What is MennoHomes?
MennoHomes Inc. is a non-profit charitable organization (CRA # 86304 7015 RR0001) founded in 2001. We’re passionate about working to provide quality affordable housing to households with low incomes throughout Waterloo Region. Since our first build in 2004, MennoHomes now has 105 rental housing units within Waterloo Region. These are a mix of single unit apartments for seniors, family duplexes, and multi-bedroom housing.
Vision
Caring communities where every person can thrive in a safe and affordable place they call home.
Mission
We create homes for people in need of affordable housing. We develop housing that is economically and environmentally sustainable and includes supportive services.
Values
Housing is a Human Right
We believe that adequate, safe and secure housing is a fundamental human right. We are committed to providing quality, affordable housing that is thoughtfully designed and is responsive to the needs of tenants, recognizing that stable and secure housing improves quality of life.
Equity, Integrity and Respect
We respect and value the diversity of people in our community. We adhere to high ethical and professional standards in our work and relationships. We are fair and respectful in our interactions and treat everyone with respect and dignity.
Accountability and Sustainability
We are accountable for our actions. We accept responsibility for our performance and share the results of our work in an open and transparent manner. We balance fiscal prudence with asset preservation, environmental sustainability and social responsibility.
Collaboration and Community
Through collaboration and partnerships, we work with others to achieve common goals, build communities and create places to call “home”. We provide support services to our tenants to develop communities where each person is valued and has a sense of belonging.
Creativity and Innovation
We are open to change and we continuously seek new approaches to enhance the development and operation of affordable housing.
How is MennoHomes governed?
MennoHomes is operated by an active volunteer Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for ensuring that MennoHomes’ values, vision, and mission form the guiding principles for all decision-making and actions undertaken for MennoHomes. The Board has developed, and maintains, detailed governance policies to ensure the long-term viability of MennoHomes.
Why affordable rental housing?
We believe that quality affordable housing is one of the most effective ways of addressing a variety of social and economic needs in our community and can have a life-changing impact. Not everyone can afford to purchase their own home, but access to affordable housing is a basic human right.
For children it means a safe and healthy environment that contributes to their health and well-being. For families it creates the space where a house can become a home. For seniors it provides them with the opportunity to live independently with dignity and self-respect.
How do you create affordable housing?
We welcome and invite partnerships with individuals, foundations, churches, business, governments, and other agencies. Our housing projects are economically and environmentally viable. They also include support services for our tenants.
Our business model ensures that each project is self-sustaining once complete. We raise capital funds through grants and donations so that upon completion, the rent paid by tenants is sufficient to carry the associated mortgage, maintenance, and operating expenses.
Learn More
To learn more about the work of MennoHomes, we invite you to contact us directly. You can call Dan Driedger, Executive Director at (226) 476-2535 or email at ddriedger@mennohomes.com. You can also learn more by listening to an interview previously aired on FaithFM.