Published June 2025
At the Mayors’ Dinner, Working Centre Board Chair, Carol Taylor, announced:
Tonight we are celebrating the way that this community has supported Making Home – an invitation to build housing and a new home for St. John’s Kitchen – creating a place of hospitality that welcomes our neighbours who are living without housing.
And yes, we are celebrating! In two years we have together raised $22 million dollars for the Making Home project. In an amazing mix of government grants (of $12 million) plus over 300 different contributions totaling $10 million (yes, $10 million) we pause to celebrate.
We also want to acknowledge the wider community of support, another 3,000 donors who last year contributed $1.5 million towards the ongoing work of The Working Centre.
All of this support makes our work possible, allowing us to walk with thousands of people who come to The Working Centre for practical supports, especially during these complex times.
Carol then introduced some key people who have supported the Making Home project:
David Gibson from Perimeter Development and BNKC architect Joe Bogdan. Perimeter Development has stood as a key corporate partner in this endeavor, shepherding the design and construction, and was the key first donor ($1 million), inviting other donors to contribute.
Jim Erb, Waterloo Regional Councillor who represented the decision of the Region of Waterloo to support this project with $9.8 million through the Rapid Housing Initiative.
Bishop Douglas Crosby of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton also came to the stage to announce their $1.5 million commitment to the project.
Other major donors included the Lyle S. Hallman Foundation ($2 million); Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation ($1 million); Auburn Developments ($1 million) and many others who will be recognized when we officially open the new space in the fall.
Making Home Campaign Donors and Contributors
$12 million in Grants
Rapid Housing Initiative 3 – Government of Canada & Region of Waterloo, Green and Inclusive Community Buildings – Government of Canada, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Enabling Accessibility Fund – Government of Canada, Federation of Canadian Municipalities – Green Municipal Fund
$10 million in Community Donations
Lyle S. Hallman Foundation, Diocese of Hamilton, Perimeter Development, The Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation, Auburn Developments, Cowan, Fairmount Foundation, Definity Insurance Foundation, Mike & Kelly Peasgood, Strassburger Windows and Doors, Vive Development & Woodhouse Group
Bob & Judy Astley, BNKC Architects, Janzen Foundation, Krug Furniture, Midtown Counselling & Midtown Rehab, MTE, Audi – Crosby Volkswagen, Joseph Balan & Associates at Co-operators, Doon Presbyterian Church, Paul & Janet Dullaert, Marlene Epp & Paul Born, Randall Howard & Judy McMullen, Libro Credit Union, Debbie Lowes, Margaret Motz, Ontario Realtors Care Foundation, Anne & Grant Roberts, Unifor Social Justice Fund, Wells Resolutions, Peter Woolstencroft, 255 donors who together contributed $100,000
Contributing Project Partners
BNKC Architects, Delta Elevator, Govan Brown, MTE, Perimeter Development, Strassburger Windows and Doors
