About Us
How I SHOP 4U Was Born
We lived in the Arctic for 4 years. This experience exposed us to the difficulty in purchasing specific items. Bruce was a pilot with the RCMP and daily worked with shipping, crating and delivery schedules. Gerri taught art at Nunavut Arctic College and was a substitute teacher at schools in Iqaluit, Nunavut.
After moving to Ottawa, Bruce retired and Gerri returned to Art. As people from the north began requesting us to purchase and send items to Iqaluit, the idea of a business began to grow. Orders increased, and I SHOP 4U was born. Chris, Peter, Greg and Christopher joined our team to help us keep up with the increasing demand for our services.
We understand the high cost of shipping by weight and volume. Time charged is always a consideration as our shipping service strives to keep your costs down. Gerri's creative side and instincts gives her the edge in getting the job done quickly and efficiently for our clients.
Our Mandate
To provide employment to people with various mental health needs in a positive working environment. Member of the Ottawa Social Purchasing Portal. Learn more about the Ottawa Social Purchasing Portal at www.spp-pcsottawa.ca.Our Mission
TO PROVIDE QUALITY COST EFFICIENT SERVICES.Our Newsworthy Reads
2008 Inspiration Award WinnerPersonal Category: Gerri & Bruce Mulley
There's an old saying about dealing with adversity that "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade."
Well, Gerri and Bruce Mulley didn't just make lemonade, they made a store to sell the lemonade and then hired people living with a mental illness so they could enjoy the fruits of their labour too.
It all began when their son Christopher was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Like most parents, Gerri and Bruce would do just about anything for their child, but they not only supported Christopher in his time of need, they relocated the whole family from Nunavut to Ottawa so they could access the best treatment for their son.
Once here they faced a myriad of appointments, consultations and difficult decisions. They found solace at the Royal Ottawa's Family Information and Support Group, where they were quick to share their own experiences and information with other families dealing with mental health issues.
They found this network so invaluable that they, along with a few other family members from the Group, spearheaded a monthly self-help gathering, where families get together over a pot-luck meal to share friendship and lean on one another.
In addition, Gerri and Bruce Mulley have responded positively time and time again to requests from clinicians at the Royal's Schizophrenia Program to speak formally to other families in crisis. Bruce is able to enhance these talks by drawing on his own experience with periodic bouts of depression.
The two social workers who nominated them for this award said "they always deliver meaningful, detailed, stigma-busting messages. Without exception, feedback from other struggling family members has validated the empowering gift of inspiration the Mulleys are to them."
But they didn't stop there. Gerri and Bruce -- imaginative, energetic and creative people that they are -- decided to turn their abrupt career changes into a business opportunity that would help their son Christopher in his recovery and employ others living with mental illness too.
Hearing that Christopher's recovery would probably take five to 10 years, the Mulleys decided to create an endeavor Christopher could participate in rather than focusing solely on his illness.
They set up 'I Shop 4U', a personal shopping service that largely serves the needs of people in their beloved Nunavut. Knowing how pricey the far north can be and still having strong ties to the territory they had to leave so suddenly, the Mulleys realized they could help northerners save money by purchasing goods for them here more cheaply and then send them by sea-lift.
The result was a remarkable win-win-win situation: a win for the Mulley's son Christopher, a win for the people of Nunavut, and a win for the four other people with mental health issues the Mulleys employed.
In an article about their unusual business published in the Ottawa Citizen, Bruce Mulley says, "I think there is a message of hope that people with mental illness can recover with a little bit of help. If you provide just a bit of meaningful work, it can provide them with a source of pride...it helps them appreciate where they are in life and where they can go."
Gerri Mulley echoed her husband's positive outlook, saying "It's very fulfilling to provide a service to a community where people don't really have the outlet to get the things they need, plus we're providing work for people with special needs. It's a really awesome little venture."
So Gerri and Bruce, congratulations for having the courage to turn your lemons into lemonade, and the generosity to turn your lemonade stand into a place of hope and healing.
-Inspiration Awards Recipient Profiles 2008
Also check out this great article on I SHOP 4U that began in the Ottawa Citizen and went all across Canada.