The first-ever Habitat Day in the capital region will mean a lot more to three Habitat for Humanity partner families as the local chapter made a major announcement yesterday.
As part of the celebration at the Shaw Conference Centre yesterday afternoon, local builders Rohit Group of Companies, Christenson Developments and Landmark Group of Builders announced they are each donating one home in their developments to well-deserving families.
“Habitat relies on partnerships,” said Susan Green, board chair of Habitat for Humanity Edmonton. “It takes a community to build a community and these three leaders have nailed that point.”
Rohit will be building a home in the Ambleside community in west Edmonton, and Christenson and Landmark will be building in the sustainable Emerald Hills community in Sherwood Park.
“We’re all in support of Habitat homes in older areas,” said Greg Christenson, president of Christenson Developments. “But this is really about creating new affordable homes in new outlying areas.”
Habitat homes are affordable because families pay an interest-free mortgage that is never more than 25 per cent of their income.
While the three local builders were announcing their donations, 200 students at St. Francis Xavier High School were donating their time and sweat by riding stationary bikes in the school’s atrium for 50 hours to raise money to build a house for Habitat for Humanity Edmonton and a partner family.
Their goal is to raise $100,000 and the students will volunteer their time to help with the actual building of the house.
