Wes Magill Award recipients were instrumental in developing this innovative transitional housing project
The United Way Oxford has announced the winners of an annual award that honors volunteers who have “gone the extra mile” for the local charity.
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Last week, Oxford County officials presented the 2023 Wes Magill Award to a group of individuals and organizations who came together to purchase, renovate and open a new transitional living house in TIllsonburg.
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Dubbed “The Lighthouse” by volunteers, the project provides people who are struggling to find and keep permanent housing with wraparound services that helps them get re-established while providing a secure place to live. This temporary accommodation is intended as a transition from homelessness to permanent housing.
As many as seven tenants have rooms in the house, where they can stay for as long as a year while receiving life-skills coaching and educational training under the auspices of another project partner, the Oxford County Community Health Center.
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The project began roughly a year ago with an initial discussion around the United Way board table. With the United Way board committing to stable funding for the project, and the community health center enthusiastic to provide the needed supports, a group of volunteers “dedicated their time, talent, connections and funds to make this innovative project a reality,” United Way officials said in a release.
This group of organizations and individuals – Oxford County, the Town of Tillsonburg, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Inc., the Oxford Ontario Health Team, the London Community Foundation, Chris Willie of Pow Designed Solutions, Pow Engineering, Cassandra Benard of the OC Realty Team , the Oxford Community Health Center and Cedric Tomico of 360 Developments – worked together as the “Friend” of the Lighthouse to makes sure its doors were open only six weeks after the home was purchased.
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“Thank you to these incredible community supports for their amazing contributions,” United Way officials said in the release.
The Wes Magill Award was established in 1980 to honor the invaluable contributions made by Wes Magill to United Way Oxford. The United Way Oxford is a charity that works with community partners to support a network of programs that address the root causes of social issues. The United Way focuses on three priority areas: moving people from poverty; supporting mental health, well-being and strengthened communities and helping youth and children achieve their full potentials.
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