Maison Oxygène aims to support fathers and their children

Since 2013, a network of Maisons Oxygène – or Oxygen houses – has been expanding across Quebec, trying to reach fathers who may be in distress.

One of the 22 Maison Oxygène is in Montreal’s Hochelaga, serving as a housing and support resource for fathers experiencing personal, family or marital difficulties.

“For example, someone who has been recently separated and doesn’t have a place to stay, but you know, they can always live with their friends or with parents or something like that,” said Annik Lavogiez, intervention worker with Maisons Oxygène Montréal. “But it’s harder to invite your kids when you live on a couch at a friend’s place. So we provide them a room and games and common spaces to welcome the children, and then we also provide them support.”

Dominic is one of those fathers. He has two boys aged five and eight, but not long ago he didn’t have custody of them.

“I started taking steroids and then having kids. Then I got addicted. Then basically, it’s a poison that poisoned me inside. I became someone unpleasant. Then I lost everything, my work, my girlfriend, my house. I thought of nothing, I didn’t care. Then I was at my wit’s end,” said Dominic Del Vecchio.

After completing a six-month treatment program, he was then referred to the Maison Oxygene in October. Now, things are starting to look up.

“Just recently, I regained custody of my children. We reunited after six months.”

The Réseau Maisons Oxygène is the only provincial group of organizations specializing in housing for fathers and their children in Quebec.

It was the first one established in 1989, before the creation of the network. Last year it welcomed 50 fathers and 100 kids.

“We have 12 rooms. In each room, we have a different number of beds so that we can accommodate different kinds of families,” explained Lavogiez.

The place is also equipped with a game room for kids, lounge space and a dining area.

Dads apply to get a space at the house and can stay anywhere between three to five months. They have a small amount to pay, which is about 25 per cent of their monthly income.

Throughout their stay, they’ll meet with workers weekly. “It’s going to be one on one support and a lot of activities for them to make new friends or just be better parents, find another housing or, you know, like find another job or study whatever they need,” said Lavogiez.

For Del Vecchio, it’s about getting on his feet again and starting a new passion.

“I was accepted in hairdressing school and now it’s been two and a half months, it’s going so well, I’m acing my exams,” he explained.

But what he’s hoping to excel at most: being a good dad.

“I’ll make all the efforts possible to show them that I am an admirable father. Sure I made mistakes, but I won’t make those again.”