The Cowan Foundation donates $250,000 to Help Address Homelessness in Waterloo Region
March 13, 2020
From left to right: Alice Plug-Buist, Board President, Indwell Community Homes; Mary D’Alton, Executive Director, The Cowan Foundation; Jerry McDougall, Regional Manager, Cowan Insurance Group; Jeff Neven – Executive Director, Indwell Community Homes; Leah Logan, Regional Manager, Indwell Community Homes
The Cowan Foundation is pleased to donate $250,000 to Indwell Community Homes for a new supportive housing building project in Kitchener. The funds will be used to help secure the purchase St. Mark’s Lutheran Church – the future site of Indwell’s first affordable housing program in the region.
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.
“Cowan is pleased to support the innovative approach of Indwell and their introduction to the Region of Waterloo,” says Mary D’Alton, Executive Director, The Cowan Foundation. “The creation of permanent affordable housing with on-site support removes significant 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 through transformational projects”.
“We have always been proud to support the communities where we live and work and one of the biggest challenges facing our region is affordable housing,” says Heather McLachlin, President of Cowan Insurance Group. “We know St. Mark’s will provide future tenants with stability and support as they move toward autonomy.”
“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 the Kitchener-Waterloo community to thrive as they experience health, wellness, and belonging,” says Jeff Neven, Executive Director at Indwell.
This is the second donation made to Indwell Community Homes by the Foundation, with $400,000 committed over two years (2019 – 2020) to assist with a new affordable building project in Hamilton, Ontario.
Click here for the full press release.
