St. Amant announces the grand opening of its largest fundraising campaign with a $4 million renovation project to help those with disabilities more effectively.

Announced on April 18 was the grand opening of St. Amant's newly renovated stabilization unit which will help them better assist people with disabilities.

The announcement brought together donors, families and staff and it also marked the St. Amant Foundation's largest fundraising project, with a total of $4 million raised because of the generosity of the community.

What the stabilization unit provides is support for those referred to St. Amant for specific clinical interventions. More specifically, these supports include planning and interventions for individuals with brain injuries or developing strategies for those who have a tendency to exhibit challenging behaviours.

"We dreamed of being available to help people in need," says Sarah Mankelow, the Director of Health and Transition Services. "We heard stories of people who hit a bump in their life and needed specialized support from a team of people who know how to help. As an organization with specialized training and knowledge, we wanted to meet that need in our community and support people with disabilities to receive this kind of support."

An example of the incredible work they do at St. Amant can be attributed to Noah Falk's story. Last year he was in the hospital for two months and after being discharged, he moved to temporarily stay at the facility's stabilization unit because his health condition was causing a change in his behaviour. The staff worked on giving Noah the support he needed to move into a community setting, as well as encouraged his passion for running.

"He has a lot of joy when he runs," says his mom Kalyn. "It is just lovely that this has come back into his life. During Noah's time here, the staff worked really hard to get him stable again and they truly appreciated him, for who he was. They treated him with respect and dignity."

And with the support provided by the staff at St. Amant, Noah has been able to move into a group home in the community.

"Now, Noah is stable and thriving in his new forever home. He is happy and healthy! He is back to the guy that we knew was still in there—but needed some help to get out of the crisis situation."

"Thank you for helping me get better. I started running again. I'm happy now," says Noah at the grand opening of the renovated stabilization unit.

With the newly refurbished stabilization unit, they have maximized the space which will allow for more people to receive help at a time in a comfortable and welcoming environment.

"Thanks to the generous community, families have access to skilled and respectful service from professionals who understand disability and the unique needs that may arise. Your kindness is a testament to your unwavering commitment to our mission and the importance of quality support for people with disabilities," says the St. Amant Foundation's Executive Director, Juliette Mucha.

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