Habitat Camrose Annual AGM 2016

Annual General Meeting

May 24, 2016, at 7:00 pm

Habitat for Humanity Camrose ReStore

5007 – 46 Street, Camrose, AB  

 

 

Serving Families in Multiple Ways

As we celebrate our 10~20~30 milestones this year, (10 years ReStore in Camrose, 20 Habitat in Camrose, building our 29th & 30th homes) we also celebrate the ways we serve families in the community.

1. Affordable Home Ownership

We all want strength, stability and self-reliance for our families.  Habitat’s Affordable Home Ownership program empowers families to take care of themselves and build their own brighter futures by owning their own home.

Having a safe and secure place to live benefits everyone in the family and community.

Moving into a Habitat home can happen in two ways:

Moving in to a new home – This is normally what people think about when they think ‘Habitat.’ Along with numerous volunteers and contractors, families help directly in the construction of their home. Upon completion, a home dedication ceremony is held and the keys to the home are passed on to the family.

Christina and son Kaden in their new home.

In its 20 years in the community, Habitat Camrose has served 30 families the keys to new Habitat homes. An average of 2 families per year.

Moving in to a refurbished home – The purpose behind the Habitat program is to be able to give a family a hand up through home ownership, so that they can build equity in their homes and move on to another home and a traditional mortgage. When families are able to accomplish this, the Habitat homes are refurbished and serve a new Habitat partner family, who then sign a mortgage with Habitat Camrose.

 

2. International Work ~ Home for a Home – Habitat for Humanity has always supported international work.  In 2015 Habitat Canada officially launched the Home for Home model of tithing in Canada. The goal is to generate $2500 for every home built locally to support the construction of a home internationally.  You can read about the results of our international work in the 2015 Impact Report included in this newsletter.

Habitat Camrose has tithed for 30 homes internationally over our 20 years in Camrose.

Camrosian, Barry Stotts, participates in a Habitat Global Village trip to Guatemala.

In 2016 we celebrate with the community the milestones that Habitat has made in Camrose.  We celebrate you, the volunteers, donors, contractors, and those that attend our fundraising events.  All of you make Habitat possible in Camrose. And most of all, we celebrate with you the difference we have been able to make in the lives of families in our community.

We thank you for your ongoing support.

 

Cody McCarroll

Executive Director

Habitat for Humanity Camrose

2016 Ground Breaking. Everyone Welcome!

Share in the success your donations help to make – The Sherbanuk Family

The Boston Consulting Group recently conducted a social return on investment study for Habitat Canada.  They concluded that every $1 invested into Habitat for Humanity Canada’s domestic home ownership program initiates $4 worth of benefit to society.

This benefit extends in to our community of Camrose in which Habitat is an active force in promoting affordable home ownership as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty.

The Sherbanuk family in their 2005 Habitat home.

Chris and Anita Sherbanuk received a Habitat home in Camrose in 2005.

As a former partner family with Habitat for Humanity of Camrose, we have an intimate understanding of the values and indeed moral code set forth by this very important organization – decent, affordable homes built out of love, a sense of family, feelings of accomplishment and a need to give back. In our case, we were offered a “hand up,” the opportunity to be homeowners in an affordable way.

Partner Family, Chris Sherbanuk, helps to build his Habitat home.

For us, participating in a Habitat for Humanity build was extremely rewarding and challenging. The opportunity to work alongside a skilled tradesman like Ron Grue taught me something about framing and drywall. And, there is something about being knee deep in mud digging out the sump basin that is going to be yours that makes the whole ordeal worth it.

 

Chris helps to install plumbing in his Habitat home.

Teamwork is what makes a Habitat build happen.

Thanks to Habitat for Humanity, we have had many new and wonderful opportunities.  Having a larger home enabled us to grow our family!  We now have six children, three born while we have lived in our Habitat home.

The study found that Habitat home ownership generates a societal return of $175,000 per family served.  Over the past 30 years, Habitat has enabled over 2,700 families to access home ownership in Canada, for a total combined benefit to society of $470 million.  This value is driven by:

• increased tax revenue from partner families
• reduced usage of social services, such as social housing and local food banks
• improved educational outcomes for children growing up in a Habitat home

Habitat homeowners also show improvement through greater employment stability and engagement in community and society.

Another amazing opportunity came to us a few years ago.  We became partners with the owners of a local restaurant using the equity that we had built within the house! 

“We are constantly hearing from the families we serve about the significant impact that Habitat home ownership has had on their lives and we wanted to quantify this in terms of its benefit to broader society,” said Mark Rodgers, President and CEO, Habitat for Humanity Canada.  “This study proves that Habitat for Humanity is a leader in creating transformational change for families and that our program is a wise investment of donor dollars.”

