THS: Spring 2012

To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 1

THE HABITAT

News and Views for the Friends of Habitat for Humanity Canada

Reaching New Communities Facing the overcrowding, unaffordability and dilapidated housing confronting many Aboriginal families

Celebrating HopeTwo Habitat families, 25 years apart

Building Back Better Shelter, skills and brighter futures in Haiti

2012SPRING/SUMMER

2 THE HABITAT SPIRIT Spring/Summer 2012

A Message from our President & CEO

Tianna Gerrior didn’t feel safe leaving her cramped apartment at night for fear of what was going on outside. Her eight-year-old daughter, Sierra, couldn’t have friends over because there wasn’t enough space for them to play.

A single mother, Tianna worked as much as she could at a nearby hair salon, but couldn’t get ahead – not enough to afford rent for an apartment in a safer part of town, not enough to even dream of one day owning her own home.

At Habitat, these are the families we help. Those who are hardworking, but that no matter what they do, can’t break free of the seemingly inescapable cycle of poverty. What we give them is not a hand out, but rather a hand up – affordable ownership of a safe and decent home. A place where families can set down roots and put their focus on thriving, rather than merely surviving.

Imagine how this would change Tianna’s life. She’d feel safer, not having to worry about what’s going on outside her door. She’d be more comfortable, with a home built to suit the size and needs of her family. She’d be able to save for the future, building equity in her home while benefi tting from more manageable shelter costs. And for Sierra, well we all remember what our home meant to us at that age. It offered us the safety and security to be carefree, to thrive and become the people we are today.

Last year, the lives of 227 families struggling to break the cycle of poverty began to be transformed as they moved into their Habitat homes built in communities across Canada. I’m happy

to report that Tianna and Sierra were one of these families, and I personally attended their emotional home dedication ceremony.

But for many that partner with Habitat, including Tianna, the transformation actually begins long before the keys to their home are handed over. Habitat partner families contribute 500 hours of “sweat equity” into the building of their home; from framing walls to applying the last coat of paint, they’re there from start to fi nish. Proven time and time again is that this – working alongside Habitat volunteers who are there for no other reason than to help give them a hand up in life – can in itself be a life-changing experience.

With results like these, we’re often told that we’re doing a “good job”, but being committed to tackling Canada’s affordable housing crisis means that we must do even more. To start, we’re determined to build the same number of homes over the next fi ve years as we have to date. Imagine the difference that will make for 2,000 more families who are currently struggling to get by.

But as Thomas Edison once said, “Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration,” so now we must get to work. Will you join us?

Stewart HardacrePresident & CEOHabitat for Humanity Canada

Imagine the Difference


dwellHabitat for Humanity Canada

News & Views

Celebrating HopeTwo Habitat families, 25 years apart

ReStore: Dispose of Your e-waste in an Earth-friendly, Habitat-friendly Way

Building Back BetterShelter, skills and brighter futures in Haiti

Reaching New CommunitiesFacing the overcrowding, unaffordability

and dilapidated housing confronting many

Aboriginal families

Global Village Canada Turns Seven 100 teams will travel to 30 countries

to build homes this year

contents

The Habitat Spirit, a

publication of Habitat

for Humanity Canada,

seeks to promote

communication, discussion

and networking among

Habitat for Humanity

affi liates, volunteers

and supporters.

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS

SHOULD BE SENT TO:

HABITAT FOR

HUMANITY CANADA

477 Mount Pleasant Rd.,

Suite 105, Toronto, ON

M4S 2L9 1.800.667.5137

Fax: 416.646.0574

[email protected]

www.habitat.ca

PHOTO CREDITS:

The photos contained in

this newsletter were

provided courtesy of

Habitat for Humanity

Canada, its affi liates and

HFHI unless attributed

otherwise.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Soapbox Design

Communications Inc.

Cossette Inc.

RR Donnelley

HFHI

!"

!#

!$

%!

%&

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COVER: Alliana and her younger brother, Justin, jump on their parents’ bed in the 2,000th Habitat home built in Canada. Story on page 6.


WOMEN BUILDing homesHabitat Women Builds are not about excluding men, but are all about including women in the construction of Habitat homes, with the majority of the planning and execution of these homes undertaken by women volunteers.

