Heartwood House

Heartwood House is an innovative, umbrella charitable organization in Ottawa, Canada that provides a home to a community of 18 non-profit and charitable member organizations, which together provide a variety of social, educational, health, housing and artistic programs and services. As well, Heartwood House has had a long-term and successful partnership with the City of Ottawa running the OC Transpo Lost & Found and the "Everybody Wins!" electronic recycling project with RD Long Electronics Recycling. Clients from within the Heartwood House member organizations receive training and support in reception, customer service and skills as a result of these partnerships.

The Heartwood House motto is "Better Together!" Member organizations, their staff, volunteers and clients are all part of the life of Heartwood House and have a voice within the structure, including joint fund-raising, serving on committees and the board of directors and internal decision-making. There is strong preference for member organizations that serve their clients directly - where the clients are vital part of the life of the building. Financial sustainability is key, as is affordability for member organizations.

Services

With so may non-profit and social enterprise organizations in one building, clients can receive support by more than one organization under one roof! Services to clients include: English as a second language, adult literacy, child care, a cooperative laundry, resource and referral centres, low-rental housing supports. Other organizations support people who suffer from an eating or anxiety disorder. Environmental and poverty awareness are the focus of some groups and weaving, spinning, quilt-making and art are the focus of others. There are also opportunities for some clients to learn personal or employment skills while earning some income.

Twice a year, everyone in Heartwood House comes together to run the very popular sales of unclaimed items from the OC Transpo Lost & Found. Most items sell for between $.50 and $5.00 while more expensive items such as electronics and good jewellery are auctioned.

Member Organizations

Heartwood House is home to the following non-profit community organizations:

• Ottawa ACORN
• ALSO - Alternative Learning Styles and Outlooks (Adult Literacy)
• ALSO Cares Family Literacy and ALSO Deaf Literacy Programs
• Anxiety Disorders Association of Ontario
• Community Laundry Co-operative
• Cooperation Integration Canada (CICAN)- French
• EcoEquitable Inc.
• English Language Tutoring for the Ottawa Community (ELTOC)
• Families Matter Co-operative Inc
• Halifax Initiative d'Halifax
• Hopewell Eating Disorder Support Centre of Ottawa
• Multifaith Housing Initiative
• Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)
• OTESHA Project
• Twice Upon a Time
• Ottawa Valley Weavers' and Spinners' Guild
• People, Words & Change (One-on-one adult literacy)
• Victoria's Quilts

Heartwood's Past and Present

Heartwood House was incorporated as an idea in the spring of 2001. The original ten founders, representing five established Ottawa non-profit community organizations shared a vision of creating an environment where member organizations and their clients could share space, resources, costs, ideas and opportunities. Opportunity and vision came together in the empty, elderly but still useable former Jewish Community Centre at Rideau and Chapel, owned by Congregation Beth Shalom. Negotiations with the synagogue went quickly and by July 2001, member organizations began moving into, and renovating the old building. A three-year start-up grant from the Trillium Foundation gave time for Heartwood House to reach its full capacity of eighteen member organizations.

In the fall of 2011, after more than 12 years on the corner of Rideau and Chapel in Ottawa, Heartwood House learned that its landlord, Congregation Beth Shalom, was selling the building for new development. Heartwood's Board of Directors, with the support of its member organizations, decided its future lay in owning its own building. Despite having little time to prepare and virtually no in-house financial resources, on September 19, 2012, Heartwood House completed the purchase of the almost 26,000 sq. ft. former Giant Tiger and residential building at 404 McArthur Avenue in Ottawa. Initially, COMTECH Credit Union provided the mortgage and Canadian Alternative Investment Cooperative (CAIC) out of Toronto provided the down-payment. However, with costs for the extensive renovations almost doubling, Heartwood House had to almost immediately refinance its mortgage with Alterna Bank. Renovations were phased in over a year and a half. All member organizations moved into its new space December 31, 2013, many sharing space until the final phase was completed early March 2014.

An New Partnership

The purchase of the new building, resulted in a new partnership with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ottawa. Heartwood owns the majority of the building at 87.5% and the Unitarians, the remainder at 12.5%. The two organizations share a common vision and were both looking for a home of their own. This partnership has already proved valuable by continuing the model of sharing space, resources, ideas and energy. Heartwood House is able to use the beautiful Unitarian sanctuary for large events, concerts and workshops.

Visit Heartwood's official website at: www.heartwoodhouse.ca

References

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