habiTaT spiriT Fall/Winter 2012 - Habitat for Humanity Canada

THE HABITAT
‘First House’
Raising walls on
Habitat’s first project
on First Nations
settlement land
Another Path
Home
Partnering with The
MasterCard
Foundation to expand
microfinance in Sub-
Saharan Africa
Students Carry
on in Memory
Davis Doan’s legacy: a
Toronto family with an
affordable home
News and Views for the Friends of Habitat for Humanity Canada
2012
Fall/WiNter
To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 1

A Message from our President & CEO
Affordable
Homeownership a
Layered Investment
When making a donation of time or
money to a charitable organization, a
common question is whether to invest in
the lives of individuals, in the future
prospects of families, or in the betterment
of an entire community. What sometimes
isn’t as obvious though, is how far your
contribution can in fact go to impact
all three.
The most immediate effects of an
investment of time or money in affordable
homeownership is on the family that
receives the home: with more manageable
shelter costs, they are able to save money,
pay for nutritious food, afford to send
their kids on to higher education, live
healthier lives and escape the cycle of
poverty. But good housing also attracts
economic investment and development,
thriving schools, safer communities and
social stability. Also, with more healthy
living conditions, families often end or
reduce their dependency on social services
such as housing subsidies and healthcare
– instead contributing to their
communities as payers of property tax.
Despite this, survey results recently
released by our National Leadership
Council show that while 64 percent of
Canadians believe housing will be less
affordable in the future, few feel affordable
housing is a problem in their community.
I fear this shows that while Canadians see
the warning signs, few fully appreciate
the extent of housing need and impact
affordable housing can have in
communities across the country.
Every day, local Habitat affiliates across
Canada work with community support to
build safe, decent homes that are sold to
partner families at a price they can afford.
The 50,000 volunteers that make our work
possible are community-minded people
who come together with passion and
dedication to help families find dignity
and empowerment through affordable
homeownership.
After 27 years of building homes in
Canada, Habitat for Humanity has helped
over 2,000 low-income families achieve
affordable homeownership. Around the
world, over 500,000 families have accessed
better, safer, or more affordable homes as
a result of Habitat’s work.
Habitat’s affordable homeownership
model helps families break the cycle of
poverty. It drastically increases the
likelihood individuals will succeed. It has
a direct impact on the communities where
projects are undertaken. The model is
transformational, and long-lasting.
I strongly encourage you to consider
donating your next dollar, or volunteering
your next hour, to help a family move
closer to Habitat homeownership. Our
success to date has led to many brighter
futures, but there is still a lot of work to be
done. I invite you to browse the following
pages and visit habitat.ca to get a sense of
how, with the help of our supporters, we
intend to steadily increase the number of
families we serve every year.
Stewart Hardacre
President & CEO
Habitat for Humanity Canada
contents
dwell
Habitat for Humanity Canada
News & Views
‘First House’
raising walls on Habitat’s first project on
First Nations settlement land
Students Carry on in Memory
Davis Doan’s legacy: a toronto family with
an affordable home
Another Path Home
Partnering with the MasterCard Foundation to
expand microfinance in Sub-Saharan africa
We Can Because You Do
Habitat for Humanity Canada 2012 volunteer
award winners
Great Ways to Support Habitat
The Habitat Spirit, a
publication of Habitat
for Humanity Canada,
seeks to promote
communication, discussion
and networking among
Habitat for Humanity
affiliates, 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
habitat@habitat.ca
www.habitat.ca
phoTo crediTs:
The photos contained in
this newsletter were
provided courtesy of
Habitat for Humanity
Canada, its affiliates and
HFHI unless attributed
otherwise.
special ThanKs To:
Soapbox Design
Communications Inc.
Cossette Inc.
HFHI
Phillip Jordan
Erin O’Hara
Gary Bremner
2 The habiTaT spiriT Fall/Winter 2012 To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 3
04
06
08
10
12
15
c o v e r : ‘FirSt HouSe’ builD VoluNteerS CirCle
For a MorNiNg brieFiNg oN a briSk Fall YukoN
MorNiNg. Full StorY oN Page 6.

