Our Story

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.

Our Mission

Serenity Renewal provides hope and support in a safe environment through short-term counselling, educational workshops and programs for individuals and families affected directly or indirectly by addictions.

Serenity Renewal for Families provides hope and support to individuals and families affected by addiction and related issues.

We offer ongoing education and counselling services that assist a wide spectrum of clients as young as 5 to 85 and over. Our programs benefit over 2,500 individuals each year in Ottawa and surrounding areas.

We believe change is possible!

Some of our focus areas include:

Our work is made possible thanks to our dedicated professional staff and facilitators, plus more than 125 volunteers who participate in virtually all functions of our operations. In addition, over 250 partners (individuals, health and social service agencies, social workers, medical professionals) refer individuals and work with us to provide the necessary support to our clients.

Serenity Renewal for Families is a registered charitable organization founded in 1983. Governed by a volunteer board of directors, we operate on a budget of approximately $400,000 per year. Serenity Renewal relies on the support of generous individuals and organizations to create happier, healthier lives in our community.