Habitat for Humanity breaks new ground

The charity is set to construct two homes on Tulip Crescent after purchasing the side-by-side lots from the City of Ottawa earlier this year. The land will be used to build one Urbandale Corporation house for the Durant family and a Home Depot Canada home for the Abdi family. Both businesses have each donated $75,000 toward the project and will help with volunteer labour and building supplies. Local businesses, like The Star, have also come on board with donations and volunteers.

The Urbandale home, which will house Angela Durant and her two sons, Sherwin and Sheldon, will be built to the R-2000 standard – another first for the local chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

Meanwhile, the Abdi family – comprised of mom, dad and five children – will move next door to the Durant family.

Orléans Coun. Bob Monette was on hand during the ground-breaking ceremony on Oct. 2 to welcome the Abdi family to the area. “You’ll notice the community you’re moving into is a beautiful community,” he said. “It’s a very safe community and it’s a community you’ll feel very welcome (in.)”

The Abdis have been living in a Caldwell Avenue affordable housing unit that, according to Habitat CEO Donna Hicks, is clean but in need of major repairs. The main reason the Abdis chose to apply for a Habitat home was extreme overcrowding at the townhouse they currently rent from the municipal government. Plus, with five children ranging in age from three to 14 years old, they knew it would be very difficult to save the money required for a down payment.

Garnayl Abdi, the father, works with a humanitarian organization while his wife, Safia, looks after the children and has recently finished adult high school.

Accepted into the home ownership program in early 2008, the family has already started logging in the required 500 “sweat equity” hours. They’ve worked at a community BBQ, folded brochures, delivered flyers in the Tillbury area, and will be at the build site once construction gets underway.

Both families will buy their homes and pay an interest-free mortgage to Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity, a non-profit, faith-based organization, builds homes and sells them to low-income working families who could not otherwise afford a conventional mortgage. If you would like to help with the construction of these two homes – as a volunteer at the build site, skilled tradesperson, committee member, sponsor or a potential Habitat family – get in touch with Habitat for Humanity by phone at 613-749-9950 or e-mail communications@habitatncr.com.