Brandon Ministry is in Urgent Need of $100,000 for Building Stabilization

Adult & Teen Challenge of Central Canada in Brandon was faced with a hefty and unexpected surprise on Friday morning. The south structural wall of their building at 127 7th Street is in urgent need of remediation and repairs at an estimate of $100,000.

The deficiencies were discovered earlier this week by a contractor installing a new HVAC system to serve the building, including the Community Office under construction in the lower level. The full extent of the issue was confirmed by an engineer today. If not corrected, the construction of the community office will not be completed and the additional programs to support individuals in the community impacted by addictions will not take place. Once construction on the community office is complete, counselling, Ready Now Recovery small groups, Family/Loved One support groups will be offered or expanded for anyone in Brandon and area to access at no charge.

Adult & Teen Challenge serves people impacted by addiction. In the Brandon area, they have a 20-bed home for women to take part in their long-term, live-in discipleship program just outside of the city, with additional graduate housing for mothers reuniting with their children. The main floor of the building at 127 7th Street is currently utilized as a SuperThrift location which provides funding to operate the Brandon programs and vocational training needed for the program participants.

Aaron & Tara Murray, both graduates of Adult & Teen Challenge programs, moved to Brandon five years ago to help start up the Brandon SuperThrift location. Aaron, originally from Binscarth, MB, struggled with alcohol before going to Adult & Teen Challenge in Winnipeg. Tara grew up in Mississippi, and reached out to Adult & Teen Challenge in Florida after her addiction to alcohol, and pain killers nearly took her life. They now serve the ministry as Development Director and Program Director respectively, helping others like Angela & Alba (pictured below) find freedom from addiction through the program.

(submitted)