The story behind the Gather brand

When Indwell invited us to help brand a new housing initiative, we knew we weren’t just building a brand – we were helping build a future.

Indwell has been a force for good in Ontario for 50 years, creating supportive housing communities that foster health, wellness, and belonging for their residents. Their sister organization, Flourish, develops buildings for Indwell and other housing providers that are bright, beautiful, and full of light.

Their newest initiative, however, would take their vision a step further: Gather, a new non-profit housing brand will make well-designed and financially attainable housing possible for average Ontarians.

It’s an all-too-common story: people across the income spectrum are being shut out of the housing market. From early-career professionals and tradespeople to newcomers, single parents, and seniors on fixed incomes, more and more everyday people are struggling to find stable, affordable places to live. Gather is stepping up to help meet this need by providing well-managed, community-oriented housing so that people from all walks of life can finally put down roots and thrive.

Starting with a name

When the team first came to us, they had a bold vision but hadn’t yet landed on a name. They were on a tight timeline and needed to finalize the identity to prepare for a soft launch within a few months. We helped them research a range of naming options, checking for things like domain availability, social handles, and trademark clearance.

The name “Gather” quickly rose to the top – simple, memorable, and rich with meaning.

It speaks to their values: bringing people together, fostering community, and creating places of true belonging. As one team member put it, “The name needed to say, ‘I’m part of something.’”

Building the brand

We hosted a collaborative, in-person workshop with a core group from the Indwell and Flourish teams. Our process was structured, creative, and fun. We explored everything from brand archetypes and colour psychology to peer organizations and their vision for the future. We walked through our brand messaging process to find the right voice, message, and emotional tone.

What stood out most to us was the Gather team itself: they are deeply mission-driven, highly collaborative, and just a ton of fun to work with. We were struck by their ability to respectfully wrestle through tough questions and still leave the room with clear, united decisions.

From that foundation, we developed the creative direction for Gather’s visual identity, messaging, and positioning.

The final deliverables included:

• A full messaging guide
• Several logo variations
• Typography and colour systems
• Usage guidelines
• A photography style guide
• And sample applications (from signage to stationery)

We also provided a light market segmentation to help their team speak effectively to both future residents and community stakeholders.

A visual story of welcome

Gather’s central window motif echoes the open door found in the Indwell logo, subtly reinforcing the connection while giving Gather its own visual voice. The design is simple, hopeful, inclusive, and warm – professional yet welcoming.

We intentionally designed it to sit comfortably alongside Indwell and Flourish, the other brands in the Indwell Housing Services family, while allowing it to grow its own identity and recognition over time.

A shared mission & hope-filled future

As we wrapped up the brand identity work, we had the opportunity to help develop an investor pitch deck to support Gather’s early capital campaign. And we were honoured to be present at Indwell’s annual fundraising gala in June for the grand reveal of the Gather brand. We developed a custom animation to support CEO Jeff Neven’s inspiring presentation.

What we experienced at that event has stayed with us: a room full of people – staff, supporters, and community partners – united by a deep passion to build places of belonging for those being left behind.

The Indwell and Flourish teams are incredible. They are all experts in their fields and utterly committed to their mission. We’re so proud to have played a small part in supporting them.
We believe Gather has the potential to be a powerful answer to the housing crisis in Ontario. It’s the kind of work we love doing—helping mission-driven organizations bring meaningful ideas to life. We’ve come away from this project with a deeper appreciation for Indwell’s work and a firm belief in their vision: Hope and Homes for All.