Nazareth House
by Toni Bramley
Nazareth House, "an oasis" in the city, has recently become the third local charity to be supported by the Shaughnessy Village Association.
The house on Seymour Street quietly focuses its attention on those who feel abandoned or without hope, without regard for race, colour, faith or condition.
Nazareth House established itself in Shaughnessy Village in 1983, first as a day centre/dining room for older abandoned people who were housed in rental apartments near-by. By the mid-80s a new need became apparent and Nazareth House became the first AIDS hospice in the city.
Currently, there are two elderly residents at the home; 15 families in St. Henri are provided with food baskets and clothing regularly; and 10 mentally handicapped out-patients of the Douglas Memorial Hospital, who are housed in near-by rental accommodation, attend a drop-in centre where they receive two hot meals a day and help with the complexities of modern living. Volunteers and paid staff do their laundry, cut their hair and provide a cheerful home-like atmosphere.
Nazareth House is a registered charity and joins Chez Doris and The Open Door as charities supported by the Shaughnessy Village Association. For more information about Nazareth House, please contact Sr. G. Cote or Executive Director Dennis Hadley at 514-933-6916.
Executive Director Dennis Hadley receiving the first support payment from Naomi Holobow, President of SVA, and Toni Bramley.
