Indwell: A story of hope and belonging through affordable supportive housing, with Jeff Neven

#009 – In a recent Waterloo Regional Record article titled, "Affordable Housing Gives Vulnerable People an Opportunity to Thrive", author Leah Conner shares about her lived experience and the trauma of finding herself homeless as a young mom with 2 children. Eventually, she did became recipient of affordable housing -- a small townhouse in Waterloo. But she emphatically states that without it, "I wouldn’t be here writing this now. I would not have earned a master’s degree. My children would not be the brilliant well-nourished people they are today."  Reflecting on her experience, Leah declares this truth:  "Affordable housing ventures are long-term investments that provide invaluable returns."  

One organization that knows all about providing affordable housing for the most vulnerable of populations is the Christian housing corporation, Indwell.  Their mission is to create affordable housing communities that support people seeking health, wellness and belonging. For them, providing housing is all about helping people to overcome adversities, find their full potential in life, and assist in the journey towards total well-being!

On this podcast we are joined by Indwells' CEO, Jeff Neven. For the past 20 years Jeff and his team have grown from supporting just 7 tenants to providing homes and supports for 700+ people with nearly 800 units under construction.  Jeff is an established community leader, actively involved in youth neighbourhood engagement, homelessness prevention, and his local church.  He holds a MSW in Community, Policy, Planning and Organizations from Wilfred Laurier University, and received the "40 Under 40" Next Generation of Hamilton Leaders award in 2017.

Topics discussed in this episode:

In this conversation, Jeff Neven paints a picture of what it takes to live out Christian values  as a housing provider. He does so by explaining Indwell's response to: what's driving the housing crisis in Canada; facilitating partnerships with faith communities; their spectrum of  wrap-around services; where dignity and building beautiful buildings meet; the importance of good relationships with tenants; and the adaptive reuse of buildings (not only their preservation but also their redemptive value in brick and mortar and in tenant's lives). Throughout, Jeff explains that underpinning all that Indwell does, is a commitment to living out the values of dignity, love and hope.

During the podcast Jeff explains:

• His faith, vocational and family roots, and his business calling
• What's driving the housing crisis?
• Facilitating partnerships with churches, charities and others
• Myths to be dispelled and whole person solutions
• Dignity and the purpose for beautiful buildings
• Current Indwell projects
• Indwell's wrap-around services and support teams
• What it means in practise to be a faith-based organization that is a housing provider
• The call to be involved: being Jesus to your neighbour!

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For full show notes and/or If you'd like to learn more about bridging the gap between church and community, head to:

https://in2neighbourhoods.com/indwell

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