As its new 25-unit affordable housing project in Elmira moves nearer to completion, MennoHomes is rolling out its final fundraising events.
Located at the corner of Church Street and Memorial Avenue in Elmira, the building will be the only affordable rental apartment building in town with an elevator. The non-profit charitable organization is a response to the need for such accommodations in Waterloo Region.
The group received 60 applications for the housing, with space for just 25. The majority of the applications received were for the 14 one-bedroom units.
“It was certainly a difficult and challenging process because you’re having to decline applications you would like to provide space for,” said Dan Driedger, executive director for MennoHomes. “And the reality is there just weren’t enough spaces for everyone who deserves and needs affordable and accessible housing.”
Along with the 14 singles, the building contains nine two-bedroom and two three-bedroom units to be provided to a wide demographic of families and seniors. Driedger said he hopes the mix promotes an authentic community feel.
“The majority of them as we expected are seniors. We have single seniors, we have senior couples, and adult child caregivers living with the senior. We have some young families in there who also need affordable housing. So it is a mixed community, which we think will end up being a healthier building with the relationships within it,” said Driedger. “Certainly there will be some challenges but you know as opposed to isolating, segregating people with only people like themselves we have a mixed group living there and it will be better for everybody.”
Each of the accepted residents for the new building is currently from the Township of Woolwich. MennoHomes had set this as a goal when they first began to make sure that the building was helping local residents find affordable housing.
“That was a priority. It was important for us and to be able to say that and achieve that,” said Driedger.
Currently the groups is sitting at just over $2.6 million fundraised to cover the project, less than half a million dollars away from their capital fundraising goal of $3.1 million.
“We still have some work to do on the fundraising side as well and we welcome people who have been putting it off to get involved.”
This is the first year the Drive4UR Community Event in Elmira will be supporting this project. In the past the Woolwich Lions hosted the event and were successful in raising money for Kiwanis Transit. Driedger said the fundraiser had such success, the Woolwich Lions members on MennoHomes’ capital fundraising committee wanted to continue it on with a new goal.
The drive-a-Ford event is taking place on June 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For every name registered to test drive one of the company’s various car models, Ford Canada will donate $20 towards the MennoHomes project.
“It really is kind of a low-pressure, stress-free way to hop into a Ford you may not of otherwise and in the past it has been a pretty good event for the Woolwich Lions and if we can get 300 people to take 10 minutes out of their day and go for a test drive we can raise $6,000,” said Driedger. “We haven’t hit our target yet and we really need a strong support from the community to do that.”
The following weekend, June 17, will be the seventh annual Out-Spok’n Bike-A-Thon for affordable housing. There is no entry fee to participate, but the organization is asking people to register online or in the morning of the event to help try and raise money for this project through sponsorships. The event consists of three components over the course of the day; a family friendly trail ride, a long distance bike and finally a motorcycle ride.
The family friendly version is for folks along the Kissing Bridge Trail, they meet at the Elmira Mennonite Church in the morning and then head onto the trail.
“It’s all on the trail so it’s really good for little kids or folks who don’t ride regularly,” said Driedger.
Then mixed in between there is a group that does a 75-km road ride, they leave St. Jacobs in the morning head out to Fergus and are back for the BBQ at noon.
“So for the more avid cyclists as well who you know want more than just a casual ride on the Kissing Bridge Trail there is an opportunity for them to get involved with that too,” he said.
Following the official event, there is a three-hour cross-country motorcycle through southwestern Ontario for people who would like to participate but would rather ride a motorcycle then a bicycle.
“We have local sponsors, businesses that get involved too to cover the costs for the day, so all of the sponsorship goes towards the new apartment building in Elmira,” said Driedger.
The building is expected to be finished in August, at which time tenants can move in.