Lasting friendships and sense of family are at the core of Habitat for Humanity because although our own home build has come and gone, we are in a sense still in partnership with Habitat, and they will always be a part of our family.                                                  ~Regards, Chris, Anita, Ethan, Caleb, Evan, Tobias, Ellenora and Julius Sherbanuk~

Because of Habitat we are restaurant owners with a large, and wonderful, family. Our future is looks bright thanks to the hand up we received from Habitat for Humanity.

 

 

 

 

For more information on the impact of Habitat for Humanity’s Affordable Home Ownership Program in Canada, visit Habitat Canada’s website here.

Habitat Camrose – Calendar of Events (August – October 2015)

Thursday, September 3 – Annual Community Registration Night

• Showcasing clubs, organizations and businesses which offer an arts, recreation, learning, sports or volunteer opportunities in your community.
• Come see us about opportunities with Habitat Camrose to Build Hope in your community.
• 6:30 – 9:00 p.m. at the Field House, 4516 – 54 St, Camrose

 Tuesday, September 8 – Augustana Campus and Community Fair

• For students!  Gathering university and community businesses and services in one place that can add to your student experience in the Camrose community.
• Meet us there! Habitat Camrose provides important learning and community engagement opportunities for students that look great on a resume.  You can help us to change the lives of families in Camrose for generations.
• Augustana Campus, Forum, main level, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 24 – Hockey for Habitat

• 1st Annual Habitat hockey tournament
• Max Mclean Arena, 12:00 p.m. – 6:45 p.m.
• Contact us for more information

Building Futures: The Davidson Family – 2015 Partner Family

My name is Christina, and along with my 7 year old son, Kaden, we are the Davidson’s and one of the two partner families to team up with Habitat for Humanity this year.

2015 Partner Family, Christina Davidson and her son, Kaden

I am a single mom and a full time Operation staff at the Camrose Regional Exhibition, and have been there for almost 5 years.  Kaden is a happy, healthy grade 2 student at Ecole Sifton School.

Our journey began in January 2010 when I was laid off from my job at the local newspaper in Viking, Alberta. As a single mom on EI, Kaden and I had been living with my very supportive parents on  their acreage east of Viking.  I had found myself going to Camrose once or twice a week to get this or that or to visit my friends, all living in Camrose as amenities were costly in a small town like Viking. I thought moving to Camrose would make a little more sense, so I subscribed to the Camrose papers, looking for jobs and rentals, and even thought about buying a house.  I was turned down by 5 jobs and beginning to lose hope when I took the job at the CRE in July 2010.  When hired, I was only guaranteed a couple months of work and rentals were hard to come by in Camrose, so I was driving back and forth from Viking.  I was officially hired on full time at the CRE at the end of August 2010 and we found a place to rent and moved to Camrose in September.

Christina and Kaden at the March 2015 Ground Breaking for her new Habitat home.

I had known about Habitat for Humanity then but at the time I did not meet the qualifications.  Over 4 years I had spent $32,500 in rent…at least a downpayment on a house!  So I decided enough was enough!  I was now eligible to apply for a home with Habitat for Humanity and began the process of the application.  At first I was met with a few bumps in the road along the way, but kept at it and was finally able to get everything in order and drop off our application in September 2014.  The process seemed to go very quickly and we go the official word we had been chosen on October 21, 2014.

Christina helps Women Build participants put siding on the Habitat homes.

When we were chosen, I remember feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders. We are so happy and very excited to be a part of all of this, because the idea of owning a home is no longer just a dream, but is now reality! As a partner family, we look at this opportunity as a very rare chance at a fresh start, a new beginning, a brand new chapter in our lives, and a brighter future for both of us.

Christina and Kaden receive the key to their Habitat home from Hon MLA Bruce Hinkley.

Christina and Kaden in their new home.

Owning a home has always just been a dream, I was never really sure if it would ever happen because up until now the circumstances have never really been ideal, until Habitat for Humanity.  Now it is actually happening!  We feel so very blessed, so very thankful, and very grateful for this opportunity!  The idea of actually being a part of the process of helping build our home is also very exciting…literally a home that love built, participating in all this and with the helping hands of your friends and our family!  The possibilities are endless. We are looking forward to making new memories, building a strong foundation for the future, and a much brighter one at that, for both Kaden and I.

New Year, New Beginnings

With the commencement of a new year, there have been new things happening at the ReStore.

 To start with, the ReStore is excited to welcome a new manager, Peter Blais, who started with the organization in January. Peter and his wife Sandra hail from Ottawa and recently relocated to Camrose to be nearer their children who now live in western Canada. Peter brings to the table extensive experience in managing medium sized organizations as well as numerous years in sales.  Peter appreciates meeting ReStore customers and friends so when you are in the store feel free to introduce yourself.

In January 2015 the ReStore welcomed new manager, Peter Blais.

