At House of Friendship, we are committed to growing and adapting – to ensure we are equipped to meeting the needs of our community today, and into the future.
The last few years have been incredibly difficult – not just for us at House of Friendship, but for our larger community as well.
This past year, as we looked back, we also spent time looking towards the future. Through this lens, we have created a new Strategic Plan that will guide us for the next five years.
Through an extensive process that involved the input of key stakeholders – program participants, staff, board members, volunteers and community partners – one theme kept emerging.
And it was about more than just physical health – this is systemic, holistic health, the kind of health that lends strength to everyone.
Our new Strategic Plan – Building Health, Building Belonging focuses on health, with a threefold approach:
By first investing in organizational health, including the health of our team members, we are building a strong foundation to support the work that follows.
This will allow us to walk with community members in integrated ways, having a positive impact on health in our community.
As a result, we can extend our influence beyond our direct work, shaping change for greater equity in Waterloo Region.
Our Vision: A healthy community where everyone can belong and thrive.
Our Mission: We walk with people who need food, housing, addiction treatment and community resources.
Our Values:
While our Values remain the same (and the spirit in which we approach our work has not changed) we have updated some of the language connected to our core values, namely the preamble.
In the past, our values included this opening statement: “Inspired by Christian faith, we continue to be shaped by the following values:”
Knowing that we are walking alongside an increasingly diverse community, and that our team members and volunteers come from a multitude of backgrounds, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels like they have a place at the table and that they belong.
We continue to celebrate and honour the Christian heritage that has made House of Friendship the organization that it is today, while reflecting the reality of today’s vibrant and diverse culture.
To learn more about our approach to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at House of Friendship, please click here.
If you have any questions about our Strategic Plan, please reach out to Executive Director John Neufeld, at johnn@houseoffriendship.org.
