Dear Habitat Greater Ottawa supporter,
For the past ten years, I have worked incredibly hard to provide a safe and stable home for my son and myself. In 2010, I was laid off from my job and since I was pregnant, no one was willing to hire me before I went on maternity leave. I was forced to give up my basement apartment due to lack of income, sell all my furniture and move into a local young mother’s shelter.
When my son, Kayshawn, was three months old, we were able to move from the shelter to community housing. During that time, I went to Algonquin College and graduated with honours 18 months later. Even though I went back to school and started a good career, I was living paycheck to paycheque as a single mother and counting pennies just to be able to pay the bills.Right now, nearly half of every paycheque goes directly to living expenses. Rather than enjoying a life with Kayshawn, I am constantly living with anxiety about how I was going to provide for him. I made the decision to apply to an adult high school to get my diploma so that I could eventually apply for a government job. Today I am working as an Admin Assistant, earning a livable wage, but due to the current housing market I would have never been able to save up enough money for a down payment on a home in a safe neighborhood.
Habitat Greater Ottawa’s Affordable Homeownership program allows families like mine to purchase an affordable home. I first heard about their program from my mom, who funny enough volunteered with Habitat after she retired. She suggested I check out their website and apply since I met all the qualifications for the program.
“I hope that you will consider supporting Habitat Greater Ottawa again this year, so that they can continue to help more families like mine.”
On December 14th, I was informed that we were accepted into the program and would be moving into Titus Landing at Wateridge Village. When I got the email, I couldn’t believe it. I was walking to my car after work, and I just stood in the middle of the parking lot and cried. It was a mixture of joy and shock – I must have read it at least three times until it really hit me. Everything I have worked towards is becoming a reality thanks to the help and generosity of Habitat donors like you.
In less than three months, my son and I will be receiving the keys to our new home. It has been an incredible experience partnering with Habitat and having the opportunity to volunteer alongside my future neighbours and hopefully new friends. Kayshawn cannot wait to have game nights in our new home and invite his grandparents over to join us. Becoming a Habitat homeowner will provide my son and I a stable home, with comfort and safety in mind while allowing me the opportunity to own a home as a single income family.
Warmest regards,
Stephania, (soon to be!) Habitat Homeowner
P.S. Our Habitat home is going to drastically change our lives. I will no longer have to stress, worrying about if I will be able to pay all of my bills this month. My son will finally have the chance to meet other kids his age in our new community. I hope you’ll consider making a donation to help Habitat continue to build communities for families in need, like mine. You can send in your donation using the enclosed return envelope, or donate online at habitatgo.ca/donate and automatically receive a tax receipt. Please consider making an impact all year round by becoming a monthly donor. As a Hope Builder you’ll help strengthen our programming and provide ongoing support for families in need of safe, secure and affordable housing. Thank you for your generosity and support.