dwell
$2.75 Million in Cash and Product
Committed by CIPH
Over 60 plumbing and heating industry
professionals thundered across parts of
Ontario as part of the third annual CIPH and
HRAI Ride for Habitat, held July 21.
This year’s ride comes after the 2012/2013
CIPH Charity Committee announced its goal
to raise $2.75 million over the next two
years for Habitat’s work in Canada. As part
of CIPH’s annual Fundraising Week, the 60
riders alone brought in more than $17,500
in donations.
“Each year Habitat for Humanity provides
homes for over 250 families in Canada
and CIPH wants to continue to be a part of
this,” stated CIPH Chairman of the Board
John Hammill, Moen Inc.
Since 1994, CIPH and its member
organizations have donated over $8.1 million
in cash and product donations, helping
countless low-income families realize
affordable homeownership.
All Weather Windows Helping Families
Who Have Weathered the Storm
As part of All Weather Window’s ongoing commitment to help low-income families
realize safe, decent and affordable homeownership, the organization did something that
many other national, regional and local partners of Habitat have done in the past – offered
their employees the opportunity to volunteer on a Habitat build day.
The twist: All Weather Window’s “Factory Blitz Build” was held at their Edmonton and
Mississauga production facilities, not on a Habitat build site. In total, 225 All Weather
Windows employees volunteered their Saturday to assemble windows and doors for over
30 Habitat homes.
Since 2001, All Weather Windows has proudly supported the work of Habitat affiliates
across Canada as a Platinum level partner, and this only further shows how committed the
organization and its employees are to helping families realize affordable homeownership.
Today the organization is committed to donating at least $1,000,000 in windows and
doors to Habitat builds and ReStores across Canada each year. In addition, All Weather
Windows has encouraged other organizations to join in supporting Habitat, resulting in
the sponsorship of several Habitat homes in the Edmonton area.
Habitat for Humanity Canada
News & Views
“Each year Habitat for
Humanity provides
homes for over 250
families in Canada and
CIPH wants to continue
to be a part of this”
CIPH Chairman of the Board John Hammill,
Moen Inc.
pinchinG
pennies
With the Federal Government
announcement that the Canadian one
cent piece is destined for extinction,
Habitat affiliates across Canada started
scouring their communities for Canada’s
copper change.
After several months, some Habitat
affiliates are boasting impressive penny
counts:
habitat for humanity sault ste. marie
1,366,650 pennies
habitat for humanity south
Georgian bay 700,000 pennies
habitat for humanity halton
316,769 pennies
Thanks to everyone who cleared out
their cars and couches to help make
affordable housing available to more
low-income Canadian families. If you
haven’t yet, Habitat affiliates are
continuing to collect pennies, many
with several drop-off points across
their regions.
Pitching In
At age 14, Raymond Graham isn’t old enough to volunteer on a Habitat build site,
so instead he’s contributing to his family’s Habitat sweat equity requirement by working
with the local food share program and animal shelter in his home town of Nanaimo,
British Columbia.
Sweat equity is a requirement of all new Habitat families and is completed as part of the
repayment of their home. Most of the time this takes place on a Habitat build site, but like
in Raymond’s case, exceptions are made based on age or physical ability.
“Sweat equity allows families to set roots in the community,” said Teresa Pring, Habitat
for Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island CEO. “It also gives them a greater sense of pride in
their home, having worked hundreds of hours as a family to achieve it.”
Between Raymond’s efforts and those of his mom, Jo-Anne, they expect to complete all
500 hours required well in advance of their December move-in.
Raymond says he’s enjoyed helping out, but looks forward to the day he can volunteer
on a Habitat build site.
For now, he’s happy to finally be getting his own backyard. Jo-Anne’s anticipating the
greater safety and security the home will provide for her and her son.
