St. Joseph's Foundation receives 20-bed donation

People in a Thunder Bay, Ont., mental health program are sleeping on brand-new beds thanks to a donation from a furniture store in the city.

The St. Joseph's Foundation received the donation of 20 beds last week. They were donated by Dufresne Furniture, and were purchased via proceeds of the company's Play for a Purpose golf tournament.

The beds have been delivered to the residential program at the Sister Margaret Smith Centre, as well as mental health supportive housing in the city, said Gail Brescia, the foundation's executive director.

"They're absolutely a fantastic donation," she said. "Having a brand new bed to sleep on, to have that comfort and that peace of mind when you're maybe suffering and stressed is an absolute treat."

"We're very fortunate that we were able to partner with Dufresne, and they were able to support us with this bed donation."

Brescia said the beds would likely cost about $700 each, and they're replacing beds that were about 15 years old.

"On behalf of the Dufresne family, we are thrilled to provide the beds to Sister Margaret Smith Centre and supportive housing in Thunder Bay," Rob Coffey of Dufresne Furniture said in a statement. "Dufresne Furniture started in northwestern Ontario and we are proud to be supporting the quality care St. Joseph's Care Group is providing to our
region."

The residential program at Sister Margaret Smith Centre is eight weeks long, and helps clients make healthy and positive changes in their lives with a focus on mental health and addictions, the foundation said in a media release.

The Mental Health Supportive Housing program, meanwhile, supports clients with persistent and serious mental illness who are living in a community setting, while achieving their personal wellness goals.