A new home for children with physical, behavioural and mental difficulties opened its doors in Cote-Des-Neiges on Saturday, courtesy of private donations.
The building the centre calls homes was donated by real estate developer Michel-Eric Fournelle, while its operations will be funded by donations to the Dr. Julien Foundation.
“It’s global health, it’s developmental problems, it’s behavioural problems,” said foundation founder and president Gilles Julien. “They don’t speak enough, they didn’t read enough before starting school, they have learning disorders frequently.”
It took 18 months and $2.25 million to turn the former historical home into a modern-day care centre, which includes a clinic for medical examinations and art and music rooms.
“It’s a very homey house, high ceilings and I think kids enjoy coming here,” said Fournelle. “Many of the kids are underprivileged and they will come here to be in a positive and nice environment.”
The foundation helps fund 34 similar facilities across the province, acting as a middle ground between vulnerable families and government institutions, something Julien said is lacking in Quebec. It’s a bridge that’s important to help parents become more comfortable opening up.
“These people are excluded, they have certain trauma, they don’t think they’re good parents, they don’t think they’re good human beings sometimes,” he said.
He added that the centre, which will see about 150 families come through the doors each week, is especially necessary in Cote-Des-Neiges, where 35 per cent of the population lives below the poverty line.
“Our way to do it is to really get close and become a second family,” he said.
