FIMBY

After living in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver for 14 years, I’ve seen how Christians can live side by side and still not really know each other. I’ve always felt the potential for community here—FIMBY is my attempt to help us find the family in our backyard and live into our shared values together.

I’m Stephen Rathjen, a technology consultant with 14+ years living in solidarity with my Downtown Eastside neighbours.

My work with 75+ nonprofits has shown me how technology can advance social justice when it’s shaped by community needs. As a gay and affirming Christian serving on the board of Strathcona Vineyard, I’m committed to bridging divides around sexuality, race, and economic justice. FIMBY comes from the conviction that God’s love—expressed through real relationships and practical action—can transform both lives and systems.

FIMBY is an initiative of Strathcona Vineyard, a missional church in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside since 2005. We’re committed to living out Jesus’s words and works in practical ways that address both immediate needs and underlying injustices.

1. Spiritual growth through action — We weave disciplines like hospitality, service, stewardship, and fellowship into daily life so communities grow through practical love and justice.
2. Real local connections — Unlike conventional social media, FIMBY fosters in-person relationships across social, economic, and denominational lines.
3. Change through relationship — Regular sharing and interaction help people see and address both personal bias and systemic inequity.
4. Mutual aid — Making needs and resources visible builds a culture of reciprocal care instead of solo consumption.
5. Environmental justice — Sharing more and consuming less directly reduces waste and supports communities hit hardest by climate change.
6. Digital justice — We prioritize accessibility so technology doesn’t block anyone from community life.
7. Community ownership — FIMBY is owned and governed by the community, not by profit-driven platforms.

• Relationship catalyst — Simple tools that lead to real-world connection.
• Simplified mutual aid — Easy resource sharing and need-meeting so everyone can take part.
• Collective action — Neighbourhoods name shared challenges and work on them together.
• Impact tracking — Communities can see their effect on isolation, inequality, and sustainability.

1. Community ownership — Unlike Facebook Marketplace or NextDoor, FIMBY is owned and governed by its users, so it serves the community first.
2. Values-aligned funding — No ads. Users and supporters fund the platform together.
3. Biblical foundation — Inspired by Acts 2 and 6, where the early church shared resources fairly—a model we aim to live today.
4. Inclusive access — Options for people who can’t or prefer not to use conventional social media, so no one is left out.

Right now we’re piloting in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and Strathcona (V6A and nearby). We plan to expand to other neighbourhoods and cities in Canada and the US as we learn what works.

FIMBY is a trust-based network. You need either to live in the area and be invited by a member, or to be connected through a local church or charity. That structure keeps the space safe enough for real vulnerability and sharing.

Members can also post needs and resources on behalf of people who aren’t on the platform, so FIMBY benefits the whole community—including those who face barriers to joining directly.

Join us in reimagining Christian community with digital tools and real-life solidarity. You can support through membership, prayer, spreading the word, or financial giving—every bit helps FIMBY grow.

We’re expanding carefully and love to talk with communities that want to try FIMBY’s model of practical, justice-minded neighbour-love. Get in touch—we’d love to hear from you.