This is such a crazy, impossible dream that it definitely qualifies me as being "unqualified" and it being "bigger than me, unachievable except for God breathing into it".
I dream of a subsidized, "cooperative", ( common large kitchen, bulk food buying pantry, common living room area) 10 - 40 bachelor suite apartment building in the southern area of River East. This would meet the immence need for affordable, independent living for mental health consumers, with community aspects.
It would have space for community support workers to meet with clients, space for tenants to host small parties and small groups and have family over for holiday dinners.
It would have space for community support workers to meet with clients, space for tenants to host small parties and small groups and have family over for holiday dinners.
This would be a place centred on empowering tenants with mental health challenges (fully capable of managing their activities of daily living) to take charge of their lives and grow in their ability to consistently be successful in maintaining thier ADL's while pursuing career training and stability. The aspect of reciprocity in hosting friends and family could be gained with the extra dining, kitchen, and living common areas. Sharing one's life and interacting with others in deep community has it's own healing qualities when God provides Jesus-with-skin-on. I know there would be immense costs of labour, but hopefully tenants could have a Habitat for Humanity" type of women- build, and also know that only through God could the immense complexities and needs of such a project come to pass and be met. Just like Riverwood is praying for land to open up, I know that this would rely on God bartering the price and making a miracle happen.
- C
What a beautiful well-described dream! My dream is similar, but would include a place for males (eg. my son). If you have any interest in meeting to pray and/or to work toward this dream, I will forward my info. to Pastor Todd. K
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