"It's a Home. It Really Is."

When we were recently approached by Bassendowski Insurance and Financial Services, they came to us with a simple premise: They wanted to shift some of their marketing spend to make more of a direct impact on people right here at home who needed it the most.

Enter Lulu’s Lodge: an LGBTQI2S+ home for youth in Regina. The program provides a live-in mentor, guidance and support around education, physical health, mental wellness, family reunification, legal matters, and advocacy. Referrals to Lulu’s are made to community agencies ensuring a continuum of care.

The John Howard Society of Saskatchewan (JHSS) was able to purchase the home with the help of the Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, but because it has no government funding for programs, it is relying on the organizations like Bassendowski’s to fund the rest of the mortgage.

“We knew a lot of non-profits weren’t able to operate in the same way they were (with regards to fundraising). So, we decided to contact Lulu’s Lodge through the John Howard Society and ask them what kind of help they would need”. It was this simple gesture from Kevin Bassendowski that led to an incredible partnership and the life-changing results that you see here: