Carolyn-Marie Goodwin, who has experienced unthinkable abuse, has dedicated much of her life to providing 'uplifting blessings' to others staggered by abuse, violence and homelessness.
Goodwin experienced a series of traumatic domestic violence incidents from 2015 to 2017, where she almost lost her life while defending her two children.
Goodwin says she didn’t know how to prevent the incidents and she didn’t know where to turn to for help, because she never grew up around drug abuse, alcoholism, or violence.
The horrific incidents left Goodwin in such rough shape that health professionals didn’t know if she would ever regain her mobility or social skills or be able to work again. Goodwin was taken in by her mother who helped her get back on her feet.
“If I didn’t have my mom, I would have been on the street, homeless. Things might have been very different if I didn’t have the support system that I have,” Goodwin said.
Instead of accepting defeat and living the rest of her life in fear, Goodwin decided she wanted to use her experience to help others.
“I said to my mom, 'I should bring awareness to these things,'" she recalls. "It shouldn’t be shameful talking about traumatic experiences, domestic violence, homelessness or struggling as a single parent.
“I can make this define my life or make this change my life, and that’s where my motivation comes from."
As a survivor of domestic violence and someone who now lives with post-traumatic stress disorder, Goodwin decided she was going to start speaking at local schools to help spread awareness of issues around homelessness and domestic violence.
“We can’t sometimes control what happens to us, but it’s our responsibility to determine how we respond to it,” Goodwin said.
When Goodwin felt like she regained her strength after 2018, she began working for the Carpenters Union in Toronto, where she witnessed homelessness daily.
When she came back to Orillia, she started becoming more aware of homelessness in her own hometown.
To try and make a difference, Goodwin started making bags containing basic necessities, clothing, hygiene items, resource guides, and phone cards, which she would hand out to those in need.
Soon after, Goodwin’s friends and family became involved and now there are many volunteers helping Goodwin work countless unpaid hours to create the Bags of Hope for organizations like the Lighthouse, Green Haven Shelter, and Youth Haven.
The Bags of Hope project has evolved into other projects such as Suitcases of Love which gives suitcases filled with things like brand new pajamas and a housecoat to children who are in foster care or have gone through victim services.
Goodwin and her helpers also make Pet Bags for animals in shelters or foster homes, and Mattresses for the Homeless, which are mats made out of plastic bags which gives homeless people something to sleep on during the winter months when many experience the hard cold ground.
All of these projects, born out of Goodwin’s determination, fall under her charity organization, Uplifting Blessings.
“For me, this is a healing tool. It reminds me every day if I’m going through something difficult that somebody else might be going through something even more difficult," said Goodwin.
"It reminds me that I’m not alone because everyone suffers and needs that compassionate empathy and help from other people,” Goodwin said.
“If we can all recognize and understand that we all go through tough times in our lives, but have that compassion and empathy for that, then we can start building the bridges of understanding what people are going through, and learn how we can properly help to try and fix the problem," she explained.
Goodwin is also a businesswoman. She owns Timber Wolf Custom Carpentry, which also helps families who are dealing with domestic violence.
If there is a door or window broken as a result of a domestic abuse incident, Goodwin’s company fixes it for a discounted rate with proceeds going towards helping families with things such as counselling. A part of the proceeds from all Timber Wolf Custom Carpentry jobs are put directly back into Goodwin’s charity, Uplifting Blessings.
“It’s been an incredible journey because I’ve met so many amazing people who I probably wouldn’t have, from all different walks of life, coming together for the same purpose because we are all in this together,” Goodwin said.
“It’s taught me that if you can learn to love another person by extending yourself to a complete stranger to help them, then in practice, you can learn how to love yourself again," she said.
Goodwin has touched many lives through both Uplifting Blessings and Timber Wolf Custom Carpentry. Recently, she was nominated for The Orillia Business Women’s Association Nelle Carter Woman of the Year award.
Currently, Uplifting Blessings is gearing up for the holiday season and the winter months. If you would like to get involved or make a donation, you can connect with Goodwin through the Uplifting Blessings Facebook group. You can also contact her through email, upliftingblessingsbags@gmail.
Goodwin would like to thank the following Uplifting Blessing volunteers for their time, dedication, and support: Shannon McKillop, Andrea Thursby, Rebecca Christine, Rachel Scheirich, Alex Burnett, Dee O’Reilly, Kara Booth, Gina Castelli, Michelle Hill, Ruth and Andy Lehikoinen, Elizabeth Castro and family, and many others who have helped her vision come to fruition.
