2019 – Carizon Family and Community Services
Pictured above: President Bill Poje with Leanne Brown of Carizon Family and Community Services.
Alpine each year provides an annual charitable donation…this year, we have chosen Carizon Family and Community Services . Carizon specializes in children’s mental health, youth engagement and development, family violence, individual and family counselling, credit counselling, settlement supports and collective wellness. With a head office located in the heart of the City of Kitchener, Carizon provides a full spectrum of services in more than 70 locations throughout the Region. Carizon is committed to providing services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Carizon strives to give individuals with disabilities opportunity to access services and to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as others, unless an alternative measure is necessary to enable the person to access services. The Alpine hopes that our contribution will positively benefit this deserving organization to further carry on the great service that they already provide within our community.
2018 – Kaljas Homes for Supportive Living
Pictured above: President Bill Poje with Maggie Kaljas of Kaljas Homes.
Alpine each year provides an annual charitable donation…this year, we have chosen Kaljas Homes for Supportive Living Formerly known as Anna Kaljas Homes (established in 1954). Kaljas Homes provides 16 spaces of permanent affordable housing with attached onsite staff supports for adults (16+). The program offers 16 private bedrooms in two residential houses located beside one another on Frederick Street in Kitchener where tenants share responsibilities for various household duties. The Kaljas’ philosophy is to create an environment where people feel healthy and strong, and to inspire them to reach overall wellness – physical, mental, emotional, and social. The program provides community inclusion activities, medication support, crisis planning, practical assistance with independent living, and ongoing service coordination with community supports. Staff are available on-site daily with access to overnight staff on an on-call basis. As part of the Community Homelessness Prevention Initiative (CHPI) Supportive Housing Program which is in part funded through the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and administered by the Region of Waterloo, the focus of the CHPI Supportive Housing program is to provide affordable housing to people with a history of homelessness, to help them build skills and connect to supports that will help them to keep their housing and reduce their risk of returning to homelessness. Kaljas’ Homes residents are generally geared toward men, and those who may have issues relating to mental disease, substance issues and/or emotional disabilities. Their residents are predominately from our region. One of which has been with them for well over 40 years. The Alpine feels that our contribution will positively benefit this deserving organization to further carry on the great service that they already provide within our community.