Hello all,

Maison Elizabeth House is excited to be offering another session of our parenting workshop as of January 27th, 2026.

The Parenthood Development (PHD) workshop will run for 8 weeks and focus on topics such as child development, parenting styles, positive development, etc.

The workshop is open to all – spaces are limited.

If you have any questions about this workshop, feel free to contact us by calling or texting at:

514-238-5831 or by email at: EHphd2023@gmail.com

Thank you!

_________________________________

Bonjour à tous,

La Maison Elizabeth House est ravie d’annoncer une nouvelle session de l’atelier de parentalité à partir du 27 janvier 2026.

L’atelier Développement de la Parentalité (DPC) durera 8 semaines et se concentrera sur des sujets tels que le développement de l’enfant, les styles parentaux, le développement positif, etc.

L’atelier est ouvert à tous – les places sont limitées.

Si vous avez des questions sur cet atelier, n’hésitez pas à nous contacter en appelant ou en envoyant un message texte au :

514-238-5831 ou par courriel à : EHphd2023@gmail.com

Nous vous remercions !

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We are securing resources to help with fundraising for programs and the capacity-building campaign through the private sector (corporations and foundations) and through government funding programs.

Our project is structured into three major categories, each with a set of sub-project initiatives. These initiatives are designed to address specific needs and contribute to the overall success of our expansion and capacity-building efforts.

Please read our Case for Support below for more details about the projects and programs that the Elizabeth House Foundation will subsidize.

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We’re happy to share our super fun, emotional management program at Elizabeth House!

“Emoji Time” is a program that teaches our clients all about the different aspects of emotions, what they are, and how to identify when they become a problem. Clients are learning how to identify their emotions and communicate these feelings appropriately.

This program has four one-hour sessions that occur once a week throughout April and the first week of May, focusing on mothers between the ages of 18 and 25. So far, we have completed two sessions, and it’s been a blast!

The ideal outcome of this program is for the clients to learn a new valuable life skill, quickly identify their emotions, and feel comfortable sharing their feelings. Our clients are loving the program and have expressed how thrilled they are to finally learn more about their emotions in a fun, engaging, and exciting way.

Join the fun, and let’s get emotional with Emoji Time!

Writing Workshop Presentation

Following two months of weekly workshop sessions facilitated by writer, Nadine Neema and managed by EH educator Tamara Medford-Williams, Writer’s Corner zine was produced at Elisabeth House as part of the Writers in the Community, a program run by the Quebec Writers’ Federation.

The clients were extremely proud of the work they produced and were excited to share their work. They presented their final work to an audience of their peers, invited guests, staff, and board members. Some presentations were poignant; others were very animated, making them come to life, and others incorporated sound effects into their storytelling.

Congratulations to all those who participated!

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Our mission at Elizabeth House and the Elizabeth House Foundation is to positively impact the lives of young children whose parents require support and intervention to improve their capacity to parent. In a nutshell, our goal is to help break the trauma cycle, aid in the healing of families, and to nurture young mothers and fathers to be their very best.

On a more personal note, I became involved with Elizabeth House in early 2021, when I applied to be on the Foundation Board. I’ll admit that COVID put a few wrenches into our plans and meetings, along with the number of young mothers we could house, and despite all this, the House and the programs offered have continued to run smoothly. I was looking for a way to give back to my local community, on a smaller scale but one that would have a significant impact down the line. I believe that we have much to learn about trauma, its effects on each individual, but in particular the greater web that it casts in our communities – causing strife, anger, upset and greater inequality. Elizabeth House works to build families up, to provide young parents with the tools and building blocks they need to create a better future for themselves, those around them, and most importantly, their children. 

When we break the cycle of trauma, we are giving the next generation a fair and fresh start; the opportunity and support to move forward and create a better place for us all.

International Women’s Day March 8, 2023

As we approach International Women’s Day, we wanted to share with you the impactful work that Elizabeth House is doing to support young mothers and pregnant girls. Our programs focus on developing parenting skills and fostering independent living, with an approach that recognizes and builds on the strengths of each client.

