Who Is Alice Saddy?
Born in the 1920s, Alice Saddy was a woman well known in London for her volunteer work assisting adults with disabilities. When she passed away in her early forties, a committee from her church, St. Peter’s Basilica, was formed to find a way to honour her memory. A donation fund was established that enabled an “apartment training” program for people with developmental disabilities. This organization eventually became known as the Alice Saddy Association.
The Alice Saddy Association’s first home at 302 Wolfe Street was opened in November 1973. The original concept was to teach daily living skills in a group-home environment which would enable people to live independently. Based on the needs of the people supported, the philosophy of the Agency was changing to focus on individual needs rather than group living and group support, and in 1986, Wolfe Street underwent renovations to create 5 self-contained apartments. Eventually, as the new concept proved effective, the Ministry of Children, Community & Social Services took over responsibility for funding.
A Timeline of Our Story
- 1973 – Group home opened at 302 Wolfe Street
- 1976 – Supported Independent Living (SIL) program established
- 1980 – 23 people supported by the SIL program, some living at Wolfe Street and others in apartments around the city
- 1986 – Wolfe Street renovations created 5 self-contained apartments
- 1980s – current– Focus on creating individualized support plans for people living in their own homes throughout the city, working closely with London/Middlesex Housing Authority to secure subsidized, and therefore affordable, apartments
- 2008 – 35th Anniversary of Alice Saddy Association
- 2008 – Partnered with Nelms Group Limited and the support of the Ontario-Canada Ontario Affordable Housing Initiative to build two two-storey buildings containing 12 apartments – 8 one-bedroom and 4 fully accessible units.
- 2011 – Partnered with Nelms Group Limited and support from CMHC to renovate former church into 12 apartments with one- and two-bedroom units. See the video below with former Executive Director Ken MacLellan.
- May 2020 – Southwest Collaborative Communities was formed as a formal collaborative of five developmental services agencies in Southwestern Ontario. These five agencies, of which Alice Saddy Association is one, have come together to strengthen their collective ability to support individuals to live fully in the community
