All are welcome to join a conversation about how social finance tools can help communities invest locally to address the current housing crisis. Presented by Community Foundation Grey Bruce in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Grey Bruce and The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay, the event will be held on November 2, at 7 p.m. at Harmony Centre, Owen Sound. Cost is free, but please register on the Community Foundation’s website.
Communities across Canada are grappling with the lack of affordable housing, while more people are facing the impacts of inflation and the rising costs of day-to-day survival. How can people invest in solutions to the housing crisis in their community? How can communities leverage financing to support the building of more affordable and sustainable housing? What role can the Community Foundation and the philanthropic community play in finding solutions?
Join Community Foundation Grey Bruce for an evening of conversation and learning with peers from the Guelph and Wellington region who are supporting new opportunities for investment in affordable housing and community well-being through community bonds, social enterprise, and technological advancement. This discussion will celebrate innovation in community investment and illustrate models of creative partnership. Philanthropic partners – foundations, municipalities, local investors, people who care about community – can learn ways to invest locally towards the goal of housing for all.
Stuart Reid, Executive Director of Community Foundation Grey Bruce, and Marilyn Struthers, social change advocate and consultant, will moderate discussion and provide questions for three distinguished panelists:
Ryan Deska, Director, Community Engagement and Development; Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington, Guelph
Ryan Deska is an experienced community development professional, with much attention in the past on the issues, trends and policies affecting rural Ontario. In his positions with the provincial government, not for profit sector and more recently a lower tier municipality, Ryan has worked alongside community stakeholders addressing and exploring issues. Today, Ryan is working with Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington. In this role, Ryan has helped to structure their community bonds program – a social impact investment opportunity that directly supports community level investment in affordable housing projects throughout Guelph and Wellington County.
Julia Grady, CEO at 10 Carden, Guelph
Collaborating with long-term community benefit as her core purpose, Julia has led 10C through 15 years of innovation, expanding into new project areas and providing a voice for valuable community content – and action. Julia is passionate about connection, community building, place-making and demonstrating the linked potential of social finance and social enterprise, as 10C continues to explore locally relevant change-making projects.
Randall Howard, Chair of the Board, Community Foundation of North Wellington; Fergus
A technology visionary, CEO, investor and philanthropist, Randall has a distinguished career building and funding global innovation firms. A prominent leader in Canadian angel investment, Randall has co-founded GTAN Angels, Archangel Adrenaline Fund and Cognition Fund. Randall is committed to a purpose across a broad spectrum from corporate to social enterprise, driving social innovation and social finance. For example, he is a founder/Chair of Centre Wellington Community Foundation and regularly works with Community Foundations of Canada on national programs, including helping facilitate the Canada UK Social Innovation Immersion earlier this year.
To register for this session visit www.communityfoundationgreybruce.com. Please note: this event will also be live streamed on the Community Foundation Grey Bruce YouTube channel. There is no registration necessary for online attendance.
This exploration of social impact investing solutions for housing is offered in partnership with The Institute of Southern Georgian Bay as a lead up to their event called New Ways to Finance the Housing Affordability Gap: Ensuring the sustainability of our towns that will happen on Friday, November 17 at Meaford Hall. Visit https://tisgb.com/2023-events/ for more information.
Created in 1994, Community Foundation Grey Bruce has a mandate to enhance community vitality by fostering open discussion about local need, sharing knowledge, and growing endowments to provide strategic granting and support to a wide range of non-profit organizations. The Foundation’s vision is that everyone in Grey Bruce benefits from a vital, healthy, and resilient community.
