A Legacy Built on Dignity, Love, and Hope
In 2024, Indwell celebrates a remarkable milestone — half a century of compassion, innovation, and unwavering commitment to providing dignity and independence for individuals with disabilities. From its humble beginnings to becoming a beacon of hope across communities, Indwell’s journey is a rich tapestry of triumphs, challenges, and profound impacts. As we honour this 50th anniversary, we invite you to explore the captivating stories and pivotal moments that have shaped Indwell’s legacy. Your engagement and support will help propel us forward as we continue to create inclusive communities, embrace new challenges, and embark on the next 50 years of transformational work together.
1970s
The Homestead
It all started with The Homestead. A passionate group of Christians in Hamilton put their heads together, determined to devise solutions for families with adult children with disabilities. In 1974 “The Homestead,” as it was affectionately known, was born in downtown Hamilton. House parents were hired, and seven residents were accepted.
In 1976, The Homestead moved from a rented location on Homewood Avenue and purchased a home on Locke Street. Through to 2001 that home saw many, many people served, usually moving to independent living within a year or two. Looking back, it seems like a simple solution, but at the time, the idea that people with mental illness could learn to live independently was avant garde.
The Homestead established Indwell’s consistent vision: a life of dignity and independence for people. It still holds true.
1980s
House Parents
"House parents” were hired to live in and support residents. Among those house parents was a special couple named Velva and Rudy DeVries, who worked with Indwell for an incredible 23 years.
Here are a few of their memories in their own words:
“When we started with Homestead in June 1979, the public, in general, understood very little about mental illness, not to mention Homestead. It was very important for the neighbourhood to understand and welcome not only the residents, but Homestead’s philosophy and goals. We held a community meeting, as well as a Vacation Bible School for children in the community, which became one of the major breakthroughs in winning the hearts of both the area adults and their children.
“Eventually, numerous volunteers, friends, and neighbors joined us in our many activities. Our residents beamed with pride when guests joined us for 10 a.m. coffee and savoured each bite of their homemade cookies. While on walks, neighbors commented as to how nice it was to see everyone gathered around the large table like one big happy family enjoying an evening meal which, of course, was prepared by one of the residents.
“We had regular Bible reading and prayer and everyone knew when it was their turn to cook, clean or do any of the other house duties. Rudy spent many hours talking with therapists, doctors, psychiatrists, and others who were involved in the lives of each resident. We held weekly progress and intake meetings with one of the residents and our social worker. The residents were given an opportunity to share concerns and we helped motivate them in reaching their goals.
“Our favorite stories are the numerous success stories of the residents. Many have become dear friends and seeing their joy and progress increases ours. One young woman was making $1.00 an hour at her job at the time. We encouraged her to go for training, and today she is making a very decent wage. One young man asked Rudy to be best man at his wedding. Another, who we had not seen for 44 years, just contacted us four days ago!
1990s
Echoes of Independence
Journeying through the decades of the 70s, 80s, and 90s, the Homestead welcomed numerous residents who discovered a sense of community and acquired valuable skills. While most residents transitioned to independent living, many keeping in close touch with staff and friends at the Homestead.
Steve Rolfe, our Director of Health Partnerships, reminisces about The Homestead’s “legendary” status in the 90s — a unique community-based living option distinct from case management services.
While not an official part of the health care system yet, The Homestead was known for complementing it, and many medical residents at McMaster in the 70s and 80s volunteered with The Homestead as part of their training. In a Hamilton Spectator article entitled “Homestead working wonders,” Rudy DeVries (the long-term house parent from our last post) stated, “At least 40 former residents have never been readmitted to hospital since leaving the Locke Street South home.”
As our understanding of mental health evolved, The Homestead recognized the need for growth, prompting considerations for expansion. A resident’s optimistic letter during The Homestead’s 25th anniversary expressed excitement about future possibilities: “Homestead is now thinking of expansion and trying a new method that I am all for: our own apartment, having the support of The Homestead staff on hand. This will give us a change to ‘spread our wings’ yet give the stability we need. That way we can grow in independence, yet when problems arise, we have the staff on hand to help.”
Fast forward to today: there are over 1200 tenants benefiting from Indwell’s supportive and affordable housing model, echoing the aspirations of that past resident!
2000s
Caroline Apartments
By 1999, shifts in psychiatric treatment and the rise of the psychosocial rehabilitation movement reshaped perceptions of community care standards.
Embracing the evolving landscape, we shifted focus towards establishing permanent housing that prioritized independence while offering a spectrum of supports. In a pivotal move, 1999 witnessed the acquisition of Caroline Apartments, marking the inception of our independent living program with supportive services.
