Journal staff The Sarnia Community Foundation is launching a new fund to support efforts towards establishing affordable and supportive housing in Sarnia-Lambton.
Journal staff
The Sarnia Community Foundation is launching a new fund to support efforts towards establishing affordable and supportive housing in Sarnia-Lambton.
“This is good news for residents and supporters who are deeply concerned for those who are homeless or live in very poor conditions,” executive director Mike Barron said in a news release. “We already have several thousand dollars in the fund, and we are getting calls asking for more information on how they can contribute to the efforts.
“We are watching closely what community foundations in other cities are doing to combat the current housing crisis,” he added, “and we are ready to play an active role in fundraising and supporting any effort to address the need.”
Michael John Kooy, a member of the Sarnia Rotary Club, and active in pursuing affordable housing options, welcomes the creation of the Affordable Housing Fund.
“Donations to the fund will go a long way to achieving new affordable and supportive housing. Our group of Rotarians has been actively engaging with the city, the County, Queens Park, and Ottawa and we’re also coordinating our efforts with all the agencies in Sarnia that have anything to do with housing for the many folks who are living rough.”
Rotary members Heather Martin, John DeGroot, and Brian Mundt agree that the establishment of the Sarnia Community Foundation Fund earmarked for affordable and supportive housing is a positive kick-start to what will soon be a huge financial need.
“We’ve been advised by Indwell, a Hamilton-based provider of affordable housing in communities in Southwestern Ontario, that we can only expect success in our efforts if we work together at the local community level and the municipal, provincial, and federal levels,” said DeGroot. “We expect that early next year a site will be identified for supportive housing, after which we will embark on a major fundraising campaign.”
“Sarnia Community Foundation was established 40 years ago, and we have over 10 million in assets,” Barron added. “The funds are invested carefully with proceeds distributed annually to organizations in Sarnia-Lambton, and fundholders are given the option of where their funds will be directed.”
For more information about the Affordable Housing Fund or to make a donation to the Fund, call the Sarnia Community Foundation at 519 332-2588 or visit the website www.sarniacommunityfoundation.ca
