Housing project helps families stay together
Ten months ago, Jason Glennie was on the cusp of having his two-yearold daughter Oaklynn removed into foster care.
“We were living a lifestyle that wasn’t the best,” said Glennie, who struggled with addictions. “I made the decision that it was time to change.”
He went to detox, then found Foxvalley Counselling Inc.
After graduating from Foxvalley’s program, Gloria Jean’s House, the father and daughter have a stable life and Glennie is working on completing high school.
On Friday, Gloria Jean’s House gained a hub, as a brand new 14unit affordable housing complex on west Dewdney Avenue was celebrated.
“I wish they would have had this place,” said Glennie. “It’s a secure place where other people are in your same situation and at the same time you’re not alone.”
He had Foxvalley staff’s support, but lived alone with his daughter.
Jonathon Lacheur is among the first residents in this building, where families will have the constant support of Foxvalley staff and each other.
“It’ll be good,” he said, “because then that way I can relate to other people and they can relate to me.”
Soon, Lacheur’s seven-monthold son Jude will join him here.
“I’m ecstatic. I can’t wait to get my son back,” he said. Lacheur has spent much of the past year working on parenting skills and addictions recovery while his son has been in foster care.
For Gloria Jean’s House, families can self-refer, or the Ministry of Social Services can refer people.
“The goal is to never have their children come into foster care again,” said Mark Fox, co-founder of Foxvalley Counselling.
Programming includes support of elders and therapists, cultural programming, addictions programming, and parenting and domestic skills courses. The program usually lasts about a year.
“We’re giving them new skills to become stronger and to become healthier parents and to make healthier choices,” said Fox.
Foxvalley has worked 3 ½ years helping clients in supportive living, and 80 to 90 per cent of participants have succeeded in having their children returned to them, said Fox.