L'Arche Saskatoon opens 2nd group home
L'Arche Saskatoon cut the ribbon on a new group home in Saskatoon where four people with disabilities will live in the community with appropriate supports and useful amenities.
Dubbed Alma House, the home at 546 Christopher Ln. looks and feels like any other residence in the neighbourhood. But there are four live-in assistants and the rooms are designed to accommodate wheelchairs.
Two of the four people living in the home are former residents of Valley View Centre in Moose Jaw.
L'Arche Saskatoon executive director Wyndham Thiessen explained at the grand opening event that they settled on the name Alma because it conveys many meanings well-suited to their goals for the home.
"It means 'soul' in Spanish and 'on the water' in Arabic. It also means 'nourishing' in Latin .… and the name really grew on us," Thiessen said. "That's my hope, that's my prayer for this home Alma House, that the people who live here will be nourished and that those who come and visit and are part of the life of this home will be nourished as well by the relationships they build here."
"I am pleased that another group home is opening in Saskatoon that supports the inclusion of individuals experiencing disabilities in the community," Tina Beaudry-Mellor, Saskatchewan's minister of social services, said in a statement Friday. "Our government understands the value of community-based supports, and we are proud of our investments in organizations like L'Arche that provide high-quality programming and support our vision of making Saskatchewan a more accessible, inclusive and welcoming province."
The province provided support for a mortgage on the home, as well as funds for its operation.
L'Arche Saskatoon, which is part of a network of group homes, receives approximately $940,000 per year from the province to support its programs.
The mission of L'Arche is to enable people experiencing intellectual disabilities to find a place of belonging and to share their gifts with others, both in their home and also in the wider community.