Green BuildinG HaBi-fact
iN 2012, We exPeCt 90% oF
our 250+ Habitat HoMeS
built aCroSS CaNaDa to be
CoNStruCteD to reCogNizeD
greeN builDiNg StaNDarDS
builT
Green
Raymond and Jo-Anne’s home is part of
two energy efficient duplexes Habitat for
Humanity Mid-Vancouver Island has
planned for Nanaimo.
Teresa Pring says that in an area where
green-built homes are almost exclusively
high-cost and custom-built, that they want
to showcase that energy efficient and
affordable can and should be synonymous.
“Not only will the homes reduce
environmental impact, but their increased
efficiency means that they’ll be less
financially burdensome on homeowners,”
she added.
Jo-Anne plans to use the savings
in energy costs towards Raymond’s
college fund.
Support received through Habitat for Humanity
Canada’s 360 Built Smart Partnership enabled this
Habitat Mid-Vancouver Island build to be energy
efficient. The 360 Built Smart Partnership is made
possible by its supporters, including title sponsors
The Home Depot Canada Foundation and Holcim
(Canada) Inc.
4 The habiTaT spiriT Fall/Winter 2012 To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 5

‘FirsT house’
oF manY
As the small plane’s propellers wound
down, I caught a glimpse of the landscape
that surrounded. The stories I’d heard about
short term visitors to the Yukon settling in
for a lifetime were beginning to make sense.
As we were driven to the nearby Yukon Inn, we passed the
province’s Legislature and were told about a tent city protest that
sprung up on its front lawn last summer, only a few months before
the notorious Occupy protests swept across countless other cities.
What was being protested in the Yukon, though, had nothing to
do with inequality or a lack of jobs. The tent city occupants were
there because of the city’s lack of affordable places for them to live.
For this reason, they claimed the tents were a necessity as much
as a protest.
In addition to the stunning landscape, the Yukon continues to
attract a steady flow of new temporary and permanent residents
each year with something that many other Canadian cities lack
– vast job opportunities. With construction not keeping up with the
expanding demand brought by this increase in workers, housing
costs have increased to a level that is unaffordable for many.
Like the Whitehorse tent city, this was the reason for my
presence. But the issue reaches much farther than the borders of
Whitehorse or the Yukon. When looking at Canada’s North more
broadly, we find an incidence of core housing need that is 93
percent greater than the rest of Canada. We also find that over
half of the population is of Aboriginal descent.
These stats come amidst a national Aboriginal housing crisis,
highlighted earlier this year by the deplorable living conditions in
Attawapiskat, Ontario. Nationwide, the federal government
estimates a housing shortfall on First Nations settlements and
reserves of up to 35,000 units, while National Chief of the Assembly
of First Nations and Habitat National Leadership Council member,
Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, estimates the shortfall closer to 85,000.
With this in mind, Habitat for Humanity Canada launched its
Aboriginal Housing Program in 2007 to better understand and
serve the needs of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples. While the program
continues to serve families in and near urban centres, another key
focus is expanding the availability of Habitat homeownership to
serve more low-income Aboriginal families in rural areas, and on
Aboriginal settlements and reserves.
Years of progress has led to my arrival in the Yukon. It was not
the first of the program’s successes, but the most meaningful to
date, as myself and members of Habitat for Humanity Canada’s
National Leadership Council came together to work side-by-side
with the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations to raise walls on
the first Habitat project on First Nations settlement land.
Jayshree Thakar
National Manager, Aboriginal Housing Program
Habitat for Humanity Canada
‘First house’ on
First nations land
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.
on april 19, Habitat for Humanity
Yukon signed a partnership
agreement with the Champagne and
aishihik First Nations to make
affordable homeownership available
to more families on their settlement
land. Since, ground has been broken
on a triplex affordable housing
development in takhini river, 50
kilometres west of Whitehorse.
a milestone project, this is Habitat
for Humanity’s first build on First
Nations settlement land in Canada.
by Spring 2013, it will make
homeownership possible for three
low-income First Nations families
identified by the Champagne and
aishihik First Nations and that meet
Habitat’s normal partner family
selection criteria.
