This new business is more than just a landscaping job for men who stayed at Cambridge Shelter

After being homeless for 15 years, Bryan Andrews is now housed and has a new job as a landscaper thanks to a new partnership between Guelph's The Community Company and the Cambridge Shelter.

Together, the organizations created In our Backyard, a new landscaping company that's providing work opportunities to the men who stayed at the shelter and are now housed.

"I'm very excited to be a part of this program. The shelter has done so much for me over the last 15 years, so it was my turn to get involved and give back to the community," Andrews told CBC News.

Andrews is one of six members who will be part of this year's program launch. Though it's starting out small, the goal is to grow the business to give other former shelter clients a chance at a job. 

Cambridge Shelter executive director Wayne Paddick said being employed goes hand in hand with being housed and is a key element in preventing people from falling back into the shelter system.

"We've heard from a lot of our folks that they have difficulty even applying for jobs while in shelter because of the stigma, and putting the shelter address on their resume is a red flag for a lot of employers," Paddick said.

He adds that with this new program, the hope is for the men to have a steady income to pay for their housing. 

For Andrews, In our Backyard is more than just a job. It's a chance to re-connect with the community and with his previous career.

"I'm a 23-year seasoned veteran of the landscape and construction service so getting involved in this was something big for me," he said. 

"With my grandparents, before they died, I made a promise to make something out of myself and I'm going to give back to my community and I'm gonna make a run for local government."

"Hopefully the city will see that even someone who was homeless for 15 years can get out that slump and make something of themselves," Andrews added.

Building a relationship with community

Plans to create the business started a year ago when the shelter's former executive director, Anne Tinker, reached out to The Community Company to form a partnership.

Throughout the year, members of The Community Company interviewed current and former shelter clients to learn more about their needs. 

"One of the key things we kept hearing was that people felt disconnected from the community," said Justin Chan, founder of The Community Company.

"Even though they graduated from the shelter system, or were still staying there, they felt it was an 'us versus them' and they felt they weren't part of their neighbourhood."

Zoe Miller, executive director of The Community Company, said the program will help rebuild relationships between the community and those who experience homelessness.

"This is a way to literally be in people's backyard. To build relationships with homeowners and try to bridge and heal some of that stigma," Miller said.

That's why they named the company In our Backyard. Breaking down the stigma through the program is also something Andrews is hoping for.

"We are all human, we all have our issues, but don't look at us as a stigma. Give us a chance. Let us show you what we can do," he said.

A dedicated space

Cambridge Shelter and The Community Company spent five months renovating the third floor to be a dedicated space for In our Backyard. 

There was thought behind the layout of the space, Miller said, which the group has called: The Firehall. Chan and Miller said it's set up similar to a sports locker room. Each person has their own dedicated space for their uniform and equipment.

"When we think of a firehall we think of comradery, we think of having each other's backs," Chan said.

Miller said the quote above the the doorway captures the spirit of the work they are trying to do.

"We have quotes on the wall and one is from Rachel Carson, 'In nature, nothing exists alone,' and I think that's a good summary of the ethos of this program," she said.