L’Abri Wins National Mental Health Award

David and Eleanor receive the award from Dr. David Goldbloom and Louise Bradley of the MHCC
L’Abri en Ville was honored on October 16, 2012 at a ceremony in Ottawa when it was presented with the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s National Mental Health Award. L’Abri took top place in the Community Capacity category, one of five areas recognized by the MHCC on the occasion of its fifth anniversary. This category comprises initiatives that strengthen the capacity of community-based mental health services to meet community needs, foster recovery and well-being for clients and their support networks. L’Abri’s application explained that “the initiative of L’Abri en Ville is to widen that narrow circle (of professional support, others with mental illness and family members) by creating an authentic community of around 100 people: 30 residents and 70 volunteers. The volunteers, whose purpose is to connect to the well side of the residents, open up other essential dimensions of recovery through their friendship and involvement.” Eleanor Beattie and David Seymour accepted the award on behalf of L’Abri en Ville. The L’Abri en Ville network groups, who represent the dissemination of this successful model, were included in this honor, namely Les toits d’Émile in Châteauguay, Our Harbour in Saint-Lambert and Ancoura in Ottawa.