Peel Children's Centre opens new respite care residence

Century House in Caledon was officially opened Jan. 30 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony performed by (l to r) Don Skinner, president, board of directors, Peel Children's Centre; Humphrey Mitchell, executive director, Peel Children's Centre; Sylvia Jones, executive assistant to John Tory, MPP, Dufferin-Peel-Wellington-Grey; Sandra Frampton, program supervisor, children's services, Ministry of Children and Youth Services; Ed Upenieks, voluntary member, Halton-Peel Grant Review Team, Ontario Trillium Foundation.

The Peel Children's Centre welcomed funders and community partners to the official opening of Century House, a newly renovated residence that is part of the centre's respite residential services, which provide temporary relief for families and guardians who are caring for children with mental health challenges.

Century House is located at 14780 Hurontario St. in Caledon.

"The opening of Century House meets a need that Peel Children's Centre and other children's service agencies in Peel identified several years ago," said Humphrey Mitchell, the centre's executive director. "With the generous support of our funders, we have been able to turn our community's dream into reality so that we can support families who need a break from the demands of caring for a child with serious emotional difficulties."

As one parent wrote to the centre's respite co-ordinator: "I not only would be given an opportunity to rejuvenate, but my little guy would be placed in a caring, non-threatening environment under the supervision of a qualified child and youth worker … I feel very confident that the respite house will greatly benefit my child … I am hopeful that the outcome will be tremendous."

"We are grateful to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services for the initial project funding and the ministry's commitment to provide operating funds for a respite services program," said Don Skinner, president of the board of directors of Peel Children's Centre. "This support provided the impetus to bring other funding partners to the table."

Ontario Trillium Foundation representative Ed Upenieks was on hand to celebrate the good news.

Peel Children's Centre successfully leveraged the financial support from MCYS by securing a $100,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation towards the costs of repairs, landscaping and furnishings at Century House, as well as a van to transport the children and youth in the program.

Representing John Tory, MPP for Dufferin-Peel- Wellington-Grey, executive assistant Sylvia Jones said: "We are pleased that the Ontario Trillium Foundation could provide funding to support this much-needed service for the children, youth and families of Peel region."

While unable to attend, Jeff Faria, vice-president, customer solutions, McKesson Canada, sent greetings from the McKesson Foundation.

"McKesson Canada is committed to serving the communities in which we operate," he said. "We were pleased to support the Century House project by providing the remaining $20,000 needed to furnish the residence so that families caring for a child with a mental health problem can get the relief they need to lessen their stress and reduce the risk of a family breakdown."

"On behalf of the children, youth and families who use our services, our sincere thanks to the funders and community partners who made this project and our respite services possible," Mitchell said.