11th and 12th houses : CREB Woluwe

Constellations in collaboration with CREB association / Fundraising 2019-2024

Project to extend and completely renovate the day and residential centers at CREB Woluwe (Centre de Rééducation de l'Enfance à Bruxelles).

This center will accommodate 55 children in a day center and 27 in a residential center. This is CREB's second project, following the opening of CREB Anderlecht.

We have had encouraging contacts with the main supporters of CREB Anderlecht. Since the start of construction at CREB Anderlecht, our priority has been to find funding for CREB Woluwe.

CREB Woluwe cares for children and young people with profound mental handicaps and associated disabilities. The current premises, built without subsidies, are insalubrious, contain asbestos and are too small to meet current standards.

The authorities are imposing a complete extension and renovation on pain of closure.

The plan is to rebuild a first floor with an additional storey. The space will be increased by +/- 1000 m² and will enable the sanitary facilities and bedrooms to be brought up to standard. The work will be staggered over time, as it is impossible to close the facilities.

Constellations has a major role to play in bringing the project to a successful conclusion. In fact, this will be the most ambitious project Constellations has ever undertaken. The cost, initially €5,000,000 in 2021, has risen to €6,650,000 in 2024 due to increased construction costs. More than 120 people work in this center, and their jobs are also at stake.

We had found the necessary €5,000,000, including equipment. Our own contribution is €650,000, and we have secured €1,450,000 from several foundations thanks to Constellations' contribution. These foundations include the Lokumo Foundation, the Rotary Clubs of Brussels, the M.M Delacroix Foundation, CAP48, the ROGER DE SPOELBERCH Foundation, the NIF Foundation, the Michelham Foundation and Fonds 6088.

COCOF will cover a large part of the cost of inflation. We have taken other measures to finance the reconstruction, and we are committed to seeing the project through to the end. Given the context, we have decided that the 2025 theater evening will be dedicated to supporting our 3 current projects, including the CREB. Rising construction costs make this additional support unavoidable.

The good news is that, after 18 months of struggle, we have just obtained planning permission. Of course, the requested modifications have an additional cost of €250,000, bringing the total cost of the project to €6,650,000 (€6,250,000 for construction and €400,000 for equipment).

We hope to find the missing money for construction with the help of the commune of Woluwe-Saint-Lambert and an additional contribution from Constellations (Théâtre 2025).

We still need to finance the equipment (400,000€), including the purchase of a Snoezelen. We're counting on further support from CAP48, Brussels Rotary and friendly foundations.

Given the lengthy procedures in Brussels, we still have to obtain final approval from the administrationand the regional Government for the project and the mandatory call for tenders. Construction can then begin.

Constellations has a major role to play in providing support in all the areas concerned in order to bring the project to a successful conclusion as quickly as possible.