“Please help us close the gap. Please help us get these families into their homes.”
That’s the appeal from Claire Smith, chair of fundraising for Community Housing Initiative Perth (CHIP) as the official opening of its 15-unit affordable housing residence approaches this fall.
While significant contributions have been made, the capital campaign is still $144,000 short of its $300,000 goal.
The CHIP project was initiated by St. James the Apostle; the parish made an initial contribution to get the fund started and continues to provide significant support.
Since the fundraising campaign began, others have stepped up, and Claire Smith is confident the goal will be achieved.
Substantial support has come from St. Paul’s United Church and the Rideau St. Lawrence Real Estate Board.
The Rev. Don McLean, minister at St Paul’s, says the congregation explored various ways of supporting affordable housing in Perth and for two years made contributions to CHIP as part of its mission and outreach work. As well, “individual members of St. Paul’s are active in the community in a variety of roles as active supporters of the CHIP project and in advocacy for affordable housing.”
Pauline Aunger, a realtor with offices in Perth and Smiths Falls, says she has seen first-hand how important shelter is to those who struggle financially to get affordable housing. A past president of the Canadian and Ontario Real Estate Associations and director of the Ontario Realtor Care Foundation, she arranged the board’s support and made her own donation.
“My parents taught me from childhood that it was important to help others in our community who from time to time may need assistance,” she says. “I know by donating to this very worthwhile housing initiative that I am helping someone find a place to call home. What can be more important than that?”
The dates for a ceremonial opening and a barbecue with neighbours have not been settled. What is not in doubt is that families will start moving in over a three-month period during the fall.
Rent-geared-to-income candidates will come from Lanark County’s wait list of more than 460. Some others will come from the wait list of Carebridge Community Support, the owner and operator of the residence at 63 Halton Street.
CHIP has an excellent website with details about the project and ways to donate or volunteer for its Alongsider support program (perthhousing.ca). Regular postings are made on Facebook under Community Housing Initiative Perth.
The fundraising goal of $300,000 is necessary to complete the financing based on a $2.5 million forgivable loan from Lanark County and a $600,000 grant from the Ontario Building Faster Fund.
The Rev. Canon Ken Davis, St. James’s rector until he retired last year, reached out beyond St. James to form the CHIP steering committee that has become a model of success in community involvement.
David Kroetsch, St. James’ chair of outreach, is co-chair with Smith of the CHIP steering committee. Davis’s successor, the Rev. Robert Camara, and the Rev. Liana Gallant, incumbent and deacon respectively at St. James, are active in CHIP. Camara replaced Davis on the steering committee.
“It has been an opportunity for our church community to identify an important need within the community and respond to it,” Camara wrote in an email. “It’s also part of the parish’s response to the Diocese’s call to help find ways to address the housing crisis.”
Gallant is working with the Alongsider support program, for which a group of trained volunteers will provide social support to the tenants, including helping them navigate resources and services, helping build connections with neighbours and attending community events together.
Donations may be made at perthhousing.ca
