For the last few years, Stu had been living in a shared three-bedroom apartment with roommates. You may remember his story: a former musician and now a builder, part of Stu’s hopes for his recovery included a home where his children could visit more permanently.
That day arrived this November, when he and his daughter moved into a refreshed two-bedroom apartment at The Orchard, UGM’s 75-unit affordable housing complex in Surrey. It’s their first time living together since Stu went through UGM’s Men’s Recovery program, and they’re looking forward to the change. “We have an opportunity to work together and make a fresh home for a fresh start,” Stu says. “We’re excited to dress up our new place with our own furniture and style. Being a five-minute walk from school is a win for my daughter; she feels safe here and we’re both optimistic about the future.”
The Orchard is home to many stories like Stu’s. The townhouse complex features a mix of unit sizes, from one-bedrooms to four-bedroom family suites, and is built around a beautiful green space. Many people have found their footing here, where affordable rents and a sense of community make seasons of recovery and financial restabilization more achievable. And when individuals and families are ready — whether they’ve landed work or are changing cities — they move on, and any worn-out units are refreshed for the next tenants.
The men with the most hands-on role to play in giving tired apartments a makeover are Mike and Glenn, both on staff as Maintenance Supervisor and Maintenance & Custodial Worker, respectively. And these overhauls aren’t simple patch jobs. “It's quite a process for us,” says Mike. “We knock it out ourselves: countertops come off, flooring comes off, carpet comes out. Everything’s brand spanking new, from the taps to the sinks to the kitchen. The transformation is absolutely incredible.”
The care Mike and Glenn put into renovating The Orchard stems from their care for people in their community. “To see the glow on people’s faces when they first come into a new unit — it really warms our hearts,” says Mike. “Since Glenn and I have come through recovery, giving back and getting to help somebody else out is just amazing. This is what we’re all about.”
Glenn agrees. “We recently did a renovation for a single mother, and she was in tears because it was just an amazing place for her to bring up her kids. The kids wrote these little cards saying, ‘Thank you very much for our beautiful home.’ It’s going to be a new chapter in their life.”
A living room at The Orchard before being renovated
A living room ready for move-in, with refreshed paint, floors, and fixtures
Stu and his daughter are embracing their own new chapter in their transformed home. After years of rebuilding his health and family connections, Stu sees his daughter’s arrival as a moment of celebration amidst his own slow, steady change. “It's been a long road and a few years of building a life, sticking to routine, constancy, and discipline,” he says. “Those things have afforded me the trust and care of my daughter, and we’re looking forward to making a life together. We’re happy and blessed to call The Orchard our homebase.”