Women: consider getting involved in a Women Build project this year; there are 16 happening in communities across Canada – more than ever before – with nine in Ontario, three in Alberta, and projects also taking place in New Brunswick, PEI and Manitoba. Contact your local Habitat affi liate to fi nd out where your nearest Women Build is being planned and do your part to help build more homes and more hope for local families in need of affordable housing.

Buy a Hammer, Build Our CommunityBuy a $2 paper hammer at your nearest The Home Depot store

from May 31st to July 4th and you’ll be supporting the work of

charities in your community, like your local Habitat affi liate.

Last year’s campaign raised over $261,000 for Habitat and the

building of affordable homes. Again this year, The Home Depot

Canada Foundation has generously agreed to match the amount raised by the top

performing The Home Depot store district. So, be sure to spread the word

and buy one, or a few paper hammers so that we can build even more

affordable homes for families and communities across Canada.

Visit habitat.ca/paperhammer for more information.

EXTRAORDINARY SUPPORTCanadians answering the call of our National Leadership CouncilOn National Housing Day, November 22nd, our National Leadership Council (NLC) offi cially launched. As their fi rst act, they invited all Canadians to show their support of the building of safe, decent and affordable housing for low-income families by signing their name to our National Platform on Affordable Housing. In the days and weeks that followed, the outpouring of support was extraordinary, as 2,000 Canadians signed their name to our Platform, and tens of thousands of dollars were donated to Habitat.

Since, the NLC has been working to further raise the profi le of the affordable housing crisis in Canada and abroad, and has set out to raise an incredible $4 million this year so that the Habitat homeownership model, and the transformation it ignites, can be made available to more families than ever before.

We would like to welcome Vi Konkle, President and CEO of The Brick Group, and Avi Kahn, President of the Hilti Corporation, who have joined as members of the NLC since its November launch, agreeing to lend their voice and infl uence to drive the commitments set forth in our Platform. Additionally, we would like to thank MCAP Service Corporation, who donated $5 for every signature to our Platform, and matched all donations made, up to a total of $20,000.

dwellHabitat for Humanity CanadaNews & Views

“People come to Women Builds feeling safe. They may have no building experience, but that’s okay. Everyone works together, collaborating and problem solving. It’s so rewarding to watch everyone become more confi dent in their skills” –Jan Smith, volunteer Women Build leader


A grade 4 student in Calgary, Edelawit “Edie” Schnell views her childhood a bit differently than most of her classmates. She lived in Ethiopia until she was seven years old, when she was adopted by a Canadian family.

Edie thinks her perspective is what helped her come in fi rst – out

of 3,200 entries – in a national essay-writing contest. As the winner of the fi fth annual Genworth Canada Meaning of Home writing contest, Edie got to choose a Canadian Habitat for Humanity affi liate to receive a $60,000 donation from the contest sponsor. She selected her local affi liate, Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta.

“With all that I have been through, home is different to me than a lot of other kids,” Edie wrote in her winning essay.

“There’s a big difference between a house and a home,” Edie says, and wrote her essay to show that she has always felt the love of family, regardless of the shape of her shelter.

The annual essay contest is open to students in grades 4 to 6. Five runners-up designated a Habitat affi liate to receive a $5,000 grant:

Jacob Frigault: Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, QuebecSofi a Vavaroutsos: Woodbridge, OntarioKate Barkhouse: Dartmouth, Nova ScotiaCaitlin Sankaran-Wee: Vancouver, British ColumbiaKatie McDonald: Wellesley, Ontario

Genworth established the Meaning of Home contest in 2007 to raise awareness among Canada’s youth of the importance of having a safe and secure home. The contest has led to students becoming more engaged and interested in writing, as well as more than $450,000 being donated by Genworth to more than 30 Canadian Habitat affi liates.

Hi! My name is Edie. I was born in Ethiopia and lived there until I was 7. In Ethiopia you do not have much food, water, clothes or shelter. Every day I would walk to the river and stand at the edge getting water in my bucket. Then I would walk all the way home with the bucket on my head so I could use the water to wash clothes, faces, dishes and give water to plants. At the end of the day I would use the water to make dinner. We would all sit together and have a great time! I did not go to school, only my brother did. In Ethiopia most girls stay at home and let their brothers go to school. There was a lot of love in my family but I was having a hard life.

