By Jim Coggins

WHEN the B.C. government decided to create more than 2,287 supportive housing units, it entrusted the running of its first project to a Christian organization.

When federal, provincial and municipal politicians gathered May 18 for the groundbreaking for Kindred Place, the event was blessed in prayer by a Christian minister.

The first of the new projects is Kindred Place, an 87-unit, $17.7 million building on Richards Street in Vancouver. The funding is coming from a variety of sources.

Kindred Place is the ninth project of More Than A Roof/ Mennonite Housing Society, which has been managing social housing complexes for over 20 years.

It already operates Candela Place, a 62-unit supportive housing complex very similar to Kindred Place just a couple of blocks away. It was the success of that complex that paved the way for the new one.

The politicians had varying understandings of Mennonites. The federal representative, MP Ed Fast of Abbotsford, himself belongs to a Mennonite Brethren Church.

Provincial representative Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance, said he hadn’t known much about them until Mennonite Disaster Service came to the Kamloops area to help in the aftermath of the disastrous forest fires in the interior of B.C. in 2003. “The Mennonites came, rebuilt and left.” He was clearly impressed.

At the sod-turning, executive director Lorne Epp said More Than A Roof is open about being a Christian organization. “Our beliefs have to make a practical difference.”

Epp explained later that even though the government’s other buildings will have support workers, “they will have a hard time replicating what we do – because we come at it from a changed heart.”

He explained that it is the extra things – the ‘More’ – which often makes the difference.

Besides a full-time mental health worker, Candela Place has three part-time workers (in administration, maintenance and tenant relations).

Epp said that the key is finding staff “with a vibrant outreaching faith and a heart for people.”

He said, “People underestimate the sweat that goes into building community.” It took two years before residents became trusting enough of staff, and each other, for Candela Place to start functioning as a community.

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Politicians from several levels of government were on hand for the inauguration of a major project to combat homelessness. Kindred Place in Vancouver is part of a B.C. government initiative to create more affordable housing. It will be run by More Than A Roof. Seen here turning the sod for the facility May 16 are (left to right): Linda Thomas, housing directory, Vancouver Coastal Health; Peter Dueck, vice chair, More Than A Roof; Sam Sullivan, Mayor, City of Vancouver; Claude Richmond, Minister of Employment and Income Assistance; and Ed Fast, Member of Parliament, Abbotsford.

“We try to model volunteerism,” Epp said.

He added: “The essence of community is to take up the cross, give up something for the benefit of others, give up your rights and freedoms for the sake of the community.”

Epp said More Than A Roof gives residents responsibility for maintaining order in the residence. When they wanted a store that would offer 7-Eleven goods at Costco prices, the agency told them to develop a business plan and run it themselves. The store, in a space intended for a security kiosk, also functions as “eyes and ears” for safeguarding community.

Once residents catch the volunteering spirit and realize they all have something to contribute, they develop a sense of purpose, said Epp.

The prayer at the sod-turning was led by Tim Dickau, pastor of Grandview Calvary Baptist Church, which has donated its parking lot to More Than A Roof for a future 38-unit supportive housing complex.

Dickau thanked God that “people who have not had a home will now have a home,” and that “people fashioned in the image of God will have their dignity and value restored.”

Dickau prayed that Kindred Place “will be a place of safety and care” and that it “will be a sign to our society that you have given us responsibility to care for our neighbour.”

June 2007