$6M needed for urgent heating and cooling upgrades, electrical work and more
Siloam Mission is looking to the public for help in raising $6 million to substantially renovate its supportive housing facility, The Madison.
Located in the Wolseley neighborhood, The Madison offers housing along with meals and on-site support staff and programming for 85 residents who often struggle with mental health challenges, cognitive or physical disabilities, and other barriers to independent living. The aging building is in urgent need of a new HVAC system for heating, as well as air conditioning and electrical upgrades to improve safety and comfort for those who call The Madison home. The planned renovation also includes accessibility and cosmetic upgrades to make shared spaces more comfortable and welcoming for all.
“For most residents at The Madison, this is their forever home,” says Siloam Mission CEO, Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud. “Others will find their way to recovery and independence and may move on to more independent living. But from meals and shared spaces to on-site staff support, The Madison is more than a home to everyone who lives there. It is a community, a family, and a support network for those who otherwise would have none.”
Thanks to a lead donation of $1.5 million from the John and Bonnie Buhler Foundation and support from End Homelessness Winnipeg, the City of Winnipeg and other generous early contributors, the organization has already raised nearly $4 million of the total $6 million project budget. Siloam Mission is now appealing to the public to help raise the remaining funds to finish the project and ensure safety and comfort for all current and future residents at The Madison.
Without these upgrades, a heating failure next winter could displace residents, while a lack of air conditioning can be equally dangerous during hot Manitoba summers. And while less urgent, other upgrades like new flooring, paint, lighting, and improved accessibility features will help make The Madison a better environment for all who call this building home for years to come.
This project will breathe new life into The Madison. It will help foster a more comfortable and welcoming living environment which is essential to the overall well-being of the people who live there.