According to the Homestead Residential and Support Services biannual newsletter, “…the clients will have access to 24 hours on call emergency care. Rehabilitation training services will expand existing programs in life and social skills, meal and finance skills, leisure and recreation skills, and education/vocational skills.”
Caroline Apartments also included a Shared Care Program involving partnerships with Salem — now Shalem Mental Health Network — and many other faith-based organizations. We couldn’t have done this important work alone!
This model of independent living with supports, like on-call emergency care and programming, set the stage for Indwell’s buildings and programs to this day.
Bill Voortman
The transition to opening Caroline Apartments wouldn’t have been possible without the invaluable contribution of Bill Voortman (1932-2020).
As the co-founder of Voortman Cookies and a visionary Christian philanthropist, Bill saw something special in our organization. He provided a second mortgage for Homestead (now Indwell) to purchase Caroline Apartments, a six-storey apartment building at 249 Caroline St S in Hamilton.
After several years, when Bill was confident that Homestead was ready for a larger gift, he donated the balance of the mortgage. His early investment set us on a new path—a path of providing supports for many more people to live independently. Through the years, Bill continued to support Indwell’s growth through prayer, advice, and financial gifts from his charitable foundation.
We are so grateful for his legacy, and for the 25 years during which countless people have experienced opportunities for health, wellness, and belonging in the homes at Caroline Apartments and the many programs that followed in the path of this new model.
Blossom Park
In 2004, we recognized a need in Woodstock and acquired a group home at the invitation of local Christians and Oxford County, marking our earliest venture beyond Hamilton. And that was only the start of Indwell’s presence in Woodstock.
Our first successful grant application led to the construction of townhouse-style apartments in 2008 – yielding 27 more supportive homes on the same site.
Our professional care teams are witness to the transformation of residents who take part in Indwell’s community of contribution and care. Very intentionally, Indwell is providing the foundation upon which residents and their service partners can map the Road to Recovery.- MIKE McMAHON, Executive Director, Oxford Branch – CMHA, as quoted in Indwell Newsletter, December 2014
I like that my friends here are in the same situation as me that we can share stories because they understand what my life is like. It helps me not to feel like I’m the only one living with mental illness…Living with a mental illness can be hard, but life can be good too.- Robert, Resident at Woodstock Homestead (now known as Blossom Park Apartments and Townhomes), 2007
Wentworth
Back in Hamilton, while we were trying out a new model of supportive independent living, we still saw a need for excellent, high quality supportive living for those with higher acuity. Our Wentworth Program began in 2002 and continues to provide a high level of support in the 25-room residential care facility, as well as offering standard supports in two neighbouring apartment buildings – 25 one-bedroom apartments and 11 studio apartments.
Our program not only supports residents but has also served as a training ground for dedicated staff over the past 20+ years, fostering a legacy of excellence in care. The residents enjoy daily meals in a homey atmosphere, and annual barbecues involve volunteers, friends, family and community members. Some of the residents have even crafted their own anthem, “Take Me Home, Wentworth South.” (It may sound a lot like a certain well-known John Denver song!)
A spectrum of supports
Since the purchase of Caroline Apartments, we’ve taken a unique approach: high quality affordable housing where tenants can live independently with a spectrum supports available.
These supports take many forms. Some tenants need support with medication, with food security, with coordination of community resources, or just a listening ear. In the mid-2000’s Indwell began offering a 6 week-long life skills program at Blossom Park and Wentworth Program. These skills included personal care, communication, home maintenance, and nutrition and cooking. Nowadays, while not every program has this specific class, all of our programs offer opportunities for tenants to build skills and interact with each other and their community in positive ways, through weekly Tea Times, groups like “Rock Talk” (a music discussion group), cooking groups, game nights and much more.
Recently, a long-time tenant of Hamilton’s Perkins Centre came proudly into our Resource Centre offices, showing off his certificate of completion for a course about Healthy Habits. He wanted to show our wider community and we’re happy to share his achievement with you.
2010s
The Perkins Centre
2011 saw the opening of The Perkins Centre, named after the Christian community development pioneer John M. Perkins. His profound words, “You don’t give people dignity, you affirm it,” continue to inspire our mission.
Formerly a restaurant, rooming house, and nightclub, The Perkins Centre underwent a metamorphosis. It now houses 46 affordable studio apartments, a vibrant community development center, and versatile rental spaces. This transformation was guided by Indwell’s vision to amplify its positive impact on the neighborhood.
Perkins Centre tenants have access to staff support both on-site and on-call. Tenants, volunteers and staff continue to run various community-building activities, achieved through active partnerships, including a lasting relationship with New Hope Church Hamilton.
