The Things You Don’t See Can Change Everything 

by Simran Rambhia

There are some things you notice right away. 

A table filled with food. 
A child is opening a Christmas gift. 
A cup of hot chocolate warming cold hands. 
Laughter filling a room. 

And then there are the things you may never notice at all. 

An elevator that reaches the ground floor when the power goes out. 
A door that opens when someone needs to get out. 
A safety system quietly standing ready, just in case. 

At L’Abri d’espoir, a safe shelter and transitional housing facility for women in Montreal, care can look like both. 

During the 2025 holiday season, 47 women and seven children staying at L’Abri d’espoir came together for a series of celebrations. There was a Christmas supper on December 22, a Christmas Eve devotional with hot chocolate and cookies, a special brunch and gifts on Christmas Day, and a New Year’s celebration on December 31. 

These weren’t just meals or gatherings. They were opportunities to feel connected, welcomed and remembered during a season when everyone deserves to feel a little more at home. 

And sometimes, care means preparing for the moments no one hopes will happen. 

“I feel safe here. The staff do a great job; they are patient and understanding and respond to our needs.” — Megan

Earlier in 2026, two L’Abri d’espoir caseworkers became trapped in the building’s elevator during separate incidents. One was inside for 10 minutes; the other for 40. Thankfully, no residents were involved. 

The incidents made one thing clear: the building needed an added layer of safety. 

With approximately $13,000 from Santa Shuffle fundraising, L’Abri d’espoir installed an elevator emergency return system. In the event of a power outage, the system helps bring the elevator safely to the main floor and open its doors, giving passengers a safe way out. 

It’s the kind of improvement most people will never notice. 

And that’s exactly what makes it meaningful. 

Santa Shuffle fundraising helped make room for both the moments people see and the moments they may never know happened bringing warmth and celebration to women and children while helping create a safer place for them to live. 

Because sometimes, caring for someone means making them smile. 

And sometimes, it means quietly making sure they’re safe. 

That is what hope can look like in The Salvation Army: a celebration around the table, a safer building, and the simple reassurance that someone is looking out for you.