My Birth Mom told me that she was sending me to a place where they would take care of me better. When I was at the place, Mom adopted me and brought me to Canada to live a better life. Now I am in a perfect school with friends. I am in grade four and I have the best education I could possibly imagine. Water comes out of a tap and I know it is clean and safe. I am having a great life and I never want to leave it because of all the love everyone is giving me.

With all that I have been through, home is di! erent to me than to a lot of other kids. Home means a person, place or thing that makes you feel good when you are around them. It is a place where people love you and you love them back. Home means a person you can cry on when you are down. Home means a person you can tell secrets to. Home means a person you can jump up and down with when you are excited. Sometimes things in life can be hard but having a good home can make a di! erence.

Home means fun, love and care!Edie Schnell, Grade 4 Calgary, Alberta

dwell

Ten-year-old Edie Schnell’s award-winning essay benefi ts Habitat Southern Alberta

What Home Really Means

To celebrate the Meaning of Home contest’s fi fth year, and the thousands of heartwarming student entries that have been received to date, Genworth Canada has published the winning and runner-up entries from each year of the contest as a commemora-tive hard cover book.Get yours today – proceeds from book sales will help build affordable Habitat homes in your community! Visit meaningofhome.ca

Read About What “Home” Means to Them

CELEBRATING

HOPE

On February 28th, exactly 25 years after the fi rst Canadian Habitat home was dedicated to Habitat partners Gloria and Ernie just outside of Winnipeg, they met with volunteers, donors, Habitat sta! and other key contributors for a roundtable discussion, everyone sharing in their experiences, their memories, their dedication.

With the 2,000th family having moved into their home, also in Manitoba, just a month before, the event served as a time to refl ect on some of the accomplishments of the past 25 years and what they’ve meant to everyone who made them happen.

It really felt like my own home when I put the fi rst nail in the wall to hang a picture and I didn’t have to ask anybody.– Gloria

25 YEARS LATERErnie and Gloria have proudly kept their Habitat home in the family for a quarter of a century. In fact, their Winkler, Manitoba home was the ! rst ever to be built by Habitat for Humanity on Canadian soil.

As a young couple, Gloria and Ernie were raising their two children in a small two-bedroom apartment. Homeownership was simply beyond their reach at the time, partly because Ernie struggled to work due to severe knee trouble; over the years he

required 21 knee surgeries and three complete knee replacements.

“We’d really never dreamt of owning a home because of our health struggles,” says Gloria.

Now mortgage-free, they have plans to pass the home onto their son, Tim, in two years. Tim hopes to one day raise a family of his own in the home he grew up in. He says he’s grateful for what the home has done for his family. “We didn’t have a lot of things other people had growing up, but we had a home and our own backyard,” he says.

" eir oldest daughter, Christine, is now married and raising her ! rst child in a home about half a kilometre down the road from her childhood house.

" is home has been a transformative experience for the family; it o# ered them a new beginning. Gloria says having their own home gave her children the chance to grow up happy and thrive. “We got that house and we never really looked back,” she says.

Twenty-! ve years later they say selling it was never an option. “" is home helped our family stay together,” says Gloria.

Volunteers helping give a local family a “hand up” – 25 years

later, the concept remains the same.

Gloria and Ernie have plans to pass

their home onto their son, Tim.

OUR 2,000TH

MOVE-INWhen Rowena le$ the Philippines in 2006 to join her husband, Je# rey, who had moved to Winnipeg a year prior, the climate wasn’t the only major adjustment for the soon-to-be mother.

At the time, Winnipeg was experiencing some of the lowest apartment vacancy rates in Canada, combined with skyrocketing housing prices. Even working overtime on top of his 40-hour weeks as a painter, a cramped, poorly insulated one-bedroom apartment above a furniture store was all Je# rey could a# ord for his expanding family.

“Once my daughter was old enough, I got a job so we could rent a two-bedroom home,” said Rowena. “But I ended up spending almost all of what I made on daycare; I needed to stay home.”

Rowena searched, but couldn’t ! nd a better home for her family that she and Je# rey could a# ord. At the time, she thought that homeownership was completely out of the question.

“But then I found Habitat,” she said. “I couldn’t believe that they sold families a home without requiring a down payment, and wouldn’t charge interest on our loan. It was just what we needed.”

A$ er one more addition to the family, named Justin, Rowena and Je# rey’s life changed with a phone call that came early last year – they’d been approved for a home.

