Stories to Share

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 […]

For Mike and Kelly Peasgood, homelessness and addiction aren’t abstract issues. They are realities. Mike’s sister lost her husband to suicide, after a long struggle with alcohol use. It came as a shock to the rest of the family, since his struggles had always been hidden. “I guess he was a closet alcoholic,” said Mike. […]

Margie Warren knows how lucky she is. “I grew up with everything I needed,” said Margie. “I had food and shelter, the love of my family, educational opportunities, and I knew I belonged.” Growing up, Margie was sheltered from a lot of the struggles that so many people face. “I knew there were poor people, […]

On any given Monday evening at ShelterCare, there’s a good chance you’ll see smiles on the faces of both program participants and staff. That’s because Scrappy the Dog comes by for a visit during the art drop-in program. The pet therapy dog is a big hit with participants, and must make his rounds before he’s […]

“I felt so supported. It was what I needed.” Danielle joined House of Friendship’s intensive two week Day Treatment program in late 2022, after coming to the realization she needed help to stop her drug use.  Danielle, 29, grew up with an abusive father, and also went through the trauma of sexual assault. She spent […]

“This scholarship is changing my life.” Hoda, a first-year student in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Waterloo, is the inaugural recipient of the House of Friendship Leadership Scholarship, made possible by the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation. The scholarship is awarded to students both on the basis of marks and their leadership involvement in House […]

“Music is a universal experience. I think that everyone has some sort of connection to music.”   Skylar, a master’s student in music therapy at Wilfrid Laurier University, is spending their summer interning at ShelterCare and supportive housing as part of their certification.  This is something new for our ShelterCare program, which has never had a […]