History

On October 31, 1982, the idea of a program to serve individuals and families in recovery from alcoholism and addictive behaviours was born in the spirit of Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys. Within a year of dedicated work, co-founders, Sister Louise Dunn, CND, and Alexa Smith open doors to the community with their first program for families in January 1984.

Since then, more than 100,000 individuals and families have been served according to our guiding philosophy: No one is turned away who is in genuine need of our services.

In the past treatment services for alcohol and chemical dependencies have traditionally been tailored to the individual rather than to the family as a whole. At Serenity Renewal for Families, recovery is a family affair. Programs are offered for each family member, age 5 to seniors.

Today, we continue to serve as we strive to grow and expand our offerings to the community. We are connecting, more than ever, and creating partnerships with individuals and organization who share our commitment to the health and well-being of Ottawa.