Ribeira Grande, Portugal Mayor and Councillor visit Abrigo

Meeting held to discuss social service programs in Canada and Portugal

The Abrigo Centre had the distinct pleasure on October 17th to welcome the Mayor of Ribeira Grande, Portugal Mr. Alexandre Gaudencio as well as city councilor Mr. Hernani Costa during their visit to Canada.

Abrigo Executive Director Ed Graca provided some of the history of our organization and an extensive overview of the programs and services Abrigo currently provides to more than 6,500 clients who visit our agency each year.

Our Portuguese visitors also spoke extensively about where and how programs are provided in their city and various ideas were exchanged on how better to deliver services in both countries.

After the hour-long meeting Mayor Gaudencio and Councillor Costa were given a tour of the agency and spent a significant amount of time visiting with the seniors in Abrigo’s Life and Hope Educational and Recreational group. It gave our guests an opportunity to hear first-hand some of the issues our seniors are facing on a daily basis.

To their surprise and delight, the eagle-eyed visitors saw an old photo, taken mostly likely sometime in the 80s, of Ribeiraa Grande’s City Hall hanging in our second floor computer room.

Thank you to Mayor Gaudencio and Councillor Costa for joining us for a most informative visit.