Article
February 04, 2004
Habitat for Humanity - Issue 02
Building Homes, Building Hope
Calgary Habitat for Humanity builds simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with the community and with the families who will own them. Our homes are built almost completely by volunteers using building materials, land and money donated by individuals, businesses, service clubs, foundations and faith communities. Calgary’s Habitat for Humanity affilitate was formed in 1988. To date, we have built 34 homes for 58 adults and 122 children.
Habitat builds houses with, not for, the families who will purchase them. Selected families pay for their homes with no-interest, long-term mortgages. Mortgage payments go into a “Fund for Humanity” and are used to build future Habitat homes.
The families who qualify for and purchase Habitat homes are a lot like other families except their income is below Statistics Canada’s “low income” level. A qualifiying family must have at least one employed member, and must have at least one child in the household. Some are single parent families.
Calgary Habitat brings hope to low-income families in our community who could otherwise never afford to purchase a home of their own. Habitat homeowners realize significant, long-term benefits as they build up equity through their home ownership. They experience pride in the accomplishments of their own building efforts.