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May 1, 2020 – Over the past seven weeks since restrictions have been placed on our communities due to COVID-19 we have seen the housing industry turned upside down, with a monumental increase in demand for affordable housing as well as housing for the vulnerable and an increased pressure on an already stressed industry.

I would like to take a moment to applaud all Frontline workers across Canada, the unsung heroes of our

April 18, 2020 -In a shocking statement by Ian McCallum posted to his blog with regards to Walnut Manor, he has once again raised questions as to the operations of SupportiveLiving.ca in St. Thomas.

Ian McCallum chooses to attack SupportiveLiving on a constant basis to serve his own political agenda. For many months, well before COVID-19 was even a current topic, SupportiveLiving.ca was monitoring the situation closely.

Through

March 20, 2020 - Fourteen years ago when I built my first home in Welland, Ontario, I was able to house four so-called “unhousable” residents who had fallen through the cracks in the health care system, with critics trying to convince me that what I was doing was not “worth it” and not possible. Since then I have not looked back and have housed hundreds of Ontario’s vulnerable mental health population. Wi

February 18, 2020 - SupportiveLiving.ca is proud to present a six-part blog series: From Corporate to Community – A Tale of Two Realities.

Shama Chaudhry, now Director of Communications for SupportiveLiving.ca, is a published author, international best-seller and has worked in Corporate Canada for most of her career.

This blog series is a reflection of her transformation moving from the corporate space to w

This is Part 1 of a six-part blog series entitled From Corporate to Community - A Tale of Two Realities

It was September 2016. I sat at my cubicle, staring at my computer, the cursor blinking back at me. I woke up that morning, in complete dread of my routine: the commute, a hundred unread emails and looming deadlines.

After fifteen years, my heart wasn’t in it any more. The ambition for climbing the corporate la

While I was at Corporate, every turn I took towards advancement was a trial. When you come from a place where you once loved your job and suddenly you're thrown into a space where everything is in constant flux, the need for stability is paramount.

Although agility was one of my key strengths, there was only so much change I could endure. With being constantly told you can do better, I was up for the challenge, but as I mentio

This was it. I was following two of my passions: writing and giving back to the community.

After going through my own turmoil and having the resources for support and guidance, I knew deep down, I needed to pay it forward.

I began volunteering my time to write for organizations where the premise for their business revolved around the support, guidance and empowerment of their respective communities. I volunteered for o

In my last blog, I talked about how I nervous I was speaking to Barb.

I could hear her voice in the background. “Someone is calling for me?” she asked incredulously.

When she finally picked up the phone, I quickly introduced myself to her. There was so much excitement in her voice that I could feel her energy through the phone. As I asked her questions about her life before coming to SupportiveLiving.ca, he

Barb M at Walnut Manor

Many times I encountered a crossroad in my life. I would take the wrong path because I used my brain instead of relying on my heart or instincts. Perhaps it was derived from childhood beliefs to think more and feel less.

Over-thinking and constant analysis led to paralysis. I went down the path of least resistance for the sake of comfort. Doing what was familiar because

When in the corporate world, I remember visiting our offices downtown and walking around the homeless on my way to our penthouse suite.

In the blazing heat of the summer or the bitter cold winters with temperatures hitting record lows of -25C, I often wondered why they did not stay in shelters. Acquaintances would warn me not to give them money because instead of charity, I would be feeding their drug habits. Or they would try