L’Arche Stratford is well on its way to bringing more housing for its core clients, having already raised $4 million of its $6.5-million Be Belong Become fundraising campaign target.
L’Arche Stratford is well on its way to bringing more housing for its core clients, having already raised $4 million of its $6.5-million Be Belong Become fundraising campaign target.
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The proposed housing development, which would be built at 426 Britannia St., will include eight new independent living suites, offices and two activity rooms in an area of roughly 1,208 square meters (13,000 square feet).
Volunteer Dennis Goforth, who is chairing the capital campaign, said the charity’s goal is not to have to have any sort of mortgage on the building.
“That puts us in a better financial position to go out and purchase another house or two to actually expand our housing,” Goforth said.
This is also the first ever capital campaign for the 51-year-old organization, Goforth noted.
The goal of the project is to build a community that reflects the sense of the community shared by both staff and clients at L’Arche, Goforth added.
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“If I come to any of their events, I usually have a few of the core members. . . run out to me and give me a big hug, so it’s just a really nice community. It really kind of brings you back to the simpler things in life, and to get enjoyment out of that,” he said.
The need for the services that L’Arche provides has grown continuously in recent years. Between 2021 and 2022, the agency received 486 requests for help, Goforth said, but was only able to fulfill 11 of them. Since they currently support 26 people who live in six houses, this new housing development would greatly expand L’Arche Stratford’s capacity.
As the population ages, so to does the age of parents of people with developmental disabilities, Goforth noted.
“They’re getting older and they’re tired, and the need for that kind of programming and a bit of respite care. . . is really, really needed,” he said.
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The plan to build new housing has been in the works for several years. L’Arche purchased the former Montessori school on Britannia Street in November 2017. The plan originally called for renovating that building, but the need for an elevator for accessibility, combined with slow progress during the COVID-19 pandemic, led to a pivot in project scope.
“We decided to build it brand new, exactly what we needed, all on one level. And doing that, we actually were able to add two more housing units,” Goforth said.
The project has seen a lot of support from community residents, including two separate anonymous $1-million donations. If the city approves the site plan, the hope is to start construction next year.
“That last two-and-a-half million (dollars), I know it’s a lot of money, but Stratford very generous community, and I think that it’s not going to be insurmountable, but you know, the last leg of the race is always the toughest,” Goforth said.
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