Drop-in centre needs new drop-off van

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This article was published 13/04/2021 (1760 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Rossbrook House, an inner-city drop-in centre for children and youth needs a new van, and the Rossbrook House Foundation is stepping in to help fundraise.

The centre provides outings for children and youth, aged six to 24, ensuring that everyone gets home safely every night, making reliable vehicles an integral part of how it serves the community.

In 1976, Sister Geraldine MacNamara and a group of inner-city young people created Rossbrook House, with a simple mission: “No child who does not want to be alone, should ever have to be.”

Since then, the rides have been essential to providing peace of mind to parents and fun for the young people.

“I always felt it was a privilege driving the Rossbrook House van,” said executive director Phil Chiappetta, who began his tenure at Rossbrook House as the program director.

“The kids and I went on many adventures inside the city and out and everybody wanted to be the last one dropped off. It was always a good feeling to safely drop someone off at their home at the end of the day.”

“We rely on having two vans on the go,” said communications manager Sherry Rasmussen.

“We use them for outings as well as for the safe rides home each evening. The younger children get driven home at 8 p.m. The youth (aged 12 and up) get driven home at 11 p.m.

“We are looking to purchase a 12-seat passenger van. The black van that we are looking to retire was purchased in 2014. We also have a white van that we purchased four years ago.”

Shannon Allard, mother of three Rossbrook House participants is grateful for the reliable transportation.

“It’s a great feeling to know our kids will get home safely after programs and outings. The added treats during these rides add a little something special for the kids,” Allard said.

Rossbrook House hopes to have the new van before the summer, estimating it will cost $50,000. An anonymous donor has promised to match any donations up to $25,000.

Currently, Rossbrook House remains open 24 hours every day, 365 days of the year.

“We do this so that youth always have a safe place to go. Rossbrook House is a safe place to belong, play, learn and become,” Rasmussen said.

The vans have been used for special outings, including trips to the zoo, the beach in summer, fishing in Lockport or trips to Selkirk for ice cream.

“Right now, because of COVID restrictions we are not going on van rides just for fun or for long drives. The vans are primarily being used for safe rides home right now. We hope to get back to more of our regular programming soon,” Rasmussen said.

Rossbrook House, located at the corner of Ross Avenue and Sherbrook Street, has a kitchen that serves the community twice a day. It offers a wide range of programming for children and youth including help with school work, music programs, cultural teachings, community volunteering, employment opportunities, public speaking and scholarships.

For more information, visit www.rossbrookhouse.ca