Room to Breathe

A guest arrived at Seneca Respite severely emotionally exhausted — not in acute crisis, but depleted beyond what her regular supports could address. She needed structured rest, professional support, and a temporary step away from her environment to stabilize. She was discharged with a strengthened support plan and reconnected with her outpatient team — one of many guests who cited staff compassion and a renewed sense of safety as defining features of their experience.

Benefits That Changed Everything

A newcomer to Canada with limited English and a disability affecting her mobility had been living in precarious housing for over a year, unaware she qualified for the Canada-Manitoba Housing Benefit. A Sara Riel caseworker identified her eligibility during an outreach clinic visit, guided her through the application with interpretation support, and followed up until the benefit was confirmed. Now stably housed and connected to accessible transportation and health services, she has since referred two community members to Sara Riel.

From Crisis to Home

When V’s living situation suddenly became untenable, he found himself facing immediate housing loss with no time to plan. Through a referral from the Downtown Community Safety Partnership, V connected with Sara Riel’s Peer Navigator Tamara — someone he had seen supporting others in the community. With Tamara’s guidance, he accessed housing resources, Rent Assist, and free furniture, and established a new home.

Rebuilding Trust in Systems

V had been through a lot before finding her way to stable housing. Initially, she expressed deep distrust in systems — shaped by years of inconsistent supports and experiences that left her feeling failed rather than helped. What changed wasn’t a program feature or a policy; it was the consistency of the people. V has since transitioned into a safer, more stable home and now expresses renewed trust in community supports — a shift that took time, patience, and the relationship-based care Sara Riel is built around.

Back in the Workforce

After a period of mental health challenges that had kept her out of the workforce for over two years, a client joined the Employment Services program uncertain whether she was ready to work again. Her employment worker helped her identify transferable skills, update her resume, and practice for interviews — at a pace that worked for her. She secured part-time employment within four months and transitioned to full-time hours by year-end, with ongoing check-ins for workplace stabilization support.