Mavis McMullen Housing Society (MMHS) is a non-profit charitable organization established in 1986 and incorporated in 1987. We offer stable, affordable, and independent housing to low-income women and their families living with multiple challenges.
To provide stable affordable housing for low-income women of Downtown Eastside and East Vancouver, those with children, disabled women and older women – housing in which social justice, human rights and a culture of safety and wellbeing are actively promoted by adhering to the values of inclusivity and diversity, and respecting the autonomy of everyone involved, with the belief that housing is a right of all people.
Mavis McMullen Housing Society (MMHS) operates two buildings, Mavis McMullen Place and Haley Place, providing independent housing to approximately 134 tenants. The two buildings are operated and maintained by four staff members, and the operations are overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors. At MMHS, the primary leaseholder is always a woman, which allows our tenants to make decisions about their relationships without the fear of becoming homeless. The Staff and Board of MMHS strive to ensure that the resources and support we offer reach every woman in that house.
Our priority is to treat every woman with respect and dignity, acknowledging their autonomy, with awareness that each woman has specific needs based on their unique histories, beliefs, strengths and challenges. We facilitate opportunities for women to engage with the community and the various available services and supports. We seek to help the women we house overcome the persistent barriers they are faced with.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada issued its final report on December 18, 2015. Their report details the history of colonization and its direct and inter-generational impacts on Indigenous peoples across Canada. Their 94 Calls to Action include several specific calls for organizations, including commitments to building respectful relationships, ensuring that Indigenous people have equitable access to jobs, training and education opportunities, and providing education for all staff on the history of Indigenous peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools.
Mavis McMullen Housing Society (MMHS) commits to the ongoing work of improving our capacity to serve Indigenous Peoples in our buildings. We commit to working towards creating more equitable spaces for Indigenous staff, partners, and community members. We call for an end to the systemic inequities faced by Indigenous communities. We stand for Truth and Reconciliation.
As an organization with an affordable housing mandate, MMHS is committed to working towards the following goals:
As an employer, MMHS is committed to:
MMHS is committed to growing our relationships with Indigenous organizations and supporting their work in our communities. We will work with Indigenous communities and organizations as partners to find opportunities to have an active presence where it is desired by those organizations and communities.
This reconciliation statement is considered a working document that will evolve with increased understanding of Indigenous peoples and how our organization can serve them. These commitments and our work take place throughout the ancestral lands and unceded territories of 198 distinct First Nations in British Columbia. Our offices are located on the territories of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) peoples.