AKWESASNE — (Seskéha/August 27, 2026) “Today, we come together to celebrate more than the opening of a new building. We celebrate a promise to our community and to our brothers and sisters who call the IRA homes their home,” remarked Executive Director Jill Benedict in her welcoming remarks. On Seskéha/August 26, 2026, the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe celebrated the opening of the Individual Residential Alternatives (IRA) facility at 60 Frogtown Road, Akwesasne, NY, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a tour of the new living quarters.
Executive Director Benedict said, “This new residence reflects our commitment to providing a safe, accessible, and supportive environment where residents can live with dignity, independence, and respect. It is a place designed not only to meet their needs today, but to support them through services offered in their community.”
The new IRA home is a state-of-the-art, 6,264-square-foot, 10-bedroom facility featuring handicap-accessible full kitchen and bathrooms, a medical examination room, industrial washers and dryers, a new parking lot, and a private maintenance entrance to help ensure residents are not disturbed during routine facility work. “The opening of the new IRA home stands as a significant milestone in our mission to ensure every member of our community has a safe and nurturing environment. It is a pledge to uphold the dignity and independence of our residents, and a reflection of our collective commitment to their well-being,” shared Tribal Council.
The Tribe extends a heartfelt niawen’ko:wa, or “thanks,” to the many partners who brought the project to substantial completion and opened it for new residents to enjoy. Thank you to P+I, the Facilities and Maintenance Department, Tribal Council, the SRMT Executive Director’s Office, the SRMT Community and Family Services Department, Dow Electric, Tisdel & Associates, and past administrators whose work helped pave the way for this project.
“There were many hands in this project, and there will be many more to follow as the continued vision for a walking trail for the residents, conversion of the garage into a fully functional recreation space, and the possibility of new office space,” said Facilities and Maintenance Department Director Joe Francis.