Thanks to the generous support of donors like you, we have been able to offer new programs for mothers and fathers, improve living conditions, and provide essential items for mothers and babies. This past year has been especially challenging, and your contributions have made a significant difference in the lives of these young women.

Our theme this year, “Every Woman Counts,” perfectly encapsulates the dreams and aspirations of the young mothers and pregnant girls we work with. We believe that every young woman deserves the opportunity to achieve her goals and live a fulfilling life. Your donation can help make that a reality.

With ongoing support, Elizabeth House can continue to help these young women realize their dreams.

Dreams for someone like Jennifer, whose son just turned 27, and who was at Elizabeth House in the mid-1990s. She was one of the first teen moms to live in the Independent Living Program. She says she will be forever grateful to Elizabeth House for the support and encouragement that gave her the skills to be independent and move on with her very young son when she was 17.

Please consider supporting the Maison Elizabeth Foundation and our mission to empower and support young women. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of these deserving individuals.

Thank you for your consideration and support.

Build dreams by donating

Sincerely,

Tara Sandler – President, Elizabeth House Foundation Board

Anitra Bostock – Executive Director, Elizabeth House

It takes a village…

We have all heard the proverb that it takes a village to raise a child.  But what happens when we don’t have a village?

I joined the Board of the Elizabeth House Foundation because I am fortunate and privileged to have a very large and wonderful village.  I have two boys aged 6 and 3 years old that I am raising while working full time and volunteering.  This is only possible with the help of my husband, friends and family.  I was fortunate to be on maternity leave with my older son at the same time as my best friend and we were able to experience the challenges of being a new mother together.

My second son was born at the beginning of the pandemic.  It was an isolating experience.  While facing the sleepless nights, challenges of breastfeeding, and lack of sleep, I also had my older son (aged 3 at the time) that needed attention because the daycares were closed.  My parents, in-laws and friends were not able to come over.  This time, there was no baby and mommy yoga and swimming lessons.  There were no strolls at the mall and coffee with friends and their babies where we were able to support each other. 

I volunteer at the Elizabeth House because I believe that every new mother needs a network of support.  The wonderful staff at the Elizabeth House provide support to young women, mothers and their babies at a moment in their life where they most need support.  I hope that my contribution on the board no matter how small help build a supporting community for the women at the Elizabeth House.

“It takes a village to raise a child”. – Igbo Proverb

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The mid to late ’60s

• Anglican and United Church communities became aware of and then focused their attention on the need for services to support pregnant adolescents. These communities deliberated on how to best meet the needs of this population and the community.
• Approached the Presbyterian church which readily consented to share the responsibility and the cost of such services.
• June 11, 1968, Elizabeth House officially opened on Marlowe in a building it rented, and soon after purchased it from the Sheltering Home of Montreal.
• It welcomed its first clients in the residence – young pregnant girls, from middle to upper-class families who “made a mistake”; they would continue their high school education at Elizabeth House, where they were sheltered during their pregnancy, supported to deliver healthy babies, placed those babies for adoption and returned home to a relatively stable environment and picked up their lives where they left off 7-9 months earlier.
• Most people describe these years as the time when young girls were “gone to an aunt’s”
• Served 40-60 mothers

The early ’70s

• Elizabeth House was transferred from the jurisdiction of the church to the Ministry of Social Affairs which provided a budget for services but not for capital expenditures or renovations.

The mid ’70s

• Numbers were dropping; operating at only 50% capacity
• This was due to the increased availability of abortions, increased availability of birth control, and increased acceptance of single parenthood and unwed motherhood. 
• Many young women were now choosing to keep their babies, they no longer came from stable homes and very often did not have a home to return to.
• This change in society and the evolving needs of the clients focused Elizabeth House on the development of specialized programs and services to help young mothers.

The late ’70s – ’80s

• Ongoing development/adaptation of programs and supports for young mothers in difficulty (external services, for example).
• Most girls (80%) were keeping their babies; high representation from the black community, low literacy levels, and unstable families.

The ’90s (and into this century)

• Implemented formal clinical programs, procedures and processes; developed a strong rehabilitation component to programs and services.
• Implemented formal administrative policies, procedures and practices.
• Developed formal partnerships with others providing services to this population to ensure that resources are maximized and not duplicated.
• Young women were deciding to raise their children and not place them for adoption, many moms and babies under youth protection, all living in poverty and suffering a disorganized family life; no stability, lack of basic needs, and not meeting developmental milestones of children.

