The Cowan Foundation recently donated a total of $650,000 to two affordable housing projects in Ontario.
A $400,000 donation to Indwell Community Homes, a charity that provides affordable housing with supports for more than 600 people in Hamilton, Woodstock, Simcoe and London will help redevelop the former Royal Oak Dairy site in Hamilton into two apartment buildings with 95 one-bedroom apartments.
Indwell tenants were formerly homeless or living in precarious situations, usually as a result of mental illness, addiction or other disabilities. They are provided with varying levels of support to enable independence, problem solving, healthy lifestyle decisions, and budgeting and have fully independent apartments and access to common areas where facilitated programming, community building, and recreational activities take place.
“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.
Cowan also donated $250,000 to help Waterloo Region convert St. Mark’s Lutheran Church into an affordable housing development in Kitchener.
It’s Indwell’s first affordable housing program in the region, with 40 units planned, said executive director, Jeff Neven.
“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,” said Jeff Neven, Executive Director at Indwell.
Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic said the donation is great news.
“It really speaks to their values of living their faith and making a fundamental difference in the lives of those who most need those supports in the community,” he said.
The church is located at King and Green Street near Grand River Hospital.