House of Friendship receives $500K grant from City of Kitchener

The House of Friendship is getting a funding boost from the City of Kitchener.

The agency is receiving a $500,000 grant through the city’s Not-for-Profit Affordable and Co-operative Housing Incentive program, which is supported through the federal government’s Housing Accelerator Fund.

The money will go toward the House of Friendship’s Friendship Village project on Charles Street.

Once it’s complete, it will serve as a new community hub with 170 supportive and affordable housing units.

Work is already underway on the project as the former men’s shelter was demolished earlier this fall.

Homelessness in Waterloo Region has increased dramatically over the last few years, but one director at the organization is not surprised.

Speaking on The Mike Farwell Show on Nov. 28, Jennifer Scott, the Housing Director at the House of Friendship, said they are seeing full beds every night.

The latest PiT numbers show over 2,300 people are experiencing homelessness in the region, an increase of 119 per cent from 2021.

Scott said they are hoping to create three levels of care to help those experiencing homelessness with the new facility.

“We’re trying to build community and ensure that people have the access that they need to health care supports,” she said.

With files from CityNews Kitchener’s Josh Goeree.