About The INN: United Against Homelessness

The INN is coming in 2025!

Our Mission

To provide low-barrier, safe, inclusive housing for our neighbours experiencing homelessness.

Our Vision

An end to homelessness in Steinbach and surrounding communities.

What We Offer

Immediate low-barrier transitional housing for up to 18 months. The goal is to help each resident find safe, sustainable housing as soon as possible. This includes using diversion strategies for anyone who comes from out of the region or whose previous living arrangements may be reconciled. Also, we provide residents with referrals to community programs, including housing, wellness, employment, mental health, spiritual care, and addiction recovery.

Our Values

Safety

We believe that the safety of the residents, volunteers, neighbours, and staff of The INN is our greatest priority.

Inclusivity

We acknowledge our diversity and uniqueness, and strive to treat each other with kindness, empathy, and dignity.

Respect

We believe all people deserve to be treated respectfully.

Comfort

We believe all people deserve safe, proper accommodations with a basic level of privacy and personal space.

Collaboration

We believe we are all stronger when we work together.

Excellence

We believe our residents deserve the highest standard of care. We strive to provide person-centered, trauma-sensitive, solution-focused care for one and all.

Generosity

We believe when you invest in The INN you are investing in people's lives, and this investment pays forward for generations to come.

Hope

We believe that homelessness does not equal hopelessness. We believe there is hope for every person to reach their potential. However, it takes an entire community of people working together offering: Help, Opportunities, Patience, and Encouragement.

Our Story - The INN Project

Once a dream, now a beacon of hope in Steinbach, The INN – Initiative for Neighborly Nights – emerged from a collective desire to kindle a light of warmth and safety in our community's darkest nights. This story is not just about building a shelter; it's about nurturing a vision where every soul in distress finds a haven, a gesture of communal embrace.

Our narrative began with Leona Doerksen, who, moved by the silent echoes of need in our streets, saw beyond the immediate. She envisioned a place where the night's cold touch is met with warmth, where the weight of the world is lifted, if only for a moment. This vision, shared and nurtured by many hearts and hands, grew into The INN, a sanctuary where the doors are open to all seeking refuge.

Here, within the walls of The INN, guests are not just numbers; they are individuals with stories, seeking solace and a new chapter. Our approach is simple yet profound – to offer a space that respects dignity, fosters community, and acknowledges the intrinsic value of each person. It's a place where mats become beds of hope, where lockers safeguard more than belongings – they guard the dignity of those within.

The journey to bring The INN to life was paved with challenges, but also with profound community support. Every brick, every beam, resonates with the spirit of generosity and collaboration that built it. Our story is a tapestry woven from the countless acts of kindness and belief in a shared humanity.

Meet the Team

Introducing the dedicated individuals behind The INN project.

Leona Doerksen

Chair

Kim Heidinger

Vice Chair

Darlene Koop

Treasurer

Christine Gerbrandt

Board member

Darlene Siemens

Board member

Kathy Small

Board Member

Krystal Wylie

Secretary

Afton Berg

Board Member

Lisa Clark

Board Member

Strategic Plan

Priorities

Focus on prevention and re-housing as quickly as possible
Provide immediate access to low-barrier transitional housing
Empower guests to access appropriate community services and programs

Actions

Communicate with organizations that provide service for individuals who are "aging out of care", persons being discharged from incarceration, families in crisis, etc., and work together to come up with solutions focused housing plans for each individual.
Partner with mental health and addictions recovery-focused organizations that will provide services to the guests of The INN.
Collaborate with community organizations that provide care, support, and services to the guests of The INN.

Accountabilities

The Directors, staff, and volunteers strive to operate with the highest ethical standards and are responsible to the guests, neighbours, financial supporters, and community stake-holders. Outcomes are measured using the Housing First tools.
We believe in equity. When we advocate and work with community stake-holders we can solve any problem.