July’s Awesome Ottawa award goes to Monica Harvey to support wishes of a lifetime for residents of Cornerstone Housing for Women, a non-profit organization that provides emergency shelter and affordable housing for women in the city of Ottawa.

The award from Awesome Ottawa will help Cornerstone give at least five of its residents something from their previous regular lives they are currently missing, a chance to accomplish something they always wanted to do but couldn't, or an opportunity to reconnect with someone from their past.

“The wishes of the women are often simple,” says Monica, “and only limited by not enough funds. One woman, for example, was a lifeguard all her life. When telling stories about saving lives or teaching people to swim, her face lights up with passion. She lost her job when she became sick and couldn’t work. After finding her way to Cornerstone and becoming healthy she would like the chance to go swimming again. Unfortunately, she is unable to afford a swimsuit, goggles, or a pass for a swimming pool. Being able to get back in the pool would make her feel like it was yesterday, before she was sick.”

Other wishes that might be granted involve reuniting women with family members who live outside Ottawa, or enabling them to cook with herbs from a home country.

Monica is a volunteer and member of the corporate board at Cornerstone Housing for Women.