‘A safe place to thrive’

Some children are never given the foundational tools at home to ease their way into this world. For a long list of complex reasons, home is not always a haven. And it’s not assured to be a safe place for kids.

But there is a building at the corner of Ross and Sherbrook that serves as both a home and a refuge, where young people find safety, acceptance and love, 365 days a year, anytime, all the time.

“I wouldn’t be alive today if it hadn’t been for Rossbrook House,” is an often-repeated phrase.

In 1976, Sister Geraldine MacNamara (Sister of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary), with the help of other sisters and a group of young men from Winnipeg’s Centennial neighbourhood, founded Rossbrook House as an alternative to the streets.

For 50 years, the cherished home at 658 Ross Ave. has been a safe space for thousands of kids who have come through its doors.

Patty Mainville is one of them. Now the executive director, Mainville first came to Rossbrook House in 1982. While growing up, she and her family moved around a lot.

“I attended 17 schools across Canada and the U.S,” Mainville recalled. “My mom was a residential school survivor, part of the ’60s Scoop. When we landed in Winnipeg, I was 13 or 14. Coming here and being stable for the first time… Rossbrook House was my saving grace.

“It felt like home, it felt welcoming, like I had this huge sense of belonging. It was the first time finding my purpose,” she said, adding that with the support of the sisters she was able to flourish.

Mainville graduated high school in 1985 and became part of the original junior staff and young moms’ group. The sisters encouraged her to pursue post-secondary education. She became a teacher, school guidance counsellor and eventually a principal.

“I’ll always remember the sisters and the support we received back then — the idea that we have to know who we are in order to be able to get to know where we are going. The sisters were already practising acts of reconciliation,” Mainville said.

“Sister Margaret (Hughes) started the powwows back then. We are going into our 47th powwow. She was a huge inspiration,” Mainville said of the Order of Canada recipient, who died Jan. 6 at age 77.

“The sisters made outfits for all the kids. They realized the impact in the lives of the children,” she continued, noting that as a longtime volunteer, she learned the importance of that lived experience with Rossbrook House.

Community helper Siobhan Faulkner is a retired teacher who has maintained a connection with Rossbrook House since the 1980s. She loves what the organization has been able to offer for over half a century because she’s seen it transform and enhance the lives of countless young people.

Faulkner worked at Pinkham School, down the street from Rossbrook House, and remembers many of her students spending time there.

As one of the founders of Sabu’s Cubs, a volunteer-led non-profit organization dedicated to nurturing and empowering youth within the community, Faulkner appreciates those who share her mission to provide a safe and supportive space where young minds can flourish and community bonds can be strengthened.

Faulkner said the first house the Sisters occupied was on Lisgar Avenue, which Sabu’s Cubs regularly passed by on their weekly community walks. Sister Lesley Sacouman, one of the co-founders of Rossbrook House, walks with Sabu’s Cubs, she added.

“The Sisters saw a need and filled it, not just at Rossbrook House but in the school system. There are endless stories of kids who have been kept alive by Rossbrook House. Kids who had no place to go found a safe place to thrive,” she said.

“Kids are always safe and welcome, and have a place to belong. They are loved unconditionally. They’re fed, clothed and mentored. There’s a summer camp outside the city. Generations of families connect to Rossbrook. It’s community activism in a positive way, giving community members a voice. The activities are life-changing,” Faulkner added.

One of those activities happened in 1999 when a group of ecstatic Rossbrook House girls joined Shania Twain on stage at Winnipeg Arena as backup vocalists. The queen of country pop arranged to have the kids picked up in a white limousine on the big night and donated prime seat tickets and meet-and-greet passes for a raffle in support of Rossbrook’s programs.

These days, Rossbrook House continues to offer a range of programs to keep young people — aged six to 24 — engaged, encompassing learning, leadership, scholarship, culture, music, sports and the arts. There’s a Healthy Kitchen program, which provides daily meals seven days a week; a safe ride home program; the Young Mothers’ Program, which offers onsite childcare while mothers take part in activities, as well as outings for mothers with their children. There’s a drop-in program that provides a space for youth to play games, work on crafts and meet their friends.

Rossbrook House works in partnership with Winnipeg School Division for three off-campus school programs, including Wi Wabigooni (elementary), Eagles’ Circle (junior high) and Rising Sun (high school). The Junior Staff program offers participants employment helping out at events, while they serve as role models for younger children and gain employment experience.

“Over the course of 50 years we’ve been very generational, we can see the impact on families,” said Mainville. “Success looks different for every individual and family in our communities. We collect those stories.

“My heart is here,” Mainville continued. “Once you walk through the doors of Rossbrook, it’s an overwhelming feeling… what we do with so little … The spirit of Rossbrook — we feel it all the time. We’ve always held on to Sister MacNamara’s mission and values. No child who does not want to be alone should ever have to be.”

Rossbrook House will host a series of events throughout the celebratory year, including the No Child Alone dinner in April, community barbecue celebrations and an open house.

Visit: rossbrookhouse.ca

fpcity@freepress.mb.ca