Habitat for Humanity Canada
hopes this project will lead to many
more partnerships being formed
and houses being built with
Canada’s aboriginal peoples.
leadership
build Week
beginning September 9, members
of Habitat for Humanity Canada’s
National leadership Council,
including assembly of First Nations
National Chief Shawn a-in-chut atleo,
joined Habitat volunteers and
Champagne and aishihik First
Nations leaders and community
members to work side-by-side on the
takhini river ‘First House’. in addition
to bringing the project nearer to
completion, the event served to raise
awareness of affordable housing
need among aboriginal Canadians
and how through partnership and
collaboration, the Habitat
homeownership model can be
part of the overall solution.
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
The champagne and
aishihik First nations
With over 1,200 members, the selfgoverning
Champagne and aishihik First
Nations (CaFN) are one of the largest of
the Yukon’s 14 First Nations. their
traditional territory covers over 41,000
square kilometres – 29,000 in southwest
Yukon and 12,000 in northern british
Columbia. CaFN ties to their land reach
back over 8,000 years.
as of February 1995, CaFN’s right to
the Yukon portion of its traditional lands
and resources was confirmed with the
signing of the Champagne and aishihik
First Nations Final agreement. the
agreement provided ownership for 2,427
square kilometres of land, allowing the
CaFN to begin exploring progressive
homeownership models to help improve
the shelter conditions of families on their
settlement land.
lead and Founding national partner
aboriginal housing program
6 The habiTaT spiriT Fall/Winter 2012 To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 7
Photos: Gary Bremner, 2012
Shawn Atleo, Assembly of First Nations
National Chief, overseeing the work being
completed on the Habitat home.
Three Champagne and Aishihik community members
who lent a hand while building their skill in
construction techniques.
Brett Marchand, Habitat National Leadership Council
Chair, eyes a board to be used in the construction of
the home.

University
of Toronto
Students Carry
on in Memory
of Dedicated
Classmate
Thong Doan (left), father of Davis Doan, joins the Eyes of Hope
Executive Committee and Genworth Canada’s Linda Bélanger
(second from right) at the announcement of Genworth’s support
of the Eyes of Hope home, July 2012.
Davis Doan (bottom right) and Eyes of Hope volunteers at
Habitat for Humanity Toronto’s Hainford build site, July 2009.
It was early 2009 that University
of Toronto Engineering student
Davis Doan first approached
Habitat for Humanity Toronto.
He had an idea of raising enough
money to build an entire house.
Full of enthusiasm and energy,
he set out to engage his fellow
U of T students to raise the
$80,000 needed to do so.
Sadly, in May the following year, Habitat toronto was
informed that Davis had passed away following a battle
with cancer. He was 25 years old. the news came as a
shock to staff, who had grown to know Davis as an
ambitious and determined community volunteer. During
his time working with Habitat, he had never given any
indication he was ill.
but Davis’ vision did not end there. Following his
passing, fellow u of t students and friends continued
the work he started through a group founded by Davis
called eyes of Hope. Motivated to transform the lives
of a local low-income family and honour the work Davis
had set out to complete, they continued to push forward,
towards their goal.
Friend and eyes of Hope member, anna bui, said
about Davis, “he always dreamt big and strived hard
to achieve those dreams, even if they seemed far
from possible.”
and as time passed, raising the full amount was
beginning to seem just that – far from possible. that
is, until linda bélanger, leader of Community relations
at genworth Canada, learned of Davis’ story and the
trouble the students were having in carrying out
his legacy.
“i was touched by Davis’ story, and how hard
the students were working to bring his vision to life,”
said linda.
Days later, genworth Canada announced they would
donate $40,000 to match every dollar raised through
eyes of Hope for the Habitat home, bringing the
students only $14,000 away from their goal.
“We’re honoured to be part of such an inspirational
project,” added linda. “i’m sure Davis would be very
proud of what is being done here.”
on october 10, ground was broken on the four
bedroom eyes of Hope home.
