A special celebration

One of the things I like to remind people about is that Shepherds of Good Hope is more than just a soup kitchen and a men's shelter. No doubt those are two very important programs we provide. It's how we started out all those years ago in 1983. It started by letting someone sleep in the church basement at St. Brigid's Catholic Church and giving him a sandwich.

When you take a look at where we are today, it's astounding. We have numerous facilities across the city and we run many programs for men and women. But there is a special anniversary coming up soon for one of our locations.

Next week, St. Andrew's Residence will be celebrating 10 years. It's an apartment where people with mental illness, addictions or other disorders can live more independently. Staff are there to help them gain new skills on an as-needed basis. Throughout the month, the residents can access a number of activities. They have a reading club, bingo, yoga, a walking club and much more.

I'll have more details in the coming days about how we're going to celebrate and about the people who benefit from St. Andrew's Residence.