The stars of Mornelle Court
How residents rallied together to transform a community
Local resident Shanti Chand (left) with Angela Brackett (right) from All-Stars Community Outreach.
When Angela Brackett talks about her organization, All-Stars Community Outreach, you can hear the passion in her voice.
“You’re just one person, but you can make a significant difference in somebody else’s life,” she said. “You have to believe that you can.”
Although Angela is reluctant to call herself a community leader, All-Stars started in her living room in 2008 as the Mornelle Court Residents Action Coalition. “The coalition’s programs started from the needs of the residents, not from my ideas,” she recalled.
The coalition of residents first formed a Safe Walk Program in response to a tragic and violent incident in the Mornelle Court community. Some residents expressed concerns about security at a community meeting. Angela spoke up and said, “We shouldn’t allow other people to stop us from loving our community or cause us to run away. Let’s do something about it.”
Seeing the success of the Safe Walk Program and how it was received by the community, the growing team of volunteers started offering programs for children after school. They branched out to summer camps, programs for seniors, newcomers, and more. The coalition then became All-Stars Community Outreach, which is now a registered charity. “The name itself signifies the greatness that’s within these kids,” said Angela. “We wanted the kids to know that they are stars. We fill these kids with assurance and the courage to believe in themselves and to know how amazing they are.”
Kids from Mornelle Court take part in an All-Stars Community Outreach program.
The program, Angela stresses, would not be possible without the help of its dedicated team of volunteers. Some of the volunteers, like local resident Shanti Chand, have been involved for over six years. “Through my volunteer work with Angela, I rediscovered my passion for working with and helping individuals,” said Shanti.
Despite the need for more funding and the difficulty of accessing the community space as needed at Mornelle Court, All-Stars continues to be a shining light in the community.
When asked about her vision of what All-Stars might look like in the future, Angela believes it can grow beyond Mornelle Court.
“Our vision for All-Stars Community Outreach is to duplicate it all over. We’re here to empower, to make a difference, to challenge people,” she said.
You can learn more about All-Stars Community Outreach at AllStarsCommunityOutreach.ca.