The Perkins Centre marked our first retrofit of an existing building (and our first, but not last, transformation of a derelict nightclub!), and our expansion as a community service provider. The large ground-floor space is still home to New Hope Church on Sundays, as well as many community events throughout the year, like political discussions, meetings, and even weddings!
A new name
Indwell began because a group of Christians were inspired by the message of Jesus to care for their neighbours. We believe that living and working as Christian organization is a mission of inclusion, humility, and love. We value the inherent dignity of all people as image bearers of God, living out our Christian calling to love our neighbours as ourselves, and holding hope as the foundation of our actions.
In 2014, marking our 40th anniversary, we sought a new name that would continue to reflect these values. Through the years we’ve had several different names, each serving the purposes of a specific era. Since 1976, we’ve been called Home for Substitute Living Incorporated (1976), Homestead Residential and Support Services, known as The Homestead (1988), and Homestead Christian Care (2001).
Our new name, Indwell (as we’re now known), reflects our commitment to our mission of caring for people, motivated by our faith. Indwell means to “inhabit” or to “dwell in.” Christians use the word “indwell” to reference the change they observe in themselves when the Holy Spirit lives in them, and they become more like Jesus in their actions, desires, and their consideration for others. The name also references the welcome and wellness provided by a safe, stable dwelling.
Rudy Hulst Commons
If you’ve ever driven down Main Street East in Hamilton, you might have noticed a large Indwell sign on an attractive six-storey apartment structure across from the Perkins Centre. That’s Rudy Hulst Commons, our very first “from scratch” building. Since 2016, it’s been home to up to 47 tenants, as well as housing Indwell’s Resource Centre.
Its namesake, Rudy Hulst, retired from Indwell in December 2015. After serving on the Board of Directors of Indwell in the 1990’s, Rudy became Executive Director, then Director of Finance and finished as a member of the Project and Development Team. We are so grateful for the amazing legacy he’s left.
We released this heartwarming video for Rudy Hulst Commons’ grand opening, and even though much has changed (for one thing, a lot more than twelve staff work out of the Resource Centre now!), Kendra, the tenant featured in this video, still lives at Rudy Hulst Commons, along with many other tenants who have found health, wellness, and belonging with supportive, affordable housing.
Hambleton Hall
For nearly a decade, Indwell has been a proud part of Simcoe. In 2014 community members and civic leaders, aware of the desperate need for affordable housing in Haldimand and Norfolk counties, visited Indwell’s Perkins Centre in Hamilton. They met tenants, talked with staff, and became convinced that something similar could be developed in Simcoe.
Architects and engineers visited St. James United Church’s former Sunday School and ministry building, Hambleton Hall, which was up for sale, and determined that the large building could be transformed into apartments. By April 2015, extensive renovations began, marking Indwell’s first move to a new region in twelve years.
The journey hasn’t just been about housing; it’s been about building a community of care and belonging. In 2016, Church Out Serving aided in constructing garden beds for tenants to grow vegetables, resulting in over 2,800 meals during their first year. The people who live at Hambleton Hall run a Parking Lot Fundraiser during the iconic Norfolk County Fair every year, the proceeds of which go to various community charities.
We are so excited for those who will enjoy the privilege of calling Hambleton Hall home. This cherished historic building will provide bright, clean, affordable apartments – a neighbourhood of care, dignity, support and belonging.
- Eric Haverkamp, Church Out Serving, 2016
Strathearne Suites
In 2016, we increased our provision of healthcare through the creation of Hamilton’s Strathearne Suites. We'd been advocating for and investigating opportunities to develop independent settings that also provided solid supports for tenants with complex health needs—a solution that bridged the gap between group homes and long-term care and more independent living.
We took a run-down apartment building in East Hamilton and transformed it into 39 studio units, as well as a kitchen for daily hot meals, a common room/dining room, office spaces, a computer lab, and a laundry room. The staff team worked with tenants on a range of activities including management of illnesses like diabetes, supporting recovery from active addictions, building community, and fostering independent living skills including nutrition and diet. In addition to Indwell’s usual apartment support staff, Strathearne Suites was the first program to offer community nursing and addiction professionals, who built connections with Public Health, the Shelter Health Network, and other community organizations.
According to the first onsite nurses at Strathearne Suites (and at Indwell!), Jessica Van de Hoef and Kylie Tindall: “The beginning of Strathearne Suites can be summarized as a lot of trial and error—before the kitchen was finished we used to cook meals for the tenants on hot plates, crock pots and the barbecue! We may not always have gotten it right, and we had to make lots of changes; however, it’s encouraging to see how many of the first Strathearne tenants are still living within Indwell and how many of our team still works at Indwell in different roles.”