To watch a volunteer put a wall up or put siding up when they didn’t think they could is really exciting to see.– VernHabitat Winnipeg Director,

Construction

Our old apartment only had one room. Now we can enjoy family time together and individual time in our separate bedrooms. It’s made such a di! erence for our family.– Rowena

Every minute of the discussion

was caught on fi lm and will be

available to watch at habitat.ca

later this year.

The 2,000th Habitat home in Canada (right unit) is a duplex

joined with Habitat for Humanity Manitoba’s 200th.

Rowena’s third child, Katelyn, was

born just as the family’s new home was

completed.

Jeffrey now lives closer to work, leaving

more time to spend with his family.


Reg White A warm smile crosses his face as volunteer Reg White thinks back on the time he has spent working with Habitat for Humanity. Over a decade ago, along with members of the men’s group at his church, Reg spent a day working on a Habitat for Humanity build site. Since that day, he has become an active member of Habitat Newfoundland & Labrador. Habitat for Humanity’s tie to faith is what fi rst attracted Reg to the organization, but it’s the rewarding experience of working with dedicated people that keeps him coming back.

Reg is a jack-of-all-trades. Whether he is involved in the construction phase or putting in hours at the ReStore, Reg enjoys working with active volunteers who share his dedication to helping local families.

As a familiar face at the local Habitat affi liate, Reg continues to pour his heart and soul into providing comfortable housing for local families in Newfoundland and Labrador. Thanks to great volunteers like him across Canada, Habitat is able to make the dream of homeownership affordable and achievable for many.

From e-Waste to brighter futuresDo you have old, broken appliances and electronics taking up space in your house? If you live in Ontario, you can now dispose of these items in an earth-friendly, Habitat-friendly way!

Working in partnership with the Ontario Electronic Stewardship program, select ReStores are now accepting over 185 different household appliances and electronics, ranging from televisions and computers to hair driers and humidifi ers. The best part is, by recycling these items with Habitat, you’ll be helping build more affordable homes in your community!

To fi nd out if your ReStore collects e-Waste, or what items are accepted,

visit habitat.ca/e-waste

REBUILD. REDECORATE. ReStore.Over 775,000 square feet of retail space is occupied by high-quality building supplies, home furnishing, appliances, and décor at Habitat’s 74 Canadian ReStores. Much of what is donated – customer returns, unused building materials, and no longer wanted home items – would otherwise be thrown out. We did the math, and last year alone, ReStores diverted about 21,800 tons of material from Canadian landfi lls.

PLANNING YOUR NEXT HOME RENOVATION PROJECT?

Consider what you can donate to, or purchase from,

your local ReStore – all revenue generated will help build

affordable housing in your community.


When it’s broken down, providing a family with a Habitat home involves more than you may think. Key areas that local Habitat affi liates must perform include:• funding homebuilding that will remain

affordable for low-income families while being environmentally sustainable;

• engaging volunteers in planning and building homes, and in operating ReStores and affi liate offi ces;

• ensuring volunteers are equipped to manage safe and productive build sites and other work environments;

• and fi nding the best-suited families for Habitat homeownership, and then providing these families with training and assistance to ensure their success as they transition to homeownership.

Consider that last year Habitat built 227 homes. That number represents up to 1,000 Canadian lives transformed, as the transition to a safe and secure Habitat home often brings with it improved health, education, and employment prospects for families that were previously struggling to get by. Further, when families’ prospects improve, entire communities are strengthened.

Over the next fi ve years, we’re determined to build more homes, transform more lives, and strengthen more communities than ever before. Our target: another 2,000 homes – the same number that we built in our fi rst 25 years – and in order to effectively double the number of homes we’re currently building, we must strengthen our local operations in each of the key areas they must perform.

Transforming Communities, Coast to Coast

A STRONGER HABITAT FOR A STRONGER

COMMUNITY: THE 360 BUILT SMART PARTNERSHIP

In order for Habitat to be able to effectively address Canada’s affordable housing crisis, a holistic approach must be taken that addresses all aspects of the need for affordable housing, and operations of Habitat in communities across Canada.

It was through this that the 360 Built Smart Partnership took shape. 360 drives support to communities in order to strengthen Habitat’s ability to perform in key areas, so that we can ultimately build more homes for low-income families and better serve the Canadian communities we work in.

