Legacy Homes Unites with Partners to Make a Meaningful Impact for Local Family

Nonprofit finds innovative housing solutions for Gananoque man and his family!

Brockville – Community Involvement Legacy Homes is celebrating the success of an innovative project, undertaken with dedicated community partners.

Legacy Homes was established in 2005 by a group of families receiving support from the Brockville & District Association for Community Involvement (BDACI). Its mission: is to provide affordable, accessible housing for people with intellectual disabilities living in Leeds and Grenville.

Today, the organization continues to help prospective tenants find homes that fit their lifestyle, needs and budget. Legacy Homes secures the housing, and community agencies like BDACI provide the day-to-day support so tenants can live independently.

In 2023, Legacy Homes partnered with tenant Devin Dean to solve a complicated problem. Since moving into his Gananoque home years earlier, Devin has been an active church-goer and a contributing member of the tight-knit community. Born with cerebral palsy, he requires around-the-clock care. The challenge for the Dean family was to provide 24/7 support so Devin could continue to live on his own.

That’s when Legacy Homes, BDACI and the Dean Family started to think creatively. They decided to add a secondary unit at Devin’s house so they could rent it to a tenant at a reduced rate in exchange for overnight support.

Legacy Homes obtained funding through the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG)’s Landlord Secondary Suites Program. It was the first project funded under the UCLG program and also received support from long-time community partners like BDACI and Northern Cables.

Local builder Songwood Contracting was hired to convert Devin’s unfinished basement into a cozy, one-bedroom apartment. The secondary suite provides one more affordable housing unit in the community and it’s been a game-changer for Devin and his family.

“Living on his own is a big deal,” says Devin’s brother, Darrell. “Devin is part of his community and that’s what we always wanted for him.”

“Devin’s home is more than a place to live,” says Doug Utting, Legacy Homes Board President. “It shows what’s possible when families, local businesses, nonprofits and government come together with a shared vision.”

This holiday season, please consider donating to Legacy Homes.

Community support makes it possible for Legacy Homes to support Devin and others to live independently. Donations and sponsorships go towards maintaining tenant properties—from seasonal maintenance to regular upkeep, repairs and renovations.

To make a donation or to get involved, please visit www.cilh.ca/donate or contact Doug Utting, Legacy Homes Board President at: president@cilh.ca.

About Community Involvement Legacy Homes:

Community Involvement Legacy Homes is a nonprofit, charitable organization that facilitates affordable and accessible housing for people with intellectual disabilities in the Leeds and Grenville areas. Established by local families in 2005, it currently manages seven properties with nine units in Brockville, North Augusta, Lansdowne, Smiths Falls, and Gananoque.

To read Devin’s story, please email John Barclay, Legacy Homes’ Executive Director (executivedirector@cilh.ca) or visit www.cilh.ca/impact-story

For more information, please visit www.cilh.ca