By the early 1970s, Siny Prinzen and her late husband John saw a real need in area churches for support for vulnerable adults dealing with mental health issues. With their home already a hub for young people, John wanted to see if one-on-one support would make a difference in the life of a struggling young woman. Siny, home with their two young children, was – as she says with a grin – “a part of the experiment.” That woman lived with them for a year before moving on and getting married.
Our Vision
Hope and Homes for All
Our Mission
Indwell is a Christian charity that creates affordable housing communities that support people seeking health, wellness and belonging.
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0
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tenants in 1062 households
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%
of programming and project development costs come from generous donors
which Indwell then leverages ten times
which Indwell then leverages ten times
Our Values
We value the inherent dignity of all people as image bearers of God.
We live out our Christian calling to love our neighbours as ourselves.
Hope is the foundation of all our actions.
our story
By 1974, John had organized a group of professionals to devise solutions for families with adult children who had disabilities. That year, The Homestead, as it was affectionately known, was born in downtown Hamilton. House parents were hired and seven residents were accepted. After a couple of years, The Homestead moved from a rented location on Homewood Ave. and purchased a home on Locke Street. Through 2001 that home saw many, many people served, usually moving to independent living within a year or two.
Homestead, now known as Indwell, purchased its first apartment building in 2000 with financing provided by Bill Voortman. Bill’s support and encouragement at a critical time launched significant growth for Indwell by providing the option of independent living with supports.
Since our founding, Indwell has expanded both the range and number of housing options. We now provide supportive housing to more than 1111 households in southern Ontario through our programs in Hamilton, Waterloo Region, London, Mississauga, Simcoe, St. Thomas, and Woodstock.
Our housing options range from residential care facilities with 24-hour on-site services, high support housing and independent apartments with supports.
Leadership Team
Jeff Neven
Chief Executive Officer
Jeff is an esteemed community leader who actively engages in various local initiatives. He is deeply committed to neighbourhood engagement, active transportation, homelessness prevention, his local church, and promoting recreational and employment opportunities for remote indigenous youth. Jeff earned a Master of Social Work degree in Community, Policy, Planning, and Organizations from Wilfrid Laurier University. In recognition of his exceptional contributions, he was honored with the "40 Under 40" Next Generation of Hamilton Leaders Award in 2017.Jeff and his wife Maria, live in East Hamilton and have four children.
Chris Finkbiner
Chief Operating Officer
Graham Cubitt
Director of Projects & Development
Judy Eising
Director of Community and Donor Engagement
Anisha Gunnar
Director of People & Culture
Steven Rolfe
Director of Health Partnerships
Jessica Brand
Regional Manager, Hamilton and Peel Region
Justin DeWaard
Regional Manager, Oxford and Haldimand-Norfolk
Julie Ellery
Clinical Lead
Leah Logan
Regional Manager, Waterloo Region
Natasha Thuemler
Regional Manager, Southwest
Board of Directors
John Nyholt
President
Fred Spoelstra
Vice President
Wayne Solomon
Treasurer
Alice Plug-Buist
Secretary
Jan Disselkoen
Karen Efron
Melanie Froese
Julia Marchesan
Lindsay Reynolds
Peter Van Geest
A culture of Inclusion
Indwell welcomes everyone
Indwell exists to provide hope and homes for all. Our supports, services, and employment are open to people from every creed, race, ethnicity, sex, ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Indwell’s leadership are motivated by the example of Jesus Christ as reflected in Indwell’s statement of faith. Indwell engages with diverse communities; we actively identify and remove barriers that prevent people from accessing and participating in our services and organization.
frequently asked questions
What is your legal status?
Indwell is a registered Canadian charity. We are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors with expertise in a range...
How many employees do you have? What kind of roles do they have?
As of March 2023, we have 226 employees; nearly 72% are full-time. The majority of...
Why do you have so many projects on the go?
There is tremendous need—at any given time, there are over 2,000 people on the waitlist for quality affordable housing with...
How do you decide to move into a new community?
Many communities have deep needs around affordable housing and homelessness. As our tenants and programs find success, many new communities...
How are you different from other affordable housing organizations?
Indwell has a unique mix of core competencies. We are experienced landlords, providing high-quality and affordable rental apartments. We also provide...
What does it mean that Indwell is a Christian organization?
Indwell is a Christian organization. Our leadership is made up of Christians, and our organization is guided by Christian values. This...
