Siloam Mission is reaching out for a helping hand in raising $6 million to make some much-needed renovations to their supportive housing facility, The Madison.

Currently, the aging building, located in Wolseley, offers, along with meals and on-site support staff and programming for 85 residents who often struggle with mental health challenges, cognitive or physical disabilities, and other barriers to independent living.

“For most residents at The Madison, this is their forever home,” says Siloam Mission CEO Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud. “Others will find their way to recovery and independence and may move on to more independent living. But from meals and shared spaces to on-site staff support, The Madison is more than a home to everyone who lives there. It is a community, a family, and a support network for those who otherwise would have none.”

The Madison is in urgent need of a new HVAC system for heating, as well as air conditioning and electrical upgrades to improve the safety and comfort of residents. The planned renovation also includes accessibility and cosmetic upgrades to make shared spaces more comfortable and welcoming for all.

Without the funds, Siloam Mission says if there is a heating failure in the winter or a lack of air conditioning in the summer, it may lead to residents being displaced.

Thanks to a generous donation of $1.5 million from the John and Bonnie Buhler Foundation and support from End Homelessness Winnipeg, the City of Winnipeg and other generous early contributors, the organization has already raised nearly $4 million of the total $6 million project budget. They are now reaching out to the public to help raise the remaining $2 million.