LI-BER-T House Capital Campaign

LI-BER-T House is on the move. Having outgrown our current residence, we have amassed the funds for a downpayment on a new and larger building to accommodate and help more women as they continue their path to recovery and find their rightful and fulfilling place in our society. This has been the largest operational undertaking in the organisation's history, and we are grateful to the partners for who helped us make it happen. 

Given the growing need for services such as ours, the LI-BER-T House administration along with our Board of Directors have developed a 2-phased plan that allows us to realize our mandate more abundantly. Phase 1 was the purchase of our own property to accommodate more residents. Our current rental location accommodates only 5 residents, but in November 2023 and in recognition of our success to date, the City of Pointe-Claire granted zoning approval to operate a care facility for up to 9 residents. 

Receiving the zoning from the Point Claire Municipal Government to accommodate 9 residents is a critical step in our development and one of the articles stipulated by the Ministry of Health RHD (Resource Hébergement Dépendance) for us to become certified and operate as a Social Reintegration House. We are now eligible for full certification within the coming year and already have access to more training and competencies to better serve our clients through the RHD.

We have realized Phase 1 of our development plan allowing us to:

· assist more women on their healing journey in a stable safe environment 

· provide additional on-site resources such as: a gym, nutrition workshops, psychologist

· offer a playroom space for women to visit with their children

· install additional safety and security measures for our facility and clients

· reduce the revolving door syndrome of substance abuse rehabilitation in Quebec

Phase 2 of our development plan is central to our mission and we are putting things in motion for this to move forward in the briefest delay possible. It involves the construction of 30 studio apartments that would be available to graduates of LI-BER-T House. After 3 to 6 months in our core communal residence, they can receive continued aftercare and psycho-social support in their own apartment for 2 years or more. If you are an angel investor, real-estate developer, charitable funder, renovation company, or someone who can help us achieve our objective of acquiring land or an empty building, preferably on Montreal's West Island, we would love to hear from you.

The provision of a continuum of care has become a fundamental goal of many non-profit organizations to heighten the success of long-term housing security for vulnerable populations. Governments are also recognizing the need for such additional housing as we can all attest that short-term temporary solutions are not adequate in alleviating homelessness and the housing crisis. Innovation and diverse housing options are necessary to get past the band aid solution of temporary and emergency housing and arrive at long-term housing for all. It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen over time, especially with the availability of housing options that coincide with the various needs of the unhoused population. Mental health and addiction are prime causes for homelessness; the solutions we deploy must address these disorders. 

For more information, please contact our Executive Director (Liane Berry) at Liane@libert.ca at your earliest convenience. Thank you!