Neighbourly Coffee
Neighbourly Coffee is the social-enterprise café launched by 12 Neighbours, a Canadian registered non-profit based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Founded by tech entrepreneur Marcel LeBrun, 12 Neighbours emerged as a compassionate, high-impact response to regional homelessness and poverty. Leveraging his own funding and community support, LeBrun spearheaded the development of a dignified tiny-home community—eventually comprising 96 homes—that provides permanent, affordable housing for individuals in need, with rents capped at 30% of income to ensure accessibility and stability.WikipediaThe SunGood Good GoodMaclean's
But housing is only the beginning. 12 Neighbours also offers person-centred, trauma-informed developmental supports—including substance-use recovery counselling, health and education services, and opportunities for meaningful, progressive employment.12 Neighbours+1
Neighbourly Coffee is a cornerstone of this second phase—bringing tangible purpose and community connection to residents. Recently completed and opened on Fredericton’s Northside, the café provides real, dignified employment for residents of the tiny-home community. It seamlessly blends a beautiful, welcoming public café space with a mission-driven initiative that bridges the community with its neighbors and visitors. Locals report lines extending out the door—not just for the coffee, but as a symbol of solidarity and shared investment in a human-first approach to social change.thebruns.caDuncan Matheson
Why it Matters
A meaningful next step: Neighbourly Coffee embodies the ethos of 12 Neighbours—building not only homes, but community, hope, and purpose.
Empowerment through employment: Residents gain real-world skills, pay income-appropriate rent, and enjoy fulfilling work that supports both their own independence and the broader mission.
Local support and pride: The café’s popularity highlights how simple acts—like grabbing a coffee—can support transformative social change.
Special Acknowledgment
Project PAW extends profound gratitude to Mr. Marcel LeBrun for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to ending homelessness through innovation, compassion, and action. Your efforts exemplify the spirit behind Project Zero Homelessness will prevail: deeply personal, resolute, and solution-driven. I—The Pierce, honor your work and share your belief that no one is left behind. We don’t fail forever; we always find a way forward toward lasting change.