HOW IT WORKS

360 builds our capacity to engage volunteers, adopt more sustainable building practices, reach out to families, build more local partnerships, and ensure our job sites are the safest they can be. To understand why this is vital in reaching our goal of building more homes and strengthening more communities than ever before, consider this:• A Habitat home takes about 5,600 volunteer hours to complete. In addition to a site

supervisor, build days involve the participation of experienced volunteer crew leaders as well as build site volunteers who work under their direction. Establishing a system of volunteer management and training is absolutely essential when looking to expand the number of homes a Habitat affi liate builds. The Volunteer Engagement and Safety pillars of the 360 Built Smart Partnership make this possible.

• By choosing the best-suited families for Habitat homeownership, entire communities can benefi t. As families lift themselves out of the cycle of poverty and improve their health, education and employment prospects as a result of their affordable home, they reduce their reliance on healthcare and other social services while being able to meaningfully give back to the community. 360 helps our affi liates seek out and fi nd the best-suited families in their communities for Habitat homeownership.

Each of the pillars of 360 works this way, strengthening our operations and enabling us to better serve families and the communities we work in. Since the program launched in 2010, we are proud to report that thanks to your support, and the support of program partners like title sponsors The Home Depot Canada Foundation and Holcim (Canada) Inc., 63 projects have already been initiated across Canada.

Please visit habitat.ca/360 for more information and to donate.

360Partners

RBC Foundation

Schneider Electric

Everyday Essentials

State Farm Insurance

First Canadian Title

Trialto Wine Group Ltd.


2011 AND 2012 JIMMY AND ROSALYNN CARTER WORK PROJECTS

Each year, Habitat’s most renowned volunteers, former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, lead the annual Habitat for Humanity build bearing their name to bring attention to the need for safe, decent and affordable housing in partnership with low-income families.

President and Mrs. Carter have faithfully given one week of their time each year since 1984 to help build Habitat homes and raise awareness around the need. The Carter Work Project has been held in countries around the world including India, Korea, The Philippines, Mexico, South Africa, here in Canada, and throughout the United States.

For 2011 and 2012, both Habitat for Humanity Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Projects are focused on the Santo community of Léogâne, Haiti, where 500 Habitat houses will be built for Haitian families whose homes were destroyed by the 2010 quake. The 2012 build event will run from November 24th to December 1st.

Building Back BetterHABITAT’S HAITI REBUILDING PROJECTS ARE AIMED AT PROVIDING

HAITIANS WITH SHELTER, SKILLS, AND BRIGHTER FUTURES

Habitat is best known in Canada for building new, a! ordable homes for low-income families in communities nationwide. But abroad, the distinct housing challenges faced in each of the countries Habitat works in – more than 80 in total – means that as an organization, we must innovate our approach to best suit the needs of each nation, while focusing on maximizing our impact. Nowhere has the need to innovate our approach been more evident than in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.

While Habitat for Humanity has worked to provide Haitians with housing solutions for over 27 years, all of the experience gained to date could not prepare for the devastation that struck on January 12th, 2010. The magnitude-7.0 earthquake that hit just 10 miles west of the capital, Port-au-Prince, left 1.5 million people displaced or homeless – their homes either severely damaged or completely destroyed.

Immediately following the quake, there was an outpouring of support from Canadians, and we at Habitat for Humanity Canada were at work deciding how to best innovate our approach to help rebuild a nation in ruin.

Habitat Canada’s National Leadership Council, swinging hammers for Haitian familiesLast November, members of Habitat for Humanity Canada’s National Leadership Council (NLC) travelled to Haiti as part of a team of Canadian volunteers that raised funds and built homes alongside the Carters and Haitian Habitat partner families.

After their return, to further signify their support of Haiti recovery and the global need for adequate housing, the NLC set a $4 million fundraising goal to support Habitat’s ongoing work.

Habitat for Humanity Canada’s National Leadership Council is made up of a group of Canadian leaders committed to using their infl uence to raise the profi le of the lack of affordable housing globally.

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter with Habitat Canada volunteers, staff and National

Leadership Council members in front of one of the Carter Work Project homes they

built in Léogâne, Haiti.