The 2012 Habitat for Humanity Canada
Gift Builder Catalogue offers a variety
of symbolic gifts that help build homes
for Canadian families in need. These
symbolic items are the building blocks
needed for Canadian families to access
the safe, decent, affordable housing
everyone deserves.
Gift s from the 2012 Gift Builder Catalogue can also
be donated on behalf of a friend or family member.
GIVE THE GIFT OF HOME
habitat.ca/homebuilder
8 The habiTaT spiriT Fall/Winter 2012 To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 9

Another
path home
The dusty, rutted road that leads to Halima Bagaaya’s house
doesn’t bear the load of cars often. The route from northwestern
Uganda’s Katasenywa village is usually accomplished on foot.
Young boys push bicycles overloaded with green banana
bunches. Women walk the road to reach the nearest well,
balancing the ubiquitous, bright-yellow water jugs that are
mass-produced in the capital city of Kampala. Only the slow
crescendo of an approaching boda-boda – Uganda’s
motorcycle taxi – forces foot traffic to the side.
Three years ago, a passerby wouldn’t have seen much of
Halima’s house along this road. At that point, the 41-year-old
widow had completed only the foundation of her future home.
Halima had the know-how and labor help she needed to build
the rest – money and building materials, however, were
another matter.
As work remained at a standstill, Halima continued to pay
rent for temporary housing elsewhere. “It was frustrating,” she
remembers. “Having to pay rent and other costs, it was difficult
to store up all I needed to finish the house.”
Then, one of Halima’s cousins told her about Habitat for
Humanity Uganda, and something new Habitat was offering:
housing microfinance. Halima decided to apply for a housing
loan through the program. She completed an orientation on
loan policies and procedures, and Habitat staff visited her to
assess her situation.
In early 2009, Halima received her first Habitat housing loan.
She used it to build the walls of her house. She had been able to
secure some materials for the roof and used some of her savings
to complete it.
After paying off her initial loan in 2010, Halima took out a
second Habitat loan to plaster, paint and complete the flooring.
Today, her brick home is complete. She has a door that locks,
offering protection for her, her sister Zahara Kimuli, and
Halima’s 2-year-old niece, Halima Byanjeru. A white curtain
blows back and forth on the breeze that sails through the
window into the sitting room. Out back, Halima has been able to
construct a chicken coop; hundreds of chicks provide her
household with a steady source of income.
To the front and sides of the house, Halima and her sister have
planted Irish potatoes, yams, tomatoes and onions. There are
also several trees: mango, jackfruit and, of course, plantain –
which is necessary to make matoke, the ever-present national
dish in Uganda.
“It just makes you feel like you belong somewhere,” Halima says.
Halima Bagaaya was able to complete her
home after receiving a microfinance loan
through Habitat for Humanity Uganda.
Why housing microfinance?
Habitat Uganda has distributed more than 1,600 housing loans
to people like Halima Bagaaya. While the approach remains
relatively new in Uganda, it’s become a much more common tool
for Habitat worldwide over the past decade, with housing
microfinance programs now in more than 30 countries.
“Housing microfinance aims to fill the gap when families can’t
finish a house or need help making home improvements,” says
Mike Carscaddon, Habitat for Humanity International’s
Executive Vice President for International Field Operations.
Housing microfinance gives families the flexibility to build
in stages, at a speed that fits their needs and their resources.
“In the developing world, we have learned that housing is a
process,” Carscaddon says. “Housing is a verb – not a noun
or a final product.”
partnering with The mastercard Foundation to expand
microfinance possibilities in sub-saharan africa
Through a new partnership, Habitat for Humanity Canada,
Habitat for Humanity International and The MasterCard
Foundation will enable more than 17,000 additional households
like Halima’s to access the housing microfinance products and
services they need to improve their lives.
Focusing on Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda, the five-year project
launched October 2012 will work with up to nine local financial
institutions already serving the poor to build their capacity and
diversify products and services in order to meet shelter-related
needs. In total, the project will provide $6.6 million to expand
microfinance services for the maintenance and improvement of
homes like Halima Bagaaya’s in these three African countries.
