$400,000 Donation for Affordable and Supportive Housing Project in Hamilton

From left to right: Judy Eising, Director of Donor Relations and Fundraising, Indwell; Mary D’Alton, Executive Director, The Cowan Foundation; Jessica Brand, Assistant Program Director, Indwell; Heather McLachlin, President, Cowan Insurance Group; Jerry McDougall, Regional Manager, Cowan Insurance Group; Jeff Neven, Executive Director, Indwell; Alice Plug-Buist, Board President, Indwell

The Cowan Foundation is pleased to donate $400,000 to Indwell Community Homes, a charity that provides affordable housing with supports for more than 600 people in Hamilton, Woodstock, Simcoe, and London.

The funds will assist with the cost to redevelop the former Royal Oak Dairy site in Hamilton, Ontario into two apartment buildings with a total of 95 one-bedroom apartments. 

Indwell tenants are people who were formerly homeless or living in precarious situations, usually as a result of mental illness, addiction or other disabilities. Tenants are provided with varying levels of support to enable independence, problem solving, healthy lifestyle decisions, and budgeting. Tenants have fully independent apartments and access to common areas where facilitated programming, community building, and recreational activities take place. Indwell staff also help tenants access social workers, case managers, doctors, psychiatrists, personal support workers and other external supports as needed. 

“We see incredible hope and stability for the future tenants of the Royal Oak Dairy building project,” says Heather McLachlin, President, Cowan Insurance Group. “We are proud to give back to communities where we live and work and recognize that affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges faced by so many in this region.” 

“On behalf of the Directors of The Cowan Foundation, we are pleased to support Indwell Community Homes and their Royal Oak Dairy project in Hamilton,” says Mary D’Alton, Executive Director, The Cowan Foundation. “The creation of additional permanent affordable housing removes significant economic barriers to help people step out of poverty and closely demonstrates our Foundation’s commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of Canadians.”

“We’re incredibly grateful for The Cowan Foundation and their focus on health and well-being. This gift towards affordable, supportive housing will enable many in our community to thrive as they experience health, wellness, and belonging,” says Jeff Neven, Executive Director at Indwell.