Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay Family
Moving Into 2012
Thunder Bay, ON, January 17, 2012- A new year is bringing a new home and a new beginning to a Thunder Bay family in need. Today Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay representatives officially handed over the keys of a single-dwelling home to the Williams family, as they welcomed
dignitaries and Habitat volunteers into their new house. Habitat volunteers have been working on the home since May of 2011. Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay CEO Diane Mitchell says; "This is by far my favourite part of any build, especially this time around. This is truly a home that was built by the community." It was only a year ago that Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay faced a major cash crisis and was forced to tell the Williams family that they would not get the home they were promised. After this story was shared by local media, the community did the unthinkable and sold out Habitat’s annual fundraising raffle. Mitchell continues; "Today we stand here because of the efforts of the people of Thunder Bay, and of course, Habitat’s hard working volunteers. We are ecstatic to welcome the Williams family into their new home." New home owner Rutland Williams is originally from Jamaica
and owns the Caribbean Kitchen in Thunder Bay. Williams says; "I have always dreamt of the day when I would be handed keys to my very own home and today I still feel like I am dreaming. This home represents a better life and more opportunity for my family, a brand new beginning.
I cannot say thank you to Habitat for Humanity and the people of Thunder Bay enough." Williams moved in during the Christmas holidays, and this is the first time a Habitat family has invited media and local dignitaries into a Habitat home that has already been lived in. Mitchell says; "For several years Rutland and his daughter have been living in a small apartment trying to make ends meet. Rutland is a hard working individual who is not only trying to make a living but also trying to provide a great food for people to eat in Thunder Bay. Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay is proud to provide the Williams family with a hand up, and fulfill our national mission which is to break the cycle of poverty. Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay changes lives, families and communities."
The City of Thunder Bay benefits from Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay directly. The organization helps the community prosper by assisting families improve their financial and social situation, decrease their dependence on social services and create new homeowners who pay local property taxes. Habitat also invests in areas of the city by building new infrastructure. Since 1994, Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay has provided a home for 22 families in need. The not-for-profit organization is hoping to build two homes in 2012, which solely depends on securing land in the city.
www.habitattbay.com
Diane Mitchell, CEO Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay. At this time last year I was having a bit of a nervous breakdown and wondering if this house would come to fruition. all the citizens of
Thunder bay, our sponsors helped us come together and sell the tickets for our raffle to be able to raise the money to be able to build this house. This house is very special to me because it really belongs to the citizens of Thunder bay and what we were able to do when we all pull together to help a family in need. The mortgage payments that Rutland will make will go into the fund for humanity and that helps us to build another house. we will now be able to to build a home each year just from the mortgage payments. That is exciting for us and we will fund raise for other homes. We have more families on the waiting list than we can build house s for so we will try to build more homes each year.
We hope to build 2 houses this year. Our volunteers put in 3500 volunteer hours to build this gorgeous house that we can give to the Rutland Williams family Rutland Williams originally from Jamaica It feels beautiful to be in the new home. I have been in Thunder Bay since 1980 and really like and enjoy the people. I am at the country market on the weekends. There is more room here. It will be nice to help out a future family with Habitat as well.
