Old Brewery Mission, Quebec's largest homeless shelter for men, wins Award of
Excellence

QUEBEC, Oct 8 /CNW Telbec/ - The Old Brewery Mission (OBM), Quebec's largest homeless shelter for men and largest homeless shelter for women in Canada, was presented the Prix d'Excellence (Award of Excellence) for its work with vulnerable individuals and groups at the 2009-2010 gala event held by the Réseau de la santé et des services sociaux. The gala, which was held the evening of October 7 in Quebec, brought together the Minister of Health and Social Services, Yves Bolduc, the Delegated Minister of Social Services Dominique Vien, as well as a number of community organizations, establishments and non-governmental organizations specializing in the health and social services sector in Quebec.

The Awards of Excellence, presented by Minister Bolduc and Delegated Minister Vien, are awarded to establishments and organizations who have shown exemplary service through relevant interventions with their clients as well as in the humanization of their services, reaching people who have lost their autonomy, youth in difficulty, people suffering from mental illnesses, people struggling with cancer and people suffering from chronic illness.

OBM has offered services to homeless men and women in Montreal since 1889, providing solace to homeless people through emergency services, including a secure overnight shelter and nourishing meals.  Since 2005, the OBM has also offered permanent solutions to homelessness through dynamic transition services and permanent social housing services. In the last year alone, 411 men and women left the streets thanks to these programs and the devoted assistance of the OBM counsellors.

"It is only through the transition programs that we can really hope to see a decrease in the number of homeless people," says Matthew Pearce, General Director of the OBM.  "The remarkable success of our initiatives demonstrates a need to continue our work in such a way that over time, we will see a significant change in homelessness in Montreal."

Mr. Pearce, accompanied by Ms. Lise Marion, Head of Companion Services at OBM, were in Quebec to receive the prize on behalf of all of their employees, volunteers and customers.  "We are very proud to be recognized as an organization offering innovative services to the homeless population in Montreal, who are so much in need, "said Mr. Pearce.  "In fact, since their creation, we are pleased to see that our programs continue to surpass even our own expectations in terms of helping to solve homelessness."

In the last year, OBM has had a success rate of 60% for the men and 80% for the women who have used their transition programs, and has helped 1,066 men and women over the last year to leave the streets and to live autonomously.

The Old Brewery Mission

Soothing homelessness…Solving homelessness.

Founded in 1989, OBM is the largest shelter for homeless men in Quebec and the largest shelter for homeless women in Canada, providing safe nighttime refuge to more than 125,000 people and close to 285,000 meals per year, as well as transition and counselling services. 

Over the last year, more than 3,000 people requested emergency assistance and 411 of these people no longer live in the streets.  OBM supports and assists its clientele in finding the necessary stability and autonomy to rebuild their lives.

Our services are offered in six pavilions:

• Webster
• Patricia Mackenzie
• Marcelle et Jean Coutu
• Claude-Laramée
• Le Pont (virtual pavilion)
• Lise Watier

For further information:

On the shelter and on OBM programs, please contact:

Manon Dubois Crôteau
Communications Officer
Old Brewery Mission
Tel.: [phone]
Email: [email protected]