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An Ontario woman’s decision to hire a man experiencing homelessness to work on her farm on a whim is showing the power of kindness and the ability of community to change lives.
Three weeks ago, Danielle MacDuff said she saw Brian Bannister reading a book and collecting change. She decided to strike up a conversation and ended up talking for 25 minutes before she invited Brian to work on her farm the next day.
Brian said he was living in a shed when he was approached by Danielle and has overcome addiction, survived abuse and lost two wives, one in a crash, the other to cancer, and over the past two years had “given up”. Then came Danielle’s offer.
Every day, Danielle, Brian, and the other staff clean stalls, haul hay and care for 200 animals including goats, cows, horses and dogs. They work morning and afternoon shifts and take a rest in the middle of the day.
She got him his first haircut in two years, a phone, and access to some provincial financial support. Danielle also involved the community in helping raise money for Brain to have food, clothes and a hotel room to sleep.
As of today, a GoFundMe organized for Brian by Danielle has nearly $5,000 in donations.