Habitat Camrose lining up new funding proposal

Habitat for Humanity Camrose is putting together a new proposal for funding that is being made available by the City of Camrose for affordable housing projects..

"We are in the number crunching phase right now and it seems to be coming together," said Habitat Camrose executive director Cody McCarroll. "It's an exciting proposal from our perspective and we hope it will be successful."

The City of Camrose has $1.7 million in residual funding from the $7,887,298 it received in 2008 under the province's Affordable Housing Program for the construction of the Jamieson Manor project at the site of the former Wildrose Arena. Requests for proposals for funding must be submitted to the City of Camrose by Friday, Aug. 24.

Habitat for Humanity received word last month that it had been awarded a grant of $25,000 under Habitat for Humanity Canada's 360 Built Smart Partnership. Funded by Home Depot Canada Foundation and Holcim (Canada Inc.), it will help to foster strong community partnerships, as well as attract and retain public and private partners.

"We are going to be using the money to improve our website and do some better advertising," said McCarroll. "We want to work with the City of Camrose, as well as some private home builders to respond to an increased demand for our homes in Camrose."

Habitat for Humanity Camrose received a grant of $5,000 from the 360 Built Smart Partnership program in 2011 to maintain high workplace safety standards.

"We were able to invest in some first aid training for volunteers at the build site as well as here at the ReStore, as well as purchase hard hats, gloves and all kinds of other personal protective equipment," said McCarroll. "I also set up online training for the people here at the ReStore."

Habitat for Humanity Canada president and CEO Stewart Hardacre said the grants show not only how The Home Depot Canada Foundation and Homcim Canada are directly fuelling innovative housing projects, but also how important volunteers are to the Habitat organization.

"The 360 Built Smart Partnership helps us strengthen communities by building more homes."

The Habitat for Humanity Camrose draft strategic plan calls for the construction, through a variety of means, of 18 homes in the community over the next five years. The plan lines up with Habitat for Humanity Canada's goal of building as many homes in the next five years as it has in its history.

"With the four homes we are building this year (4009-75 Street) we are well on our way to getting to where we want to be," said McCarroll.

Habitat for Humanity Camrose built 18 homes between 1996 and 2011.

Habitat for Humanity Camrose will be auctioning birdhouses decorated by local businesses and community groups at its fall fundraising banquet scheduled to be held at the Norsemen Inn September 2.

"Community support is needed now more than ever since applicants for Habitat homes are increasing and we are striving to meet the growing need," said Habitat Camrose president Mark Schneider.

Habitat homes are built with, not for, the families who purchase them. Selected families pay for their homes with no-interest mortgages.