(Above) 37-year-old Echum Hassim Oguta of Bweyale, Uganda is a
house-builder who has never had a decent home of his home before
now. He migrated to Uganda’s Masindi district from Gulu, in
northern Uganda, when the fighting was fiercest during the
country’s civil war. He and his family stayed in three traditional mud
huts on land provided by the government for displaced people. While
living there, Echum built other people’s houses, bringing home extra
building materials when he could. With a microfinance loan from
Habitat for Humanity Uganda’s Masindi branch, he installed
windows and doors, and was able to plaster and concrete his home.
(Below) Echum Hassim Oguta’s 10-year-old son, Mujahid Echum,
walks on the path to his family’s home.
(Left) Christine Tesot of
Bomet, Kenya washes
dishes outside her family’s
home. Christine’s husband,
Kipkorir Tesot, a retired
teacher and subsistence
farmer, was able to complete
construction on his family’s
home after receiving a series
a small loans from Habitat
Kenya’s microfinance
program. The loans allowed
him to build his home in
stages with materials he
had been saving for more
than 10 years.
To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 11
Habitat for Humanity/Steffan Hacker
Habitat for Humanity international/ezra Millstein Habitat for Humanity international/ezra Millstein

oresT mYcKan
Kenneth J. Meinert Leadership Award
S
ome see retirement as the end of an era, others see it as
just the beginning. For Orest Myckan, retirement has given
him the chance to travel the world and help those less
fortunate. Since retiring in 1997, he’s participated in 22 Habitat
for Humanity Global Village builds around the world.
“When retirement came along I said no more meetings, no
more committees,” remembers Orest, who spent his career in
human resources. He had been a long-time volunteer with Habitat
for Humanity in his local community in Edmonton, even
stepping-in as Acting Executive Director at one time, but the year
he retired he joined his first Habitat build abroad – traveling to
Honduras to build a house for a family in need.
A team-builder by trade, Orest began leading trips in 2000.
“Once I started, I just couldn’t stop,” he says, “the experiences
were just so fulfilling.”
Over the course of the last decade, Orest’s builds have taken
him from Guatemala, the Philippines, Jamaica and Mexico to
Cost Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic
and even Nunavut.
Habitat For
2012
HuMaNitY CaNaDa:
aWard
Winners
“Once
I started,
I just
couldn’t
stop”
orest Myckan
Now 69, Orest plans to continue doing two international builds
a year in addition to his local volunteer work. His latest build kept
him on Canadian soil, hosting a group of volunteers from British
Columbia at the Elizabeth Métis Settlement in Cold Lake, Alberta.
Orest says the payoff from his involvement with Habitat has
been incredible. “You come together as a team and form really
meaningful relationships with each other and the local people –
and you see first-hand the results of your efforts,” he says.
Hammering nails and laying bricks across the globe has been
Orest’s fountain of youth. “It really keeps me young,” he says.
Recently, Orest has been named Habitat’s National Volunteer
of the Year and Habitat for Humanity Edmonton’s Don Neufeld
Outstanding Volunteer, and he has received his affiliate’s 150+
hours volunteered recognition every year since it was established
in 2007. Orest’s work abroad hasn’t gone unnoticed either, and
the town of Guadalupe, El Salvador even named him as an
honorary citizen.
Habitat for Humanity Canada is proud to further recognize
Orest with this year’s Kenneth J. Meinert Leadership Award.
VolunTeer oF The Year
linda armsTronG
Carl Ryan
recognized for
his key role in
building green
and growing his
Habitat affiliate
The Great-West Life, London Life and
Canada Life National Award for Leadership
in Sustainable and Affordable Home
Building was created in 2009 to encourage
and inspire more individuals to champion
the issue of affordable homeownership in
their community. It was also designed to
encourage the adoption of sustainable
building practices to address “energy
poverty” – an affordability issue many
households face in the wake of increasing
utility costs. The annual award provides
$25,000 to a Habitat for Humanity
volunteer in Canada for direction toward
a Habitat for Humanity affiliate for a
sustainable building project.
