After four months, the House of Sophrosyne in Windsor has raised just over 20% of its capital fundraising goal for a new home.
The service, which provides support for women suffering from addictions, is crowded at its current location, so last May it announced plans to move into the former St. Alexander Catholic Elementary School on Adstoll Ave.
However, the building needs a lot of work, and the House of Sophrosyne has raised $750,000 so far. That includes a $20,000 donation from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation in Toronto. The campaign goal is $3.5-million.
Executive Director Karen Waddell says it has applied for government grant money, and the renovations haven't started.
"If you start the renovations before you get the okay from the Ministry then they don't cover any of that work because it's retro[active]," she says.
Once, it does move into the new location; Waddell says the House of Sophrosyne will be able to almost double the size of its residential program, and offer new programs to women who remain employed.
"When people think of somebody with addictions, this image pops up in people's heads, and that's not true," says Waddell. "Professional people, nurses, doctors, a lot of people from every class are affected by addiction."
At the service's gala Saturday night, 250 people came out, and Waddell says they managed to double last year's proceeds.