Indwell’s vision is ‘Hope & Homes for All’
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
Chris Abbott
Editor
Celebrating the 10th anniversary of Hambelton Hall, Indwell hosted a Hope & Homes celebration barbecue on Thursday, July 16, sharing stories of courage at one of their two permanent supportive housing programs in Simcoe.
Approximately 91 apartments are provided in Norfolk County, and across Southern Ontario, Indwell supports 1,450 individuals in nine regions (Sarnia was the newest) – people experiencing homelessness or at risk in precarious housing situations, providing healthcare, community supports and opportunities to flourish through partnerships with governments, healthcare providers including nursing and addiction support, community organizations, and supported by community donations.
Simcoe’s Dogwood Suites opened in 2022, more than doubling their capacity in Norfolk County.
“Indwell started 50 years ago, really as a solution to homelessness,” said Justin Dewaard, Regional Director – Haldimand-Norfolk.
The vision is ‘Hope and Homes for All,’ he said.
“That’s what drives us. Our work’s not finished until everyone has a home,” said Dewaard, noting Indwell is a Christian charity creates affordable housing communities for people seeking help and a promise of belonging.”
Affordability is key, as well as having on-site support.
“Staff help people transition from homelessness – a very tough situation – to be able to maintain permanent housing.”
Community is central to what they do – building ‘community’ within the program, with activities that bring people together and connect neighbours.
“We give people an affordable place to live and easy access to supports, and they’re part of the community, that’s the recipe for success.”
Across Indwell, they have a 91% housing stability rate, which means people moving into Indwell facilities typically stay ‘housed.’ Most do not transition back into homelessness again.
“I think a big part of the program’s success is our values as an organization. We talk about dignity, every single human being has dignity; we talk about loving our neighbours; and we talk about hope. Those are the values that influence how we design a building. Those values are also baked into relationships our staff have with tenants – our staff genuinely care about the well-being of our tenants. They know them by name, they support them on their journey.”
Nicole Whilsmith, regional staff from Hamilton, works on the intake management team for all the Indwell programs in Ontario, including Norfolk County.
“The screening process is quite extensive,” said Whilsmith. “When someone is referred to us, it’s not like they move in the next day. We want to make sure they know that we’re different. And it’s not for everybody. Not everyone wants to engage with supportive housing. So we want to get to know them, we want them to get to know us to make sure the fit is right and they understand what it is that they are signing up for. We always give them an opportunity to come see the building, meet the staff, and take it from there.
“We work in collaboration with our community partners to receive names. Everything’s works better when it’s in partnership.”
Indwell has been in Simcoe for 10 years, Whilsmith noted. It’s not just a program for cities like Hamilton and Toronto.
“Small towns need it as well.”
Tours of Hambleton Hall were conducted, showcasing art by tenants, and a celebration dinner was hosted.
“It’s just a celebration of Indwell being here,” said Kristen VanderBerg, Director of Communications and Donor Engagement. “It’s a celebration of providing Hope and Homes for All in the community. It’s an opportunity for tenants, donors, community members to get together.
“I think this is the first time it was a summer BBQ, usually it’s in the spring. We had to pivot because of the air quality – it was supposed to be outside with the big tent and some yard games for kids. We pivoted, moved inside, and it’s going well. People are having a good time.”
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