“The first thing you may notice as you near the ReStore is the new signage. The new sign is substantially larger than the previous sign making our location much more visible.

When you walk in the store you will also notice some changes. More floor space is now dedicated to the display of furniture. You will find an abundant selection of chairs, couches, desks, dressers and related items.  In addition we have added artificial plants to decorate the store which were generously donated by individuals from Camrose. We hope the new ambiance provides our shoppers with a more pleasant experience.

An interesting fact about our products is that 45% of our inventory is brand-new and generously donated to the ReStore from several retailers in the region.

I have enjoyed getting to know our dedicated staff and volunteers.  The success that we experience in the ReStore wouldn’t be possible without their knowledge, skills and time.

Sales Associate Dwayne Wolgemuth

Dwayne is the face you will see if you have scheduled pickups for your donations or are looking for product in the store. His organization, navigation, strength, enthusiasm and product knowledge are a great asset.  Dwayne is also the founder of the DIY Challenge that is now an annual event at the ReStore.  See the Calendar of Events in this newsletter for more information on this event.

Sales Associate Ed Turner

If you’re looking to buy doors or windows, Ed is your go to person to help you with your needs. Ed has a good background in renovations and door fabrication. He has done a great job in organizing all our doors and windows in the cold storage warehouse so that shoppers can more easily find what they need.

Our friendly cashiers Vicki, Daisy, Pansy, Angie and Carole are always there with a friendly smile and willing to assist shoppers.

Volunteers Shirley, Susan, Pansy, (Brenda), June, Angie & Daisy

Volunteer, Vicki, with a Japan exchange student.

Carole helps out on the till and organizing product on the floor

Our crew of Herman, Ken, Mike, Bob, Paul and Dave are amazing at doing the repairs of electrical appliances, engines and just about anything which needs some TLC.

 

Working in the back to fix items that come in as donations.

Most furniture is pre-owned and is reconditioned where possible by our dedicated volunteers. Dorothy & June generously contributes their time to make sure the products we put on the floor are clean and in good order.

Dorothy does a lot of the cleaning of products that come into the ReStore.

June sorts and organizes to help make the store look as good as it does.

Unloading donated product at the ReStore

And it takes a lot of muscle to load and unload all the various donations. Thanks to Neil, Ben, Jim, Doug, Ray, Zack and Dennis we are able to efficiently move furniture and other products to and from the store.

Without our volunteers, ReStore would not be able to operate at the level that it does.

Our Volunteers are the greatest!!!!!”

Peter Blais – ReStore Manager

Local People Supporting Local Families

Merry Christmas!

Habitat’s model is founded on the idea of local people and companies supporting local families. When you give to Habitat, you give the gift of hope for a hardworking family in need in your community. Hope for a more secure financial situation. Hope for better education and employment. Hope for a safe, secure, and healthy place to live. Hope for a better life for their children and for generations to come.

By giving your time and money in 2014, together we built our 25^th and 26^th homes in Camrose and our 29^th and 30^th in the developing world. These homes are sold at fair market value to hardworking families who cannot qualify for a traditional mortgage because of low income. Habitat’s zero-interest mortgage brings homeownership into reach and allows families to break the cycle of poverty by building equity in their homes.

Follow this link to see how Habitat for Humanity works.

Money to build our homes comes from many sources, ranging from government grants to donations of product to ReStore and monetary donation from community members. ReStore covers all our administrative costs, so that you can rest assured knowing that 100% of your donation goes toward building homes for families.  Our “pay if forward” philosophy means that no matter how small or great your level of involvement, be it a purchase in the ReStore, a donation, a volunteer hour and more, all of it ultimately helps result in a new home for a family.

Habitat for Humanity depends fully on the generous giving of donors such as yourself. No matter how great or small your contribution, it all helps to build a new home for a family in need.

 

Two more hardworking families in Camrose and 2 more in the developing world are waiting for homes to be built in 2015. With your support, we can continue to help hardworking families own their own homes and build a brighter future for generations to come.

You can be a Hope Builder by giving today. Please donate online through our secure PayPal account at www.habitatcamrose.com/donate or by contacting us directly at 780.679.0369.

All the best for the holiday season and the New Year ahead,

 

Cody McCarroll

Executive Director

 May you have the Gladness of Christmas, which is Hope;

the Spirit of Christmas, which is Peace;

the Heart of Christmas, which is Love.

Habitat Camrose – Calendar of Events – (Nov 2014 – Jan 2015)

• All Year Long! – STUDENT DISCOUNT       

Students show us your current Student ID Card and receive 10% off items at the ReStore year-round!

• Nov 1 – Dec 1 – QUILT RAFFLE

One of our volunteers, Susan Paterson, is using her passion for quilting and embroidery for raising money for Habitat Camrose.  With the finishing work donated from Ardele Kerr (Quilting from the Heart), Susan handcrafted a one-of-a-kind quilt and is raffling it off with full proceeds going to Habitat for Humanity Camrose, helping local families.

