12 Neighbours Project
As a church rooted in our downtown core, reaching out to the most vulnerable members of our community IS an important focus for Brunswick Street Baptist Church. Your Social Action Team invites you to consider partnering with a new organization, 12 Neighbours Community Inc., that is taking an innovative approach to supporting those who are experiencing homelessness and insecure housing.
What is the 12 Neighbours project?
The 12 Neighbours group spent over five years studying effective development programs around the world. Their vision is based on this research: to build a dignified microhome community that promotes healing, opportunity, and personal growth. 12 Neighbours is currently building a community of 96 microhomes on a 24-acre lot on Fredericton’ s north side. Four homes have been built so far, and the first community members moved off of the streets and into their new homes during the first week of February 2022!
In addition to the housing component of the 12 Neighbours project, a Social Enterprise Centre will be built within the community. This will include a café, an art and apparel shop, and a tiny-home factory. The Social Enterprise Centre will provide a safe space to develop workplace skills, earn money, and connect with the broader community. This Centre will also serve as a place for community members to link with external supports and services.
A key piece of the 12 Neighbours plan is the role of Director of Community. This individual will provide pastoral/chaplaincy care to the marginalized in our city, while encouraging 12 Neighbours Community members to love one another and to lift each other up in tangible ways. The Director of Community will also have management responsibilities including coordination of the intake process, development and maintenance of community operations, and collaboration with various partners (e.g., staff, community partners, volunteers). We are pleased to share that the recently hired Director of Community is Pastor Steve Patterson, with whom BSBC has a very meaningful history and connection!
How we can help
The 12 Neighbours Community is currently inviting churches to become prayer and financial partners. Their call for financial support relates specifically to the role of Director of Community ($70,000 annually). The 12 Neighbours team will also eventually offer church members the opportunity to volunteer and be involved relationally with community members, for example, through the Social Enterprise Centre.
As the 12 Neighbours Community begins its work within our city, the Social Action Team asks that the BSBC family vote on a motion to make a $15,000 financial contribution to the role of Director of Community, to be taken from the surplus of the 2021 Budget. Both the Board of Management and the Board of Deacons are supportive of this motion.
The Social Action Team also asks that BSBC vote on a motion to continue to financially support the role of Director of Community, 12 Neighbours Community Inc. in an amount of $7,000 annually beginning in 2023. This amount was recommended as comparable to our annual support of Greenhill Lake Camp. The Board of Deacons, responsible for ministry funding, are supportive of this motion.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration of God’s leading as we prepare for our Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
Questions? Want to learn more?
All those who have questions about the above opportunity are invited to contact Susan Howey from the Social Action Team at susan.tingleyhowey@gmail.com. Additional information about the 12 Neighbours Community can be found at 12neighbours.com.
Your Social Action Team
