Bracebridge, ON: On Friday, MPP Graydon Smith was part of a virtual meeting with the team from Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North (HFHOGN) and Margaret Williams, an Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) volunteer to hear more about the impact of the group’s $150,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant. Awarded in 2022, the funds helped contribute to the creation of ‘Habitat Home Base’, a secure electronic record-keeping and virtual services platform.
“Habitat For Humanity is an important organization that helps makes our communities stronger and more resilient,” said MPP Graydon Smith. “I’m thrilled they were successful in their application and am heartened to know these funds will go a long way in helping the organization with its mission to provide housing for those who need it most.”
OTF’s Resilient Communities Fund grant program was designed in 2020 to help non-profit organizations across the province to recover from the impacts of the COVID pandemic and build capacity, resilience and sustainability. The grant helped with staffing costs, as well as with the costs for the work and materials needed to develop improved support services available through cloud-based programs.
The platform makes critical aspects of the organization’s Family Partnerships Program accessible online. Through Habitat Home Base, interested candidates may apply for a Habitat Home. Habitat Partner Families can participate in training and education sessions, manage their contracts and mortgage documentation, and explore an information library. The platform will also be used by the Habitat Family Partnerships team, and the community volunteers who work to support the success of local Habitat Partner Families.
“Given our significant area of operation, from Midland to Timmins, and the practical aspects of serving such a large territory with limited staffing, Habitat Home Base is an essential addition to our services,” said Kimberley Woodcock, HFHOGN CEO. “This tool not only provides improved support services to our current Partner Families, but it also removes a barrier to larger scale building. Habitat Home Base has increased our capacity to serve.”
About the Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF), an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations celebrates 40 years of grant-making in Ontario and making a lasting impact in communities. Last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
About Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North
Amalgamated in 2014, Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North is a not-for-profit organization working toward a world where everyone has a safe, suitable, and affordable place to call home. Habitat for Humanity brings communities together to help families build strength, stability, and independence through affordable housing. With the help of government organizations, charitable foundations, local businesses, individual community members, volunteers, and other Habitat partners, we provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in our service area, in Canada, and around the world. Our region serves communities across central and northern Ontario, including North Simcoe County, Muskoka, Parry Sound, Nipissing, Greater Sudbury, and Cochrane. Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity Canada, which was established in 1985. To date, across Canada, Habitat for Humanity has helped thousands of families in need of a hand-up. Across the globe, Habitat for Humanity has grown to become a leading global not-for-profit working in more than 70 countries. For more information, visit www.habitatgatewaynorth.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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For more information:
Brittany Parisé, Communications and Events Coordinator
Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North
bparise@habitatgatewaynorth.com