2006 Annual Report

Habitat for Humanity Canada
Structure and Programs
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
WOMEN BUILD PROGRAM
Our Women Build program encourages women
to experience hands-on participation at our build
sites. All volunteers receive basic training and
are mentored on-site by experienced home
builders. The program enables women to learn
and use construction skills in a safe, supportive
environment.
BUILDING ON FAITH PROGRAM
Habitat for Humanity lets faith groups put
their faith and love into action in a meaningful,
powerful way, by serving as instruments of
God’s love. Our homes serve as a visible and
lasting reminder of God’s grace. Participants
feel a strong sense of unity and purpose when
they join hands and reach out to neighbours in
need. Faith groups help by praying for the work,
sponsoring homes, donating funds, offering inkind
goods and services, becoming volunteers,
feeding workers, and supporting partner families.
Habitat for Humanity thankfully celebrates its
partnerships with the faith community through
an annual global event called Building on Faith.
NATIONAL YOUTH PROGRAM
Habitat for Humanity Canada encourages young
people to experience the rewards of giving back
to their communities. Students run 11 successful
Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapters, located
on university and college campuses, and in high
schools, across Canada. Chapter members help
build homes, become advocates for affordable
housing, and raise funds for local affiliates. The
National Youth Build program aims to engage
youth in the work of Habitat for Humanity to
help develop future community leaders. The
first National Youth Build was held in Winnipeg
in 2006, attracting youth from across Canada
for 10 days of building. In 2006, six groups of
students travelled outside Canada during Spring
Break to support the international work of
Habitat for Humanity.
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING
Protecting the environment and employing
sustainable building practices is of great
importance to Habitat for Humanity in Canada
and to the donors and volunteers who support
our work. We believe that an affordable home
can be a healthy and sustainable home, both
for the families who will live there and for
the communities in which they will reside.
In support of this commitment, Habitat for
Humanity Canada is encouraging and training
our Canadian affiliates to increase the number
of energy efficient homes that are available to
our partner families. We are appealing to our
donors to support this movement by funding and
participating in the growing number of ‘green’
builds across the country.
SAFETY AND HEALTH
The Management and Board of Directors of
Habitat for Humanity Canada believes that the
safety and health of our employees, volunteers
and sub-contractors is of vital importance.
The well-being of Habitat for Humanity in
Canada depends on the safety and health
of our workforce and the protection of our
environment. With this commitment in mind,
Habitat for Humanity Canada has developed
support materials to assist affiliates in developing
a comprehensive Safety, Health and Environment
(SHE) orientation and management system to be
used in conjunction with local safety resources
14