Habitat for Humanity Canada projects (Enabling Neighbourhood Revival and Investing in People and Business in Haiti) undertaken with fi nancial support of the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

Habitat for Humanity Canada thanks the Larry and Cookie Rossy Family Foundation for their signifi cant contribution to rebuilding projects in Haiti.

iven the scope of the need in

Haiti, we determined that long-term

change must involve empowering

entire communities to rebuild their lives. In

the Simon-Pelé neighbourhood of Port-au-

Prince, for example, our urban development

project, Enabling Neighbourhood Revival in

Haiti, is helping families improve their living

conditions and gain access to critical services

for their community of about 30,000.

While Simon-Pelé has a vibrant

commercial main street and strong social

connections, its informal origins mean

it lacks water, sanitation, sewers, latrines,

solid waste disposal, street lighting,

and social amenities such as schools

and playgrounds. Many streets remain

unpaved. Diseases such as cholera

spread easily and often.

As part of our urban development

project, Habitat surveyed more than 6,000

households. The information collected is

helping the community to better understand

its needs and decide which projects take

priority. Today, with support from our Habitat

Resource Centre and under the supervision

of local contractors, residents trained in

construction techniques are implementing

community upgrades including the

installation of water points, street lighting

and a septic system for the local health

clinic. Additional upgrades will include

drainage and road improvements, and repairs

of homes damaged by the earthquake.

The 16-month project, funded by

donations, generous support from the

Larry and Cookie Rossy Family Foundation,

and the Canadian International Development

Agency (CIDA), will be completed in

September of this year and will have

provided $2 million in total support. Later

this year, a second Habitat Canada project

will commence, this one focused on

empowering Haitians in urban renewal and

small business development. This project,

Investing in People and Business in Haiti,

will fi ll gaps that have been identifi ed within

Haiti’s construction industry, increasing the

nation’s capacity, stimulating economic

growth, and creating jobs.

With these projects, our long-term vision

is about much more than construction. It’s

about empowering and supporting change

for the benefi t of entire communities. While

we measure our progress by the number of

families and individuals served, the impact

of our urban development work can be seen

in the transformation of not only lives, but

whole communities.

PROJECT OUTCOMESENABLING NEIGHBOURHOOD

REVIVAL IN HAITI, SIMON-PELÉ

By September of this year, project

outcomes will include:

• 175 homes repaired or retrofi tted

• 100 sanitation facilities installed for

up to 500 households

• 10,000 community members

educated on health-related issues

• 100 pregnant women and 900

children under age fi ve immunized

• 10,000 emergency kits prepared

for Community Disaster Response/

Evacuation Plan

• Local companies and residents

trained in repair, maintenance and

reconstruction

• Increased female representation

in community development and

reconstruction

• Training for community members

in fi nancial literacy

This urban development project

contributes to Habitat for Humanity’s

target of serving 50,000 Haitian

families over fi ve years with permanent

houses, transitional and upgradable

shelters, damage assessments,

repaired and rehabilitated homes,

emergency shelter kits, training,

and job opportunities.

Following the quake, the Haitian Government estimated that 80% of damaged homes could

be safely repaired or retrofi tted, while also being strengthened to be able to withstand future

disasters. Here, an earthquake-damaged home in Simon-Pelé is being repaired and reinforced

under the direction of an engineer by a local resident trained in construction techniques

as part of Habitat Canada’s fi rst rebuilding project.

Check habitat.ca/haiti for news and updates on Habitat’s progress in Haiti, or to make a donation to Habitat Canada’s rebuilding projects.

BUILDING MORE THAN HOUSES: URBAN DEVELOPMENT

PROJECTS IN GREATER PORT-AU-PRINCE

G

Port-au-Prince, Haiti.


Overcrowding, dilapidated housing and general una! ordability are issues faced daily by many of Canada’s Aboriginal families, especially those living on settlements and reserves, where it’s been suggested that 49% of existing housing is in need of repair, and an additional 85,0001 housing units are required to address the current supply shortage.Since it launched with support from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), our Aboriginal Housing Program has sought to understand the distinct housing challenges faced by Aboriginal Canadians, while providing homeownership solutions to families in communities across Canada.

As the program has grown, the impact that the Habitat affordable homeownership model can have on Aboriginal families and the communities they live in has become increasingly evident. Yet so has the immense housing need that this portion of the Canadian population is faced with.

This great need must be met with even greater commitment, and it’s for this reason that we’re partnering with groups like the Assembly of First Nations and the Métis Capital Housing Corporation to create innovative solutions to this complex issue. Thanks to partnerships like these, and fi nancial support from partners like CMHC, the PCL family of companies, RBC Foundation and the Tachane Foundation, the impact of this program on Aboriginal families and communities is now growing exponentially.

