Former talk show host Jenny Jones gives $50K to My Sister’s Place in memory of late sister

Former syndicated talk show host Jenny Jones is giving back to her hometown.

My Sister’s Place announced on Wednesday that Jones has made a $50,000 donation to the women’s shelter in memory of her late sister, Elizabeth Rankin.

Jones wasn’t on hand for Wednesday’s announcement, but members of her family were.

Rankin’s daughters Lisa Larson and Andrea Vanderweide unveiled a plaque in their mother’s honour that will sit in the main room at My Sister’s Place. Larson and Vanderweide, along with Jones also received plaques thanking them for the donation.

“It just keeps my mom alive. She was very passionate about giving back and helping people less fortunate than her,” said Larson.

Vanderweide got emotional when remembering her mother, who she described as “selfless.”

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“She really liked to help, everything she did was for other people. For her, somewhere, she’s probably very happy to know that she’s still helping,” said Vanderweide.

The donation will go to fund annual costs for women’s empowerment programs at My Sister’s Place.

“Those are the programs that build capacity within the women. Support them in their development, life skills, self-confidence, boosting their esteem. Programs such as art therapy or knitting or sewing,” said Susan Macphail, director of women’s and community programs at the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Macphail explained they have a basic needs program that supplies the women with needs like laundry facilities, day beds, food, and showers, but said this funding will allow them to offer programs, like financial literacy, that will allow the women to go beyond everyday survival.

“We really want to help women set goals and learn skills that will help them reach and achieve those goals,” said Macphail.

This isn’t the first time Jones has given back to London. Back in 2016, she provided a $200,000 gift to develop a state-of-the-art accessible playground in Springbank park.