April 20, 2023
Noah is happy, healthy, and thriving in the community, thanks to the generous community.
Thanks to enormous local support, St.Amant is now prepared to help people with disabilities in their most trying times.
On Tuesday, April 18, 2023, St.Amant celebrated the grand opening of its newly-renovated stabilization unit for people with disabilities. The grand opening event brought together donors, families, and staff to celebrate this important and anticipated service area. This renovation project marks the largest fundraising campaign for St.Amant Foundation, with a total of $4 Million raised thanks to the generous community.
The stabilization service supports children and adults referred to St.Amant for specific clinical interventions. This could be to support planning and interventions for individuals with an acquired brain injury or for others to develop and implement treatment strategies to reduce challenging behaviours.
Sarah Mankelow, the Director of Health & Transition Services at St.Amant, explained that the new stabilization service would help individuals with disabilities receive the support they need to return to their life in the community and the things they love most. Sarah says, “We dreamed of being available to help people in need. 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.”
After finishing a two-month hospital stay last year, Noah Falk moved in for a temporary stay at St.Amant’s stabilization unit as his health challenges had been causing his behaviour to change. Staff worked towards providing the support he needed to move to a community setting, and he continued his passion for running.
“He has a lot of joy when he runs,” beamed 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,” says Kalyn. While Noah loves to be fast, nothing makes him happier than seeing people cheering him and others on at the finish line. Thanks to the support he received through St.Amant’s Stabilization Service, he recently reached his own goal of living in 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, ” says Kalyn. As Noah speaks at the grand opening, he says, “Thank you for helping me get better. I started running again. I’m happy now.”
With this intentionally-built space, St.Amant has maximized the number of people they can help and made it a modern, beautiful space. Sarah Mankelow says, “We want every person who receives services here to feel respected and valued, comfortable and safe. This renovation has given us the dignified, functional, and beautiful space we imagined for the community.”
The St.Amant Foundation’s Executive Director, Juliette Mucha, thanked the donors for their generosity, which totalled $4 million. She says, “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.”
The renovated Stabilization Unit is made possible by our generous community. Recognition to: The Winnipeg Foundation, Qualico, In memory of Morley Blankstein, Wawanesa Insurance, Bockstael Construction, St. Boniface-St. Vital Kiwanis, Terracon Development, Ed & Margaret Guertin & Family, Charles & Christiane LaFlèche, Valerie Thompson & Family, Andison Family Foundation, and Allan & Simone Penner.
