Third consecutive year students break a record in national writing contest.
Englehart, ON, June 1, 2022 – The annual Meaning of Home contest asks students in grades 4, 5, and 6 to share what home means to them. Grade 5 student Gloria Burey, from Englