SEEDS OF HOPE
A New Model of Compassion & Creativity For People at the Crossroads
THE POWER OF CARING: The power of a welcoming and caring communities in action brings transformation to the lives of the people they serve.
The spirit of 6 St. Joseph House & Alano Club have helped many to overcome homelessness, addiction, and livelihood challenges.
History of the Organization
Sister Susan Moran, founder of the successful Out of the Cold program, and David Walsh, a recipient of the Jane Jacobs Award for his accomplishments in sustainable urban development, share an understanding of how important community is in people's lives, particularly when coping with addiction and livelihood challenges. In 2002, they arranged for the purchase of 6 St. Joseph House, and converted the former restaurant into the charity's first community home - a place of hospitality and belonging.
Over the next several years, the Seeds of Hope Foundation expanded and now has 5 community homes offering a wide variety of resources and support programs, including two learning centers, 3 post-rehab recovery homes, and a women's abuse shelter.
The mission of Seeds of Hope is demonstrated through its three core programs:
1. Community learning centers - serve as a hub that connects people from all walks of life. Participants build on each other's talents and find new resources & connections that enable them to take a step up in their lives.
2. Transitional homes for women (Lazarus House & Grant House) - serve as places that help women and their children when they are struggling through poverty, isolation, inadequate housing and loneliness.
3. Transitional homes for men (Our Homes) - provide safe, supportive housing that greatly improves the success of recovery for men who have completed addiction treatment.
Over the past year, Seeds of Hope Foundation touched the lives of over 3,000 people through over 25,000 community meals, transitional home placements and learning centre activities. The learning centre offers over 30 courses and ongoing activities - all facilitated by volunteers. For individuals completing addiction treatment, the Broadview Homes project has reduced the relapse rate from 90% to 30%
Lazarus House helps many refugees, new immigrants and other women who have suffered from trauma or abuse. Many social enterprise projects have been launched, including Suitcase Theatre, Breathlines and Sparrow in the Room. More than 20 foundations have supported the work of Seeds of Hope.
Projects of Seeds of Hope
6 St. Joseph House & the Yellow Door Learning Centre – www.6stjoseph.ca - demonstrate the Power of Caring through hospitality and learning that foster creativity & compassion, and inspire hope for people who are at a crossroads in their lives.
Alano-Broadview - www.alanobroadview.ca - provides supportive housing for individuals who have completed treatment for addiction and a resource centre that offers social, learning and spiritual program.
BreathLines - www.breathlines.org - is a contemplative art and narrative practice that motivates healing, learning, self-expression, and community.
Compassionate Honesty - www.compassionatehonesty.com/ - is a simple but powerful process by which everyone can transform their lives and relationships and get their needs met.
Lazarus House - was founded by Sister Susan Moran to provide transitional housing for women, and it also provides a base of operations for her own outreach work in the city.
Addiction Free Youth - www. addictionfreeyouth.org - is a prevention and intervention program that supports youth, educators and parents in breaking free from bad habits of all kinds, including drugs, alcohol, tobacco, over-eating, shyness, procrastination, negative thinking, bullying, abuse, lying and self-harm, amongst many others.
Sparrow in the Room - www.sparrowintheroom.org/ - is a collective of artists who have been drawn together by a shared passion to create excellent theatre with a mandate to create performances that reflect the human experience in all its complexity with honesty, compassion & humour.
Suitcase Theatre - www.suitcasetheatre.com - is a multi-generational project that provides theatre training and develops performances that go on tour to audiences of disadvantaged children, young people and institutionalized elders.