Carl Ryan, Board Chair of Habitat for
Humanity Niagara, is being recognized by
this year’s Award for his instrumental role
in instituting and advancing recognized
sustainable building practices over his
eight years as a volunteer.
Through his leadership and tireless work
with volunteers, local corporations and as
a member of the Niagara Home Builders
Association and Niagara Construction
Association, Carl has directly supported
the building of 17 sustainable houses and,
more importantly, has provided valuable
strategic leadership, positioning his local
affiliate well for continued success over
the years ahead.
12 The habiTaT spiriT Fall/Winter 2012 To donate, participate or advocate, visit www.habitat.ca 13
A
strong believer in Habitat’s
approach to helping low-
income families break the
cycle of poverty through affordable
homeownership, after Linda Armstrong
retired from a career in telecommunications,
she began devoting her time as a volunteer
with her local Habitat affiliate in
London, Ontario.
Shortly after becoming involved in 2007,
Linda realized her passion lie in working
one-on-one with Habitat partner families.
Knowing that the process of purchasing
a home can be a burden no matter what
your life situation, she would relentlessly
offer her support and be available to
partner families throughout the process –
from submitting their home application to
adjusting to their new responsibilities as
homeowners. Linda wanted to make the
process easier for Habitat families, many
of which held two jobs just to get by.
Since joining Habitat London, Linda
has travelled across Canada at her own
expense to attend Habitat annual general
meetings to improve her knowledge of
the organization and ability to serve
partner families.
Linda personifies the commitment and
passion of dedicated volunteers across
Canada who have made it possible for
Habitat for Humanity to come this far.
Habitat for Humanity Canada is honoured
to recognize Linda as this year’s Volunteer
of the Year.
Great-West life, london life and canada life’s longstanding commitment to habitat for humanity canada
great-West life, london life and Canada life, along with their staff and distribution associates, have a
long history of supporting Habitat for Humanity Canada, sponsoring multiple builds and contributing
hundreds of hours to the cause. in 2009, great-West life and its subsidiaries made a five-year
commitment of $250,000 through their national corporate citizen program to support this award and
sustainable homebuilding in Canada.

2012 National Partners
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 mgustafson@habitat.ca.
(multi-year partners)
(multi-year partners)
leGacy Partners
(multi-year partners)
PlatinuM Partners
Gold Partners
(multi-year partners)
silver Partners
(multi-year partners)
Bronze Partners
(single Year partners)
(single Year partner)
Tachane
Foundation
Give a Gift of
Comfort and Joy
My Pretty
Playhouse
Made in Canada from 100%
recycled cardboard, this
customizable playhouse is sure
to be a favourite with the little ones!
and with $2 donated to Habitat
for each playhouse sold, there was
never a better time to shop
boutique Cascades.
boutique.cascades.com
100% of the proceeds from this everyday
essentials throw blanket will go towards
transforming more lives through Habitat
homeownership. With your help, many
more Canadians will be warm and cozy
for the holidays. buy a blanket for
yourself or as a gift at select loblaw
banner stores including real Canadian
Superstore.
The mcdonald FamilY
BUILD IT
WITH THE BRICK
Vote for your community!
until December 15, vote to decide where the brick will sponsor their
next Habitat home! the community of Stratford, ontario won last year,
making it possible for the McDonald family to realize a safe and decent
home they could afford.
Vote today at thebrick.com/vote. Not only will you bring a local lowincome
family closer to homeownership, but you’ll also be entered in
a draw to win one of six dishwashers courtesy of the brick!
FruitS & PaSSioN
giFt WraPPiNg
iS oNCe agaiN
ProViDiNg
FaMilieS WitH a
brigHter Future.
ViSit a loCatioN
Near You.
fruits-passion.ca

spirit
THE HABITAT
Habitat 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.