Waterloo Region, ON (February 6, 2024) – The Waterloo Region Association of REALTORS® (WRAR) has donated $63,248 to six shelter-based organizations in Waterloo Region.
The successful grant recipients were:
- Habitat for Humanity Waterloo Region ($12,562.25)
- Hospice Waterloo Region ($6,500)
- Indwell ($12,562.25)
- Shelter Movers ($6,500)
- Safe Haven (Lutherwood) ($12,562.25)
- The Working Centre ($12,562.25)
These grants were made possible through WRAR’s participation in the Ontario REALTORS® Care Foundation’s (ORCF) Every REALTOR® campaign, donating $2 per member per month to support ORCF. These funds are invested back into local shelter-based charities annually, reinforcing WRAR’s commitment to the community we serve.
A recent VitalSigns report on Affordable Housing by the Waterloo Region Community Foundation shows that homelessness in the region is growing at a rate of 30% year over year, and Waterloo Region has experienced one of the world’s most drastic housing price increases since 2005, with rents and home prices soaring well beyond local incomes.
“In the face of a housing crisis that is impacting so many in Waterloo Region, WRAR is proud to support these amazing local organizations who are working to provide refuge and safety for people in our community,” says Christal Moura, President of WRAR.
Moura highlights that funding for shelters and affordable housing represents just one facet of addressing Waterloo Region’s housing crisis. “Engaging in robust discussions, exploring innovative strategies, resisting NIMBYism, and ending exclusionary zoning to create more missing middle housing, are just some of the ways we can find more housing solutions and increase the quality of life for people in Waterloo Region”