Highbanks Society Holds Open House to Celebrate Renovation of Their Facility

L to R): Fran Genereux, Highbanks volunteer, Alice Gardner-Boreta 

and Marilou Mitchell at Highbanks Society Open House

To celebrate the completion of renovations to their facility, the Highbanks Society held an Open House and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony on June 23.  JLC President Alice Gardner-Boreta and Community Co-VP Marilou Mitchell were honoured to be among the invited guests.

The Highbanks Bowview Apartment Addition and Renovation provides an additional 1600 sq. ft. of facility space to the existing 5023 sq. ft. building, and includes:

l one additional self-contained unit for a young mom and child;

l the renovation of existing 1-bedroom units (2) to add an additional bedroom to each;

Marilou with certificate of thanks from

Highbanks Society for the JLC’s donation 

of a refrigerator and kitchen equipment

l a remodelled kitchen, to which the JLC has proudly donated a new refrigerator and a variety of kitchen equipment;

l  the addition of a roof-top garden for resident recreation;

l  provision of private office space for case management; 

l  increased programming ‘community’ space;

l  increased building security through reconstruction of central entrances; and

l increased resident storage.

As you know, the JLC is delivering our Moms U Matter (MUM) program to the residents of Highbanks Society, which is an organization that provides individual family unit accommodation and integrates support services for parenting youth and their children.  They promote education and self-development while fostering peer support and a sense of community.  Highbanks now has eight units with subsidized rent.  Residents may stay for up to two years while they complete their high school or post-secondary program and create a career path.

 Marilou Mitchell

Bette Mitchell, President of Highbanks Board of Directors (L) and Cecilia de la Rocha, Executive Director 

of Highbanks Society, hold the ends of the ribbon for the ribbon-cutting ceremony