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Female doctors spark $100K donation to new home for young moms

Female physicians in London are rallying to support young mothers and youth in need.

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Female physicians in London are rallying to support young mothers and youth in need.

The local group Women in Medicine will donate $52,800 to Youth Opportunities Unlimited’s Joan’s Place, a 39-bed home to be built downtown, its members have announced.

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“Joan’s Place really resonated with us as female physicians. We are really excited about it. We talked about charities that can use support and this is affordable housing for youth and young mothers,” said Dr. Allison Meiwald, an emergency physician in London.

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An anonymous donor has pledged to match donations to YOU and Joan’s Place so the doctors’ contribution will generate $105,600.

“We knew that whatever we gave would be doubled and that’s very exciting,” Meiwald said.

When organizing the donation, she said she reached out to her London Facebook group Women in Medicine and was met with support. “In our practice, a lot of us deal with young women, young mothers. These are patients we relate to. It felt like the right thing to support,” Meiwald said.

In total, 97 physicians from the Women in Medicine group supported the donation. Dr. Jessica McPherson, a family physician in London, worked with Meiwald on the contribution.

Meiwald was inspired to give by a recent donation of $100,000 from emergency doctors in London to Indwell, a supportive housing agency building affordable homes on the site of the former South Street hospital. Dr. Bill McCauley, an emergency room physician, organized that donation from the 75-member group London Emergency Medicine Associates and, at the time, put out the call to other medical groups to give.

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Joan’s Place will be built at Richmond and York streets and will offer housing and wrap-around services. The charity describes it as “a safe and affordable home for youth, young mothers and mothers-to-be” who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Joan’s Place, a home for young mothers and youth, is shown in a rendering. Youth Opportunities Unlimited is seeking $10 million in donations to build the 39-bed home at Richmond and York streets. (Photo from you.ca)
Joan’s Place, a home for young mothers and youth, is shown in a rendering. Youth Opportunities Unlimited is seeking $10 million in donations to build the 39-bed home at Richmond and York streets. (Photo from you.ca)

“When we heard about a group of doctors getting together, wanting to give, it warmed my heart,” said Steve Cordes, executive director of YOU. “Health care workers have carried such a heavy load in this pandemic. They give selflessly and then, they think of philanthropy.”

Joan’s Place also received $100,000 in support from London lawyer Barb Legate and her partner David Wolfe. An anonymous donor has pledged $1.5 million in matching funds for donations.

“When youth are facing a difficult time, it strikes a chord with people,” Cordes said. “It’s about young mothers and vulnerable families.”

Joan’s Place is a $20-million project and YOU is looking to raise $10 million in donations. The city of London has pledged $4 million.

ndebono@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/NormatLFPress

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