contents dwell <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> News & Views Possibility and Progress Starts With Home New <strong>Habitat</strong> Program Targeting the Key Activities Proven to Build Sustainable Communities There’s No Place Like Home The Impact of a Safe, Secure Place to Live Trans<strong>for</strong>ming Communities Through Leadership and Collaboration National Leadership Council to be a Voice <strong>for</strong> Change <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> Abroad Government Support Received <strong>for</strong> Haiti Projects; Volunteers Building a Global Village Building Homes with Hope Writing Contest Winner to Provide a Wellington County Family with the Hand Up of Homeownership COVER: CHRISTINA RYAN AND HER DAUGHTER, EMILY, AT <strong>THE</strong>IR FULLY ACCESSIBLE <strong>HABITAT</strong> HOME IN CALGARY, AB (PHOTO BY CHRIS BOLIN) The <strong>Habitat</strong> Spirit, a publication of <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong>, seeks to promote communication, discussion and networking among <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> affiliates, volunteers and supporters. QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS SHOULD BE SENT TO: <strong>HABITAT</strong> 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 <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong>, its affiliates and HFHI unless attributed otherwise. Visit the newly redesigned habitat.ca! Earlier this year, HFHC launched a redesigned website, which we hope will offer our volunteers and donors more up to date and dynamic content that is easier to access and browse. Check it out at habitat.ca, and visit us on facebook to tell us what you think! SPECIAL THANKS TO: Christina Ryan John McMahon Jean Geary Soapbox Design Communications Inc. RR Donnelley HFHI HFHC Resource Development Team A Message from our President & CEO Building Our Organization’s Ability to Impact More Families and Communities Now into our second quarter-century in <strong>Canada</strong>, we are looking to 2011 to be our most successful yet. A major accomplishment of this year will be the completion of our 2,000th house, which will be built over a two-week blitz build in Winnipeg, Manitoba this July. Interestingly, this home will be built adjacent to <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> Winnipeg’s 200th house, and both will be built as part of the third phase of the Sir Sam Steele housing development — the greenest af<strong>for</strong>dable housing project in <strong>Canada</strong>, which will provide shelter to 32 low-income families once completed. With 72 affiliates across <strong>Canada</strong>, <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> has the presence needed to serve the majority of the Canadian population in housing need. So, in order to increase our organization’s impact, we must focus on ensuring that our affiliates have the tools they need to build more homes than ever be<strong>for</strong>e. For us at <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong>, this means constantly innovating our programs and looking <strong>for</strong> new ways to serve families and communities. <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong>’s key activities focus on providing homeownership while reducing environmental impact; ensuring that our partner families have the tools they need to succeed with their new home; engaging our volunteers; collaborating and partnering with surrounding communities, and private and public partners; and, ensuring the safety of our build sites and other work areas. Ultimately, the ability of our affiliates to serve more families each year does not come down to just the wood and nails required to build the home, but rather to developing their capacity in each and every one of these key areas. This is why <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> is launching the 360 Built Smart Partnership, a program that has identified each of these activities as a pillar, and will drive support to our affiliates <strong>for</strong> capacitybuilding relating to each (read more about the 360 Built Smart Partnership on page 6). Another way we are looking to extend our organization’s ability to serve more low-income families is through ReNew It, a program that will enable our affiliates to assist families with owner-occupied properties by working with volunteers to undertake critical repairs or needed modifications. Staying consistent with the same principals we apply to our homeownership program, ReNew It will require qualified applicants to repay the cost of materials and contracted services at no interest and through af<strong>for</strong>dable monthly payments. These programs will enable us to impact more families and communities, but as always, this will only be made possible through the dedication and passion of our supporters. Whether you have volunteered with an affiliate, have donated to our cause or advocated on our behalf, you’ve been a critical part of our past and the success we were able to achieve in our first 25 years. As we look to the future of our organization — focused on building even more homes <strong>for</strong> more families — your continued support and dedication is needed now more than ever. Be a part of our past and our future; join us this year in breaking the cycle of poverty <strong>for</strong> low-income Canadians. Sincerely, Stewart Hardacre President & CEO <strong>Habitat</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>Humanity</strong> <strong>Canada</strong> 2 <strong>THE</strong> <strong>HABITAT</strong> SPIRIT Spring/Summer 2011 To donate, participate or advocate visit www.habitat.ca 3