Habitat for Humanity is coming to the Battlefords.
The directors of My First Home Inc. have signed the agreement to operate Habitat Battlefords, under contract with Habitat Saskatoon. My First Home Inc. is acting as the steering committee for Habitat Battlefords.
The agreement was signed between Ed Truelove of My First Home Inc. and Barb Cox-Lloyd, CEO of Habitat Saskatoon, at an information meeting at Innovation Credit Union Tuesday.
The contract signing allows Habitat to come into the Battlefords under the umbrella of Habitat Saskatoon, who will provide the Battlefords chapter with full administrative support and work towards building homes in the area.
Truelove told the directors in attendance at the meeting that My First Home Inc. sought out a partnership with the Habitat for Humanity organization because they shared similar goals and mission statement to their own.
Cox-Lloyd filled described the activities and the mission of Habitat for Humanity, which is to use the community to help build homes for new community members.
They do that by mobilizing volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing. They promote home ownership as a way to break the cycle of poverty and a means for homeowners to more able to meet their other financial needs.
Homes are sold to working families, who themselves contribute 500 hours of "sweat equity" towards building Habitat homes. "We see our families as partners," said Cox-Lloyd.
In return, the families receive an affordable and sustainable no-interest mortgage for their own home. That mortgage is held by Habitat Saskatoon, with monthly mortgage payments going into a revolving fund that is used to buy more land and build more homes.
Habitat Saskatoon is a registered charity and is part of the global Habitat for Humanity International that has its roots in Georgia. Cox-Lloyd told the audience volunteers build 95 per cent of Habitat homes.
According to Truelove, Habitat Saskatoon was keen to branch out to the Battlefords and building a chapter here, and the partnership will hopefully lead to the construction of more affordable housing in the community.
Now the search is on for volunteers to help Habitat become established in the Battlefords quickly, so housing projects can get moving.
Truelove noted the My First Home Inc. board was happy to bring Habitat on board to meet the need for affordable housing.
"The need is still there for stable home ownership and a stable family life," said Truelove at the meeting.