You can buy tickets at the following locations downtown:  Habitat ReStore; Crafty Crafters; Wisemen’s Way; Treasures; and the Sewing Centre. The quilt is displayed and you can also buy tickets at Quilting from the Heart.

Read more about the quilt here:  quilt raffle poster 2014

Quilt Raffle draw date is Dec 1, 2014 @ 5:00pm.

 

• Nov 22 – 29   – ReSTORE PRE-CHRISTMAS SALE                      

Watch our website and Facebook page for details to come.

 

•  Nov 29, Dec 6, 13      KIDS CHRISTMAS CRAFTS at Habitat Camrose ReStore   5007 – 46 St Camrose

Use stuff from the ReStore and make something for your mom/dad/grandparents…

There will be a different craft each week. All craft items supplied.

Cost:  Family Events by donation.

All kids and families welcome!

Call the ReStore for information 780.672.4484

Saturday, Nov 29^th 2:00 – 4:00 pm.

Build a Gingerbread House MASTERPIECE!

~Hosted by student volunteers from Augustana~

read about this event

Saturday, Dec 6 2:00 – 4:00

Hot Plates – practical, resourceful, and made with love!

~Hosted by ReStore~

Saturday, Dec 13 2:00 – 4:00

Chalkboard Creations

~hosted by Marmie’s Empty Nest~

Marmies Empty Nest Facebook

read about Marmie’s Empty Nest

• Saturday, Dec 13, 2014 – HABITAT CHRISTMAS PARTY

The Annual Christmas party for our wonderful Habitat volunteers

Everyone who has dedicated time and talents to Habitat Camrose is invited.

RSVP’s required.

Phone us at 780.672.4484  or 780.679.0369, or visit us at the ReStore for more info.

 

• Saturday, Jan 31, 2015 – HOPE BUILDERS RECEPTION

A semi-formal evening in appreciation of our generous donors.

• February – Valentines SWEETHEART Sale

Watch our webiste and facebook page for details on this upcoming Annual Sale.

4 Ways to Volunteer with Habitat Camrose

Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate all of the great volunteers that we have in our community. This year’s celebration takes place April 6-13th and it’s a great time to get involved. We’ll be hosting a Volunteer Appreciation BBQ on April 12th at the ReStore to celebrate our many dedicated volunteers. Whether you’ve volunteered with us for years or a day, come down to the ReStore so we can say thanks for everyone’s hard work.  If you’re thinking about volunteering with Habitat and aren’t sure how to get started, there are a number of ways to do it.

Here four ways that you can volunteer with Habitat:

1. ReStore

If you are looking for a volunteer position that is engaging, fun and flexible to your timeline, you’ve come to the right place. The ReStore can always use you! There are a variety of jobs available; cashier, sales assistants, assembly & repair, cleaning & sorting, pickups, and special projects. You don’t need any retail experience to join this fun-loving community of volunteers.

2. The Build

Whether or not you feel that you have enough experience in construction, we can put you to work. We operate as a team so there is always someone there to coach you through what you don’t know. A flexible schedule is always helpful when it comes to working on the builds, as timelines can shift due to weather and production changes. If you’re interested in volunteering on a build, there are a couple of ways to do it:

INDIVIDUALS

Cargill Volunteers on the 2013 Build

Sign up as an individual to help on the builds. If you have a particular construction skill that you want to put to use, let us know and we will find the right spot for you. If you don’t and are still looking to help out, we have leaders that can show you how.

CORPORATE/GROUP TEAM BUILDING

If your office needs some inspiration, bring your group together and make a difference in your community by having a Team Building Day on the Habitat Build site. We can accommodate small to large sized groups and you can tailor your day to what your team needs.

WOMEN’s BUILD

2014 will mark the first ever Women’s Build in Camrose! The Women’s Build is about empowerment, encouragement, togetherness, and inspiring each other, while changing the community. Sign up to meet, inspire, and be inspired, by local women in our community.

3. Youth

Students looking for valuable work experience and hours of community service that potential employers will look favourably upon need look no further than Habitat Camrose. We have a variety of positions that can help you build your skills, from working on the build site to education and promotions. Students must be a minimum of 16 years to work on the build site.

4. Global Village

Volunteer internationally to build decent, affordable shelter alongside members of the community in the country you visit. Each year people from Camrose have opportunity to join a group building homes in Africa, Asia and South America.

For more information on how to get involved, contact Habitat Camrose at 780.672.4484, email us hfhc@habitatcamrose.com, or drop by the ReStore 5007-46 St Camrose.

– Brenda

Brenda is the volunteer and project coordinator for Habitat Camrose.