From our Board Chair and CEO
Dear friends of Indwell,
You play an integral role in providing dignity, hope, and love through supportive housing. We are deeply thankful for you. For more than 50 years, through you, Indwell has been providing supportive housing that transforms lives. What began in one home with fewer than 10 people in 1974 has grown to 29 communities supporting 1,300 people. Whether you’ve been a friend for all 50+ years, or this is the first time you’re learning of us, we’re humbled and honoured that you’re part of the impact supportive housing is making in the lives of so many people.
In last year’s Annual Impact Report, we expressed frustration that critical government funding gaps prevented the launch of several building projects. As our support community, you faithfully showed up with generous capital donations totalling more than 10% of each project — usually ahead of the needed government funding. We asked in that letter that praying friends remember this urgent need.
Now we’re thrilled to report that the 2024-2025 fiscal year has seen us green-light building projects in London, Cambridge, Mississauga, and Hamilton; most had been stalled due to lack of funding. And later this fall, we’ll begin construction on our third program in St. Thomas, a conversion of the old Balaclava School. We’ll have 500 units under construction or opening in 2025. More hope, more homes, for 500 Ontarians!
It’s a privilege to present the stories highlighted in this report. These individuals exemplify the love that so many residents develop for their communities — inside and outside their apartment buildings. The story is the same for all of us: belonging and connection are antidotes to loneliness, addiction, and a host of other challenges that plague our society. In fact, Threads of Belonging is a theme you’ll see repeated throughout this year – in this report and at our events.
While each new project is exciting, it’s the support our program staff offer every single day of the year after the buildings open that make all the difference. Each staff member is part of a team that collaborates and draws in community partners who wrap person-centred supports around each individual as needed. People who have been chronically unhoused often face complex health and daily living challenges. We’re grateful for support from hospitals and clinics, the Ministry of Health, local service agencies among many other partners — along with generous community donations — that make it possible for our staff to refine their programming to customize support for everyone who lives in our programs.
We hope that you’ll be encouraged by what you read in this Impact Report. Together, we are making a difference. Please, if you’re a praying person, continue to pray for this work.
Thank you for your continued generosity and support!
John Nyholt
Chair, Board of Directors
Jeff Neven
Chief Executive Officer
Community Connections
External supports matter
John, a nature lover, has called Simcoe’s Dogwood Suites home since 2023.
Due to a work injury, he had become precariously housed and hitchhiked all over Ontario seeking help through social assistance, but to no avail. Upon returning to the Norfolk County area, he got the same response from social services: “We’re full.” That was until crossing paths with Janice Warrell, a Norfolk County Housing Support Worker who helped John (and others) obtain housing with Indwell.
When John had to submit important paperwork, Janice came to Indwell to file the papers herself. He quotes Janice as saying to him: “I’ll not let you go to the streets.”
“If I put it in the mail, it might not have made it,” he said. “There’s a lot of really good workers like that in the system. When you’re here you get lifted up and get yourself going again. I know at least I’ll never live on the streets again with the help of people like Janice and charities like Indwell. It means a lot.”
John is part of Dogwood Suites’ Community Matters volunteer group, walking with purpose every week by collecting garbage around town.
Your Impact
by the numbers
April 2024 to March 2025
Goal planning meetings, check-ins, case conferences
Recreational groups, games nights, skill development groups
Cooking programs, food bank and community resource identification, and help with grocery shopping
Health assessments, conversations with outpatient supports, staff accompaniment to appointments or hospital visits, medication support and nursing support
Numbers reflect data gathered from approximately 1290 tenants. Please note: not all tenants require all services listed.
Community Connections
Deeply supportive staff
Marianne Ferris has been a Housing Support Worker at Woodstock’s Harvey Woods Lofts for 10 years. Like nearly half of the 80+ tenants, she’s been there since the building opened in 2015. “I love her with all my heart. She’s a mother figure to me, even though we’re close in age,” Dianne says.
Marianne assists tenants in a variety of challenges, whether it be paperwork for Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) or support with navigating grief.
Patrick shares that he’s had trouble spelling for most of his life, and although he isn’t embarrassed by this, he chooses to only ask Marianne for help. “I trust her so much, so she knows I have a hard time with it,” he says.
Marianne summarizes her decade with Indwell: “Each tenant brings something special. There is something to learn from everyone. I have loved the opportunity to build relationships that are supportive and encouraging.”
(featured on cover) Marianne (L) is both Patrick (C) and Dianne’s (R) primary support worker. Patrick has lived at Harvey Wood Lofts since it opened, and Dianne moved in eight years ago. Dianne, in tears, describes Marianne as her “teammate.”
Building Belonging
by the numbers
including
Indwell’s tenant employees help keep our buildings running smoothly across all sites, in a variety of roles.
Program Supervisor Rikki Bouwman (R) with Emily, describes her as “a very generous and sweet human being.”
Community Connections
Tenant-led community
Emily is a former tenant at Weber Street Apartments in Kitchener.
Through Indwell’s assistance and advocacy, Emily recently moved to another program that better addresses her increasing needs. Emily, who has schizophrenia, substance use disorder, and other mental health challenges, benefitted greatly from Indwell’s wraparound supports, as well as support from the tenant community. Her tenant neighbours gave her clothes, shared meals, allowed her to visit when she wanted a friend, and communicated with program staff about her wellbeing and whereabouts.
When Indwell began providing support services at Weber Street Apartments in 2022, enhanced safety and security measures were put in place to help Emily and other tenants, including increased apartment checks, structural protection, and careful guest monitoring. These are only some examples where expertise, mixed with creativity and compassion, create outcomes that keep the building and tenants safe.
“Not one of these people in this building would put her in harm’s way… Belonging doesn’t always have to look like acceptance of certain behaviours. It’s keeping everyone safe because everyone deserves that. We see that daily here,” explains Rikki. “I’m responsible for this community, so for me when I do everything I can to contribute to safety, that’s a job well done.”
Financial Snapshot
Growing sustainably
April 2024 to March 2025
We Received
We Spent
For operating
and programs
For new buildings
Operating Revenue and Operating Expenses
*Short fiscal year: Sept. 2022-Mar. 2023
Breakdown of Operating Revenue
Total: $35.5M*
* Does not include capital or reserve fund revenue
Allocation of Operating Expenses
Total: $32.4M
Consolidated Revenue
Assets & Liabilities
*Short fiscal year: Sept. 2022-Mar. 2023
Making Housing Affordable
A guide for facilitating partnerships with churches and charities to develop affordable housing
We are indwell
The values that drive us
Dignity
We affirm the image of God in everyone.
Love
We love our neighbours.
Hope
Hope is the foundation of what we do.
Donate
Through your gifts you are providing affordable housing, supports, and community for Indwell tenants. This helps each person achieve health, wellness and belonging.
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Indwell is a Hamilton-based Christian charity that has been supporting vulnerable adults dealing with mental health challenges for 50 years. We are the fastest growing developer of new supportive affordable housing in Ontario. Indwell’s communities support over 1300 tenants in regions across Southern and Southwestern Ontario—with several projects currently under construction or pre-development. Indwell empowers tenants to achieve health and wellness goals, and to constructively engage with their communities.