Harvey Woods Lofts 2.0
Remember Blossom Park Apartments and Townhouses, Indwell’s first foray out of Hamilton? Indwell’s story in Woodstock doesn’t stop there.
In October of 2013, just before Homestead Christian Care became Indwell, we purchased Harvey Woods Lofts in Woodstock – an old textile factory that flourished as one of Woodstock’s largest employers from the early 1900’s to the mid-1970’s, but closed in 1990.
That wasn’t the end of the Harvey Woods story. Harvey Woods Lofts was welcoming tenants in 2015 into 54 apartments, and another 26 with Phase 2 in 2017, making it Indwell’s largest affordable supportive housing project at that point in our history. We’re proud to offer hope and homes in Woodstock!
Parkdale Landing
East Hamilton’s Strathearne Suites led to the creation of its “sister” building Parkdale Landing in 2018. This project saw the gutting and partial reconstruction of the former George and Mary’s tavern on the corner of Melvin & Parkdale in East Hamilton. The tavern had become completely dilapidated, though it was home to people who paid amounts nearly equal to Indwell’s rent, just to live in terrible conditions. Our vision was to transform the building into 57 studio apartments, with enhanced supports.
Built to Passive House Standard (more about that later), Parkdale Landing also boasted a large commercial kitchen with a massive dining room that also served Strathearne Suites tenants. Tenants were provided one meal a day out of this space, and had the opportunity to gather and build community over dinner.
2020s
Dogwood Suites
Originally built in 1863, The Norfolk Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1957 and later rebuilt as the two-storey Norfolk Inn. Over time, it transitioned into a nightclub and rooming house, eventually falling into neglect and negatively impacting downtown. We acquired the property in 2018 to give the building new life as supportive affordable housing. To see what it looked like before, check out this video.
Opened in 2022, Dogwood Suites offers 51 studio and apartments, including 14 barrier-free units. The building features common areas with computer access and on-site laundry, onsite Indwell support staff with 24/7 on-call support. The ground floor is home to the Haldimand Norfolk Assertive Community Treatment Team, which provides specialized community-based services to adults to individuals with severe mental illness and complex physical, psychological, and social needs.
As of June 2023, none of the people living at Dogwood Suites or Hambleton Hall have ended up back on the streets. Mayor Amy Martin, Norfolk County said Indwell can be credited with “helping us rebuild a downtown urban centre.”
McQuesten Lofts
In 2020, we added another 50 much-needed homes to the neighborhood with the opening of McQuesten Lofts next to Parkdale Landing.
Back in 2017, when we applied for funding for what is now Hamilton’s McQuesten Lofts, we had a sobering statistic in mind: approximately 20% of unhoused people in Canada’s major cities are Indigenous. Through conversations with De dwa da dehs nye>s Aboriginal Health Centre and the Hamilton Regional Indian Centre (HRIC), we ensured that 20% of the units at McQuesten Lofts would house Indigenous tenants and include cultural support.
Volunteers play a pivotal role
At Indwell, we’ve been celebrating the invaluable contributions of volunteers for 50 years.
Back when we started as Homestead Substitute Living Incorporated, volunteers played a pivotal role in everything from organizing movie nights to sharing cooking expertise and lending a hand in our gardens – and that’s just scratching the surface. Stories from Indwell’s 25th Anniversary in 1999 vividly illustrate how volunteers became an integral part of the original Homestead community:
The church became more involved. The Young Adults set up a Sports Night one night per week with the residents and Rudy. They played for fun, but they played hard. Then there would be a time to socialize over coffee and a goody. Some kept up the contact with the residents for years, also helping them in woodworking. Many of us still have furniture that was made by the residents.In our 2021-2022 Annual Impact Report, we were thrilled to share that more than 130 dedicated volunteers collectively devoted 1,327 hours to supporting Indwell over the course of a year. And guess what? That number has continued to soar! It’s remarkable to reflect on how we’re woven into an amazing community of compassion and support.
Not just a big city issue
St. Thomas is special to us.
In 2021, we were realizing that homelessness was no longer just in the big cities. Facing a tremendous need, we partnered with the City of St. Thomas to open 15 studio apartments above their public transit office. The City identified the most at-risk individuals, mostly from encampments, based on factors such as length of time experiencing homelessness, vulnerability, and frequency in accessing support services and they moved into their new homes, which came with a uniquely high level of support to ensure residents stayed housed and had the best chance to thrive.
To be continued...
