After nearly 13 years with the St.Amant Foundation, Executive Director Juliette Mucha is stepping away from her role on March 28, 2024. She has taken on a new role related to supporting health and well-being in Winnipeg which is soon to be announced. Known for her whole-hearted commitment to St.Amant, Mucha shares that departing is bittersweet.
“When I first arrived here as a Senior Development Officer on a team of two, I wondered how I would learn as much as I needed to so that I could get people to believe in me and in this cause,” she remembers. “I didn’t need to worry. We often talk about people at St.Amant and how we live our mission. I felt embraced, supported and welcomed from the beginning. It really is about the people; the staff and those we support, their families, our donors and funding partners. We say it takes a village to succeed in the fundraising world, and what an incredible village we have here at St.Amant.”
The Foundation staff, mission and vision have grown during Mucha’s tenure as leader, a role she assumed over a decade ago. As she departs, there are now five full-time staff members, a new cottage for families at St.Amant, dozens of new mobility and communication devices, and a legacy of caring and supporting the items and experiences that bring joy and meaning to the lives of those receiving services at St.Amant.
Mucha is particularly proud of the Hans Kraus Family & Qualico Spirit Cottage, a project that replaced an old nuns cabin on the St.Amant property in St. Vital. “The cottage, which is now fully accessible and designed for families to be able to share in the experience of a stay at a cabin, just celebrated its 10th anniversary,” she shares. “This is a place for loved ones to be together and we’ve seen day trips, birthday parties, pool parties and more. That’s truly what it’s all about. We raised $1,000,000 to build the cottage and it’s still giving back, and it will keep giving back for years to come.”
The relationships formed with those supported at St.Amant, as well as donors and families, are precious to Mucha. “We had someone we support participate in the official opening of the cottage; she helped us cut the ribbon,” she shares. “I was recently visiting her home and there’s a framed picture of the ceremony hanging on the wall. Those are the things that I will always hold close to my heart. This is truly a community.”
Not all funding requests are as broad in scope as the Spirit Cottage, but their impact is real and long-lasting. “We worked with staff at St.Amant to see what needs exist for those they support, and we do our best to meet them,” Mucha says. “I’ll always remember when Gary and Allen went on a trip to Alberta; it was the first time they’d left the province, and they were in the 50s. Or when Gimmi got a new three-wheeled bike so that he and his roommate could finally go on rides together. There have been so many smiles shared and I’m grateful for each and every one.”
On behalf of Réseau Compassion Network, we thank Juliette Mucha for her never-ending enthusiasm and dedication to all those receiving services at St.Amant. We wish her well with all her future plans!