House of Friendship has always been part of Ferne Burkhardt’s story, all the way back to her childhood. “I remember my mother using big, glass jars to can things from our garden to take to House of Friendship,” said Ferne. “And she and other people from my church occasionally went there to help.” Having recently […]
A key priority for House of Friendship’s ShelterCare program is to provide a sense of community and belonging for participants. One way this is happening is through recreational programming. On any given day, participants can choose from art and craft activities, a games night, or even bingo. There is even a pet therapy dog who […]
Karina and her husband Jose came to Canada in search of a better life for their children, Elian (11) and Isaac (9). They just didn’t realize how expensive everything would be. While Jose had a good job at a landscaping company, everything in Canada cost more than their home country of Mexico – from housing […]
Tony Bender has a long history with house of Friendship. Over the years, Tony has done everything from creating recreational programs at our former Shelter, to running a busy Emergency Food Hamper program. And while Tony’s career at House of Friendship spanned nearly four decades, it all started very humbly – as a volunteer for […]
This September, we had a party at Sunnydale Community Centre in Waterloo, celebrating the 25 years of community and connection that you’ve made possible, through your faithful support. Linda Kruger, who worked at Sunnydale for many years and was there when it first started in 1999, shared how Sunnydale has served not only as a place […]
Do you remember how hard you have to work to stay warm on the coldest days of winter? John does, because he lived in his car. John had a routine. He would light candles, put foam around every window, to keep the heat in, and then wear a snowsuit to bed. Even with all this […]
It’s the end of an era at House of Friendship, as demolition of the former home of its Men’s Shelter is slated to begin this month, along with neighbouring administrative buildings. This demolition of the former Charles Street campus in downtown Kitchener is the first step towards creating Friendship Village – a new housing complex […]
We want to share an important update regarding today’s Friendship Golf event. Due to heavy rain, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the golf portion of our annual tournament. Instead, we’re hosting a modified event that includes dinner, beginning at 4 pm and concluding by 6 pm at Beaverdale Golf Course. Attendees will […]
“I wish everyone had food.” Binny Musselman, a Grade 5 student, has always been troubled by how many people in our community don’t have enough to eat. She comes by it naturally – her grandparents, Betty and John Galbraith, regularly dedicate one day a week to volunteering at House of Friendship’s Emergency Food Hamper program. […]
“I think we all have a duty, a responsibility to the community we live in.” Brandon Strnad became a monthly donor at House of Friendship because of this belief – and because of the challenges he faced as a child. “I had a rough childhood,” said Brandon. “I could have turned out a lot differently.” […]
