’s progress was like watching a fading bud strengthen and blossom into a beautiful flower. She learned how to take turns, and her relationships with her peers improved. She sang songs and created beautiful drawings. She often exclaimed how much she enjoyed playing with Winston the therapy dog and planting flowers in the Nature Explore classroom.

Ella came to us a sad, fearful child, but with your help, she left emergency shelter with the confidence to grow and thrive wherever she is planted.