Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation

The Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation is thrilled to share details of a generous lead gift for Giving Tuesday 2023, in support of the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program.

Several months after opening the first round of transition beds to patients, Jasper Place Wellness Centre continues to see and feel the impact of donor support.

“Monumental,” is the word the centre’s co-founder Taylor Soroka uses to describe the support.
Jasper Place Wellness Centre is the home of the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program, which aims to bridge the gap between emergency department visits and access to safe housing and community supports for those experiencing homelessness or at risk of housing insecurity in Edmonton. In January 2023, the program consisted of 12 transitional beds. By the end of the year, the program is expected to have all 36 beds up and running.

The Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program is funded by Alberta Health Services for two years. This stage was possible thanks largely to a community effort driven by Royal Alexandra Hospital staff and the incredible response from generous donors, which helped raise the profile of the work.

“The community was a linchpin in standing up and saying ‘we can do better.’ It was highly pivotal,” recalled Taylor.

Among that community were donors like John and Ewan Burton, who recognized the need for the program and decided to give a significant gift. “We saw it as a real opportunity to help those who had no place to go, and get them started on the road to recovery,” they said. “It’s a great opportunity to change lives for the better, and we were very pleased to be able to help!”

Pictured: John and Ewa Burton, matching donors for Giving Tuesday

There is another incredible opportunity to be part of changing lives. Donations to the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation for Giving Tuesday 2023 will go to the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program. The Burtons want your dollars to go even further in bridging the gap! They have generously pledged to match donations, up to a total of $75,000.

“We hope others are inspired to offer what they can, knowing their gift will go even further,” they said. “In giving back together, we can have a greater impact.”

Your donations can pave the way for a fresh start for those who enter the program. From helping to provide culturally appropriate care that connects them to their roots and reinforces their sense of self, to furnishings and basic necessities that provide a sense of comfort, and even welcome packages that show someone they are valued from the moment they arrive.

Every dollar can make a meaningful and lasting difference — something those at Jasper Place Wellness Centre are already noticing.

“We are really starting to see the depth of the program in its truest fashion, which is moving people through to whatever life they want to build,” said Taylor.

You don't have to wait until Giving Tuesday to make your gift — click on the link below to donate to the Bridge Healing Program now.

DONATE TODAY

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to John and Ewa Burton, for their matching gift that will double community impact this Giving Tuesday and touch those most in need.

And our thanks to you for considering a gift to the Bridge Healing Transitional Accommodation Program.