"Susan" is a Homegrown Homes tenant who is a working single mother with two daughters who was spending $850 a month for a 2-bedroom apartment from her minimum wage income as a telemarketer. The apartment was badly in need of repairs. Her two daughters were sick from gas leaks and mould that her landlord refused to fix and they were missing several school days and not doing well in school because they were not feeling well. Today, Susan and her family live in a warm, safe, comfortable 2-bedroom home provided by Homegrown Homes and they love it there. Susan's rent is well below the market rate typical in Peterborough for similar accommodation and she is able to provide more for her daughters. The girls' health has improved considerably and they are happy and doing well in school. Susan's story mirrors many among our collective tenants now living in safe, affordable homes. And yet, the need continues to escalate.
"Laura" is in a wheelchair and was on a waiting list for a rent-geared-to-income accessible apartment. Currently there is a five-year waiting list in Peterborough for accessible apartments for rent. With the help of Homegrown Homes' board member, John Martyn, several volunteer church groups and a few volunteer ex-offenders, Homegrown Homes was able to convert a house on Wolfe Street into an accessible and affordable apartment for Laura. "I don't know what I would have done without Homegrown Homes, Laura says. "There are more than 1,000 people with disabilities in Peterborough on waiting lists for a geared-to-income accessible apartment." Laura is a member of The Peterborough Council for Persons with Disabilities. "Donna and Mary (staff) at Homegrown Homes have done a tremendous job helping people with disabilities," she says. This success story is just one of many among our 54 tenants currently living comfortably in affordable housing.
"Sarah" is a single mother of three boys who came to Homegrown Homes seven years ago after living in a cramped, substandard and unsafe apartment in a neighbourhood plagued by trafficking in drugs. Today, Sarah and her family live in a safe, well-kept, 3-bedroom affordable home with a fenced backyard. One of her sons recently completed Police College; another is enrolled in the Culinary Arts Program, and her third son received a youth award from the City of Peterborough for his dedication to volunteerism. "Homegrown Homes turned our lives around," says Sarah. "My boys used to be ashamed of where they lived. We had break-ins, their bikes were stolen and there were always police everywhere. Now they have friends over all the time. They love working in the yard and they’re not afraid to go outside. They have part-time jobs and do well in school. Things are still tough for us sometimes, but that’s okay. We have a real home with milk in the fridge and a cookie jar." Sarah is so thankful for her happy home, that she has a Christmas luncheon every year for Homegrown Homes' board members and staff where she offers homemade sandwiches and cookies as a "thank you" for giving her and her family a better quality of life.
The quality of life for all of our tenants has improved significantly because they now have a safe, affordable place to live. When we first partnered with the Peterborough Chaplaincy to help former inmates try to integrate back into the community by providing them with a safe, affordable place to live, many of the neighbours were angry and skeptical that we should allow them to live in their neighbourhood. Six years later, there has never been an incident and in fact, these former inmates who are now happy and productive Homegrown Homes' tenants are so appreciative that they have a nice place to live, that they go out of their way to help their neighbours by shovelling snow, cutting lawns and generally being Good Samaritans whenever they can. These tenants have even been given honourable mention in our local newspaper for discreetly helping so many people in their neighbourhood and completely turning their lives around!