Welcome Hall Mission has been working with men in transition, supporting and encouraging them as they move from homelessness to autonomy, for almost 125 years. On a recent hot summer’s night, we hosted a barbeque for men in our addiction treatment and reinsertion programs. The highlight of the evening was a pick-up ball hockey game that included the men, support staff, and friends of the mission. We were delighted to welcome Anthony Duclair, left winger for the NHL Arizona Coyotes as our special guest. Anthony is not the first Duclair to interact with our men, as his uncle Farell Duclair, a former CFL running back, heads up the team at our Men’s Mission.

The men had a wonderful time! Seeing the happy smiles and raised sticks as men scored and celebrated was heartwarming. More inspiring was the thought that because of the generosity of our donors, many of these men are also celebrating transformation in their lives. The picture says it all.

In this newsletter, we’ll also be sharing Jacques’ story of finding hope and the strength to turn his life around, here at Welcome Hall Mission.

Thank you for your support. We couldn’t be happier to have you as part of our team!

Sincerely,

Jacques is a man whose story is an important reminder of why Welcome Hall Mission’s work is so impactful—and why your support continues to be critical.

Jacques grew up in a close-knit family in the West Island of Montreal, and made his living working as a sales and marketing consultant in the pulp and paper industry. Out of the blue, a series of events rocked the foundations of everything he’d built his life around. He lost his job and went through a very difficult break-up, all in a very short period of time.

Although he knew that he needed to start rebuilding and get back to work right away, he didn’t want to impose on his family. So he came to Welcome Hall Mission instead. His first night here with us was in the middle of winter when our regular beds were full, so he slept on a mattress on the floor. As he lay there surrounded by the sounds of men snoring, he wondered what his journey over the next few months would look like.

In the morning, he met with an intervention worker who placed him in a resident’s program and assigned him to a shift in the kitchen at 5:00 am. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but was happy to have something to do. And in the end, he loved the training he received from the kitchen staff. He enjoyed getting to know the outreach workers and some of his fellow clients. Soon, he was offered a six-month contract to work in the kitchen, so he said yes!

Jacques now lives in a mission apartment in our reinsertion program, and is working towards leading an autonomous life. He is partway through his six month contract in the kitchen and is hoping to continue working there permanently.

“I am so grateful to you all for your deeds of genuine compassion, care, provisions and services offered to all residents,” he says. “God bless you all! Never lose focus on helping others. You all help to make a difference.”

Recently, when we celebrated the inauguration of the new kitchen at our Men’s Emergency Shelter, we asked Jacques to say a few words. And as he stood up in front of our CEO, our board members, numerous dignitaries, and several celebrity chefs, we were incredibly impressed and blessed by his eloquence and grace under pressure.

As Jacques continues to cook meals for the men in our transition programs and works—with hope—towards a new life, we want to remind you that success like his is possible because of generosity like yours!

With the weather quickly getting colder, we expect to be serving more than 700 meals to Montrealers in need each day! And during the upcoming Thanksgiving season, we’ll be putting extra care into spreading hope and joy.

As our guests enjoy hot meals in community, they’re able to connect with each other and with our staff, receiving encouragement and hope. A meal here at Welcome Hall Mission is often the first step to helping people get off the street for good!

*Once needs have been met, any further gifts will go towards our areas of greatest need.