This century: 

• Recognized experts in the field of adolescent pregnancy and in working with young mothers in difficulty
• 140-160 a year, in residential, external and transition apartment programs
• Mothers’ age range between 13 – 30 roughly
• 100% of them want to keep babies but not all can focus on what is best for the baby
• Working with dads and families, considered clients, along with the baby and mother
• Diverse clientele; economic, education, culture
• Important partnerships, for example; EMSB, CSSS, like-minded community organizations, Youth Protection, DKG
• Literacy program structured programs and focused clinical work which is achieving positive outcomes and success stories.

Through the work at Elizabeth House, we confirm that this population needs three things: stability, opportunity and support in order to be contributing members of society and to raise healthy families. 

• Started a transitional housing project for ex-clients and other young families needing housing and support services to stabilize their families.
• Twenty-nine 2 and 3-bedroom apartments, negotiated rent subsidies for all of the apartments; raise money to provide support services and guidance as these families get on their feet.

Through all of our work (residence, external program, work in the community, housing projects, school program, etc..) we have documented many positive successes and outcomes. The most important ones below will clearly illustrate how donations are making a difference!

• Moms are no longer socially isolated
• They develop realistic educational or vocations long-term plans
• They have an increased sense of self-esteem
• They have a support network that includes community resources
• Fathers’ involvement in the child’s life is increased to the extent possible
• Families are able to live independently in the community

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Having a child is a life long thing you are going into, you are going into the situation without any knowledge of what the reality is going to be. You are walking into it with not enough experience under your belt. You are going into it with so many different hopes and fantasies, things that you have heard, but it’s a totally different ball game once you are in it.

My advice is: Don’t have a child at this age, it’s hard. I love my son I would move heaven or hell for him, but if I could have held off and have the exact same child even five years down the line, I would have. I would have liked to experience what being a teenager is like. I would have liked to experience going to my prom. I would have liked to have my body mature so that I wouldn’t have had such a drastic change. I would have liked to know what else is out there. I would have liked things to go differently, but it’s the road that I went down. I don’t have regrets, but I do acknowledge that it wasn’t the right time and I don’t think it’s the right time for anyone our age. There are so many things against us.

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Johannah Lloyd called herself and her friends from the Church of St. Andrew and St. Paul the “Godmother’s” of Elizabeth House, and that they most certainly were. We remember Johannah after her passing in September 2021 and lovingly name our garden at Elizabeth House – Johannah’s Garden.

Johannah was a special friend to Elizabeth House over the years. She was the main organizer of a yearly pre-Christmas luncheon where she hosted fellow congregants and encouraged support and donations to our young families.  It was a time where she highlighted the extraordinary work done by the staff team at Elizabeth House.

Johannah always had the mothers, fathers, children and staff on her mind and looked for ways to support and fulfill a need. She organized special donations of alarm clocks, luggage, bath robes and gift cards. With Christmas came a tree full of ornaments. Spring time brought us tulips and there was ice cream delivered on hot days in the summer.

Johannah, along with her husband Tracy’s biggest project was the beautification and total remodeling of our backyard/garden and surrounding green areas in 2019. A large donation funded the hiring of her landscaper Claire Belisle and handyman/carpenter Hans Dybka, who transformed our surroundings with new tiles and grass, planting of a vegetable/herb/fruit garden, flowers and the building of a pergola, storage shed and bench. She ensured that we had watering buckets, a hose, a bird feeder and garden solar lights. Every year, the flowers and tending of the garden was taken care of.

Last year, our side garden was brightened with new plants and trellis. Our front porch and stroller ramp got a coat of fresh paint.

Johannah’s gifts were so much more than monetary. She shared her giving heart with us. She always had the families and staff on her mind and checked in weekly by email or phone. She was giving of her time, ideas and constant support.

 Her loss is felt sadly by Elizabeth House but we will forever remember her memory as we enjoy the beauty of Johannah’s Garden.  

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