London Cares’ ‘House of Hope’ receives funding from the Fund for Change
London Cares’ ‘House of Hope’ receives more than $845,000 from the Health and Homelessness Fund for Change
Contribution funds vital on-site support services
LONDON, ON: The ‘House of Hope’ highly supportive housing residence, operated by London Cares in partnership with London Health Sciences Centre, has received $845,560 from the Health and Homelessness Fund for Change. The contribution will fund essential wrap-around support services that enable formerly unhoused residents to remain housed.
“House of Hope is a program named by the residents that have built a community within these walls. The funding constraints that impact social services are challenging, and the biggest impact is felt by those most marginalized. Receiving this generous gift, which funds a year of operations while we seek more sustainable funding, has given us new hope,” said Chris Moss, Executive Director, London Cares Homeless Response Services. “This housing program quickly moves individuals with complex needs who cannot sustain traditional housing indoors and wraps unique support around the individual. Our teams work 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help individuals rebuild their lives. This program has made a significant impact on our community. We are profoundly grateful for this gift that allows us to continue to build a unique bridge from street to home.”
Research conducted by Kovacs Inc. Group found that the ‘House of Hope’ highly supportive housing model is successful at helping people with complex health needs to maintain an affordable, safe, and secure home: 87.5% of people who moved into ‘House of Hope’ were still living there a year later. Residents also significantly reduced their use of emergency services, with 83% fewer emergency department visits, 61% fewer days in the hospital as an inpatient, 63% fewer days in custody, and 58% fewer interactions with police.
The highly supportive housing model is a key element of London’s Whole of Community System Response to Health and Homelessness, which brought together over 200 people from more than 70 organizations representing a broad range of sectors, including frontline service organizations, hospitals, educational institutions, police and emergency services, and government.
“The ‘House of Hope’ experience shows us that providing housing with the right on-site support services works,” said the anonymous Fund for Change donor. “Our family is honoured to be able to contribute to the ongoing success of ‘House of Hope’ as a sustainable solution to London’s health and homelessness crisis.”
A recent report from Addictions and Mental Health Ontario stresses the critical gap between the demand for and availability of supportive housing, which is essential for addressing the mental health and addiction crisis in Ontario. By emphasizing the need for immediate action, the report reinforces the importance of supportive housing as part of the healthcare system. The ‘House of Hope’ exemplifies this approach, offering residents stable housing along with access to vital addiction and mental health services.
"Highly supportive housing is a proven model that works, providing essential support to individuals who need it most and helping them remain housed, which in turn reduces pressure on our emergency services,” says Mayor Josh Morgan. “House of Hope is demonstrating the power of highly supportive housing to address homelessness, and we know that with more investment in these types of programs, we can achieve even greater success."
Powered by a transformative $25 million commitment from a London family who wishes to remain anonymous, the Health and Homelessness Fund for Change has distributed and committed nearly $15.4 million as of March 2025 to support key elements of London’s whole of community system response. The funding includes support for two Hubs (Atlohsa Family Health Services and Youth Opportunities Unlimited) and the creation of over 220 highly supportive housing units by London Cares (House of Hope), Developing for Change (Elmwood Place conversion), Indwell (War Memorial Children’s Hospital), and CMHA Thames Valley Addiction and Mental Health Services (Huron Street). See the Fund for Change webpage at www.FundForChange.ca for more details. The Fund for Change is administered by London Community Foundation in partnership with the donor family.
The London community has donated $6.3 million to date to the Fund for Change, which the donor family has doubled to $12.6 million.
“Londoners from all walks of life have come together to support lasting solutions to our community’s crisis of homelessness, driven by their deep commitment to the right of everyone to have a place to call home. London Community Foundation is privileged to be part of this inspiring collaboration,” said Diane Silva, President and CEO of London Community Foundation.