THUNDER BAY – A local family received the keys to their new home on Thursday through Habitat For Humanity Thunder Bay’s home ownership plan.
Habitat for Humanity is celebrating its 39th new affordable home build by handing over the keys to the Slater family for a bi-level, three bedroom, two bathroom home that includes a backyard.
As a pre-requisite for the program, the Slaters were tasked with volunteering a minimum of 500 hours of "sweat equity" with Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay.
The family has well exceeded the 500 hours, a testament to the sheer dedication they brought to the project, on top of volunteering at the Re-Store when they weren't on site.
Tyrell Slater said his family has already made countless memories through volunteering together and all that hard work was worth it.
"[It’s] so overwhelming, we didn't know when this day would finally be here for us. From when it was just a hole in the ground to watching the foundation be built, poured, everything going up the walls. Seeing it all come together, it's something we've never been a part of before so to make it ours is even more overwhelming,” he said.
In March 2023, the Government of Canada and Habitat for Humanity announced a $25-million investment to build 500 affordable homes across the country in the next three years.
Lana Vulkelic, chief executive officer with Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay, said handing over the keys was an example of what these kinds of partnerships can do to better the lives of many.
She added that the support from the government, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers who are some of the previous families that earned their own homes is greatly appreciated.
"And that's what Habitat is all about, building community, people working together for their home and they're working for other people’s home,” she said.
“And you know that's exciting, and that's something that we can all build. It's building community within our community."
To learn more about Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay and its programs, click here.
