Ordinary People, Extraordinary Advocacy: The Power of Options

A continuation of our civic engagement series spotlighting everyday citizens acting towards housing justice

Halton is rich with citizens motivated to build our community. Community Development Halton is lucky to know and work alongside two such citizens, Dr. Sara Cumming and Garth Brown. We are grateful to share parts of their stories to demonstrate that meaningful change does not require being a housing expert or elected official. It begins when ordinary people choose to act.

Empowerment through Education

A photo of Dr. Sara Cumming (Credit: Home Suite Hope)

Those who have heard Sara’s story know that she begins by sharing about her time working at a golf and country club. She was a young mother of two at the time, and describes a club member that began pestering her about working there.

“Don't you want more for yourself?" the woman asked Sara.

A short while later, Sara found herself in the admission’s office of a university with this woman, signing up for classes. This was not an option that Sara thought she had at the time. However, with the support of someone who believed in her, Sara learned about student loans, and was aided in arranging campus childcare for her young ones.

This exchange proved to be an inflection point for Sara, who went on to earn a doctoral degree and raise four daughters who also completed post-secondary education.

Today, she leads Home Suite Hope as the Executive Director, and helps young mothers like her obtain the education, housing, and supports they need to lift their families out of poverty. Home Suite Hope is a nonprofit working to unite, “a network of vital support services for single parents and their children, encouraging and supporting them as they journey from poverty to stability,” writes Sara.

Through her education, Sara saw the larger dynamics of systems playing out in her life. In her own words, Sara describes:

“Sociology gave me language for experiences I had lived but never understood. Years later, during my doctoral research with single mothers across Canada trying to move from social assistance into employment, I discovered something that

would shape the rest of my career. Success wasn't about motivation. These women had plenty of motivation. Success came when practical barriers were removed through wraparound supports—safe housing, childcare, education, financial stability, mentoring, mental health supports, and people who believed in them long enough for them to believe in themselves.”

Sara continues to advocate for supportive housing in Halton. She has delegated to municipal councils to support developments that provide young mothers with affordable housing, childcare, and access to education. The woman who helped Sara enrol in university may never have imagined the ripple effects of that conversation. Today, those same opportunities are being extended to countless other families through Sara's own work and advocacy.

The Power of a Stable Home

A photo of Garth Brown (Credit: Garth Brown)

Garth Brown wasn't working in housing when he first became involved. He was simply a community member who saw homelessness becoming more visible and decided he could not look away.

In the early 1990s, after nearly a decade living in Kitchener, Garth saw more and more people struggling without a place to call home. He decided to act and, working alongside local housing organizations, he opened a deeply affordable congregate home.

Within months, he began witnessing the transformative power of housing.

"I quickly realized how much having a fixed address changed everything," Garth recalls.

The impact went far beyond a roof overhead. Residents who had been navigating crisis and instability suddenly had a place to receive mail, access services, build relationships, and begin planning for their futures.

One experience in particular stayed with him. In the home's early weeks, Garth spent time talking with a young resident who was contemplating suicide.

"Through the grace of God," he writes, “[She] evolved to find friendships within her new home and she successfully transitioned into the community after a period of time."

Stories like this one reinforced a lesson that has guided Garth's work for more than three decades: housing is not simply shelter. It is a foundation for health, connection, dignity, and possibility.

Today, Garth and his wife continue to operate affordable housing initiatives in

Oakville and Hamilton. He is also involved with several advocacy networks, including CDH’s Halton Housing Action Network and the Halton Faith Network, working alongside community members who believe safe and affordable housing should be available to everyone. He has also delegated to Burlington City Council in support of an affordable housing by Indwell recently.

”Safe, secure, affordable housing is not a cost. It is an investment that provides amazing returns, “ says Garth.

Garth's story reminds us that advocacy does not always begin with an organization or a campaign. Sometimes it begins when a neighbour notices a problem and decides to act. One home became several. One commitment became decades of advocacy. His example shows how ordinary residents can help build momentum for housing solutions in their own communities.

From Opportunity to Advocacy

While Sara and Garth took different paths, their stories share a common lesson: meaningful change rarely begins with experts. More often, it begins when ordinary people decide to do something about what they see.

Sara's advocacy began because someone opened a door she did not know existed. Garth's began because he saw neighbours struggling and chose not to look away. Neither set out to become a housing advocate. They simply responded to the needs they encountered.

Their stories remind us that everyone has a role to play in advancing housing justice. Whether through volunteering, learning about local housing issues, supporting affordable housing initiatives, speaking at public meetings, joining community networks, or simply challenging stigma when we encounter it, small actions can add up to meaningful change.

Housing justice is built one conversation, one relationship, and one act of advocacy at a time.

Join the Halton Housing Action Network to contribute to the movement for housing for all in Halton! Visit the Civic Labs page to learn more!