Breanna’s Story

“It cheers me up. Every morning when I come down the stairs, it greets me,” describes a woman staying at E4C Elizabeth House, a program that provides short term housing and supports to homeless women in Edmonton. The woman is referring to a new large mural painted by a volunteer named Breanna.

Breanna is a Grade Twelve student with a heart for art. She volunteered for this project, hearing about it through her mom who works with J-Paints Inc. and recently repainted the walls of Elizabeth House. Breanna spent three weeks, her weekends and about 30 hours inside the walls of Elizabeth House. She completed the mural with ease, and in her time there, she also developed a rapport with the women that is one of comfort and familiarity.

Fresh paint can be like a cleanse, a fresh start. Women staying at Elizabeth House are being connected to resources and support for their own fresh starts, sometimes moving into their own homes and sometimes moving away from addictions. The mural is a reminder of what we can do and what we can make possible, at any age.