COLLABORATING WITH SHAWN A-IN-CHUT ATLEO AND THE ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS

On December 6th, Habitat for Humanity

Canada and the Assembly of First

Nations formally joined forces by signing

a collaboration agreement set to increase

First Nations’ involvement in Habitat

projects and enhance opportunities for

First Nations people to further their

knowledge and skills, while adding to

the housing stock.

First Nations National Chief, Shawn

A-in-chut Atleo, who has already pledged

his personal support of Habitat by agreeing

to become a member of our National

Leadership Council, met with President

and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada,

Stewart Hardacre, in Ottawa to sign the

agreement. “I thank Habitat for Humanity

Canada for inviting AFN to this

partnership… this will enhance First

Nations’ ability to explore new options

to satisfy its housing needs,” he said.

“Creating safer and healthier First Nations

communities is one of our biggest

challenges as First Nations leaders.”

Reaching New Communities

Jesse in front of his Habitat-MCHC home at the dedication in Edmonton, Alberta on September 30th.

1 Assembly of First Nations estimate


IN URBAN CENTRES

When the Métis Capital Housing Corporation (MCHC) determined they would have to sell a number of their rental houses in need of repair in order to generate funds to repair or rebuild others, Habitat for Humanity Edmonton proposed that MCHC instead provide the houses to Habitat Edmonton, for them to then renovate and sell back to low-income Aboriginal families through affordable no-interest Habitat mortgages. Rather than decreasing the housing stock available to Aboriginal families, this solution offered these families the long-term benefi ts and pride that come with homeownership.

Habitat for Humanity Edmonton and MCHC expect to complete fi ve homes annually under this partnership, using families’ mortgage payments to cover the cost of the continued revitalization.

WITHIN ABORIGINAL

COMMUNITIES

Aboriginal peoples have a deep spiritual, physical, social and cultural connection to their land, so building homes within Aboriginal communities must be undertaken with widespread support. Working closely with the Champagne & Aishihik First Nations near Whitehorse, Habitat for Humanity Yukon is planning to provide up to three housing units for low-income Aboriginal families, with construction starting as early as this summer.

With First Nations Chief James Allen having expressed his community’s support of the project, Habitat Canada’s National Leadership Council will now set out to raise the $500,000 required to build the homes. Once the funds are raised, National Leadership Council members, along with Habitat for Humanity Yukon volunteers and the Champagne & Aishihik First Nations, will construct the homes for low-income families identifi ed by the community and that meet Habitat’s normal partner family selection criteria.

Building Homes:

BLESSING MOTHER EARTH

In Manitoba, the regional Habitat affi liate now offers a traditional ground blessing

ceremony to all of its new Aboriginal homeowner partner families.

The fi rst of these ceremonies was held in September at the 612 Talbot Avenue

build site in Winnipeg, where Habitat homeowners, Dave and Cora, followed an Elder

through the traditional blessing of Mother Earth.

Also present at the ground blessing ceremony was Winnipeg district manager of

the PCL family of companies, Sean Barnes. PCL not only funded this Habitat home,

but also provided the skilled labour and building materials, making their contribution

to the project nearly $200,000.

The beat of traditional drums at the dedication ceremony for her new home drew tears from April Smoke – and enthusiastic applause from her fi ve-year-old son, Josh. The house was the fi rst ever to be built by Habitat for Humanity in a First Nations community, giving April and Josh the opportunity to live securely and stay connected to their cultural roots.

April’s family had struggled with a cycle of poverty that she was determined to break. She moved to Windsor, Ontario to pursue post-secondary studies – 500 kilometres from the Alderville, Ontario reserve where she grew up. While she knew education was an important investment, the expense was a strain: all she could afford was a crowded house in an unsafe neighbourhood.

Shortly after graduating, she heard that Habitat for Humanity Northumberland was looking to build in Alderville. Within four months of submitting her application she moved into a new home with her son, mother and brother.

April says the house was truly a community effort. “I was surprised by everyone’s generosity,” she remarks. “People I didn’t even know were coming out and lending a hand on the build site.I feel such a strong sense of belonging.” An important part of that belonging has to do with her Ojibwe heritage. April is eager to expose Josh to the rich history of their people and has enrolled them both in Ojibwe language classes. “We haven’t lived here that long and he’s already starting to understand that he’s part of this culture. Seeing him excited about it is really rewarding,” April says.

She’s also happy that Josh has a place he can truly call home. Growing up in a single-parent family, she herself moved around a lot. “I wanted to plant roots and give Josh a life he could be proud of,” she says. April concludes that perhaps her happiest moment came when she overheard Josh tell someone that for his fi fth birthday she was building him a house.

Building a sense of belonging

Lead and Founding National PartnerAboriginal Housing Program

Check habitat.ca/ahp for news and updates on Habitat’s Aboriginal Housing Program, or to make a donation to help build brighter futures for Canadian Aboriginal families

Josh and April (centre of photo) with family members at the dedication of their

Alderville Habitat home. Eager to reconnect with their Ojibwe culture, the two have

since enrolled in language classes.


Global Village Canada Turns SevenSitting here at 37,000 feet, anticipating meeting the group I’ll soon build a house with for a family in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, I can’t think of a better time to refl ect on where we’ve come over the last seven years. On the journey home from a 2004 build in Mexico, a group of dedicated Habitat volunteers and staff had a vision, a vision for a Canadian program that would send volunteers around the globe to build homes for the less fortunate – a vision that became Global Village Canada.

At the time, no one quite understood how strong Canadians’ desire was to go beyond writing a cheque to do good. In the three short years that followed, we quadrupled the number of Canadians travelling abroad with Habitat, and now seven years in, we’re planning to send over 1,500 volunteers to 30 countries worldwide to build safe and decent homes for families in need.

As wonderful as the last seven years have been, the future is looking even brighter. Seven is a great age! Full of wonder and energy, seven-year-olds have the world by the tail with nothing but promise ahead. For our Global Village program, that means increasing our number of volunteer teams and homes built for partner families. It means providing more impactful, life-changing experiences for our volunteers. It means offering more build opportunities, including trips to work with Habitat affi liates across Canada, including those partnering to build homes within Aboriginal communities.

Our volunteers, our team leaders, our donors, and the staff of Habitat for Humanity worldwide are all important parts of our success. I would like to thank everyone who has made the last seven years so special. Over 8,000 volunteers have built over 600 homes, and over $3 million has been donated. Each time a Global Village team steps into the developing world, lives are changed forever: the lives of the families previously in need of a safe and secure place to live, and the lives of the volunteers who selfl essly answered the call.

The volunteers I am about to meet will come from all walks of life, like most GV teams, but will all work hard over the next week and a half. The days will be long; it will be rigorous, dirty, but tremendously fulfi lling work. We will build the best home we can – a place where a family can be safe and without a leaking roof or parasites in the walls. We will work with them to build a future with security and dignity.

Rick TaitGlobal Village Program DirectorHabitat for Humanity Canada

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL WITH PURPOSE, WITH GLOBAL VILLAGE

Guatemala July 21 – 29

Cambodia July 22 – August 5

Portugal August 5 – 15

Bolivia August 18 – 26

Visit www.habitat.ca/globalvillage

for more trips and info.

To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 15To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 15

LEGACY PARTNERS

PLATINUM PARTNERS

GOLD PARTNERS

SILVER PARTNERS

BRONZE PARTNERS

Tachane Foundation

The key to Habitat for Humanity Canada’s success is the generous contributions we receive from

our corporate, foundation, individual and government partners. Thank you to all of them. And a special

“thank you” to our committed multi-year partners; your long-term investment helps us plan into the

future and better achieve our mission to build sustainable communities across the country.

To view our complete donor list, visit habitat.ca. To learn more about partnership opportunities,

contact Matthew Gustafson at (416) 644-0988 ext. 352 or [email protected].

(Multi-year Partners)



(Single Year Partner)

(Single Year Partners)



!"#! National Partners

spiritTHE HABITATHabitat for Humanity Canada upholds the highest standards of accountability and transparency.Our reputation is our most important asset, and maintaining strong and open relations with our supporters is a top priority.

For this reason, Habitat for Humanity Canada is one of Imagine Canada’s Ethical Code Program participants, meaning that we commit to the guidelines set in Imagine Canada’s Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code. For more information, please visit imaginecanada.ca.

Documents

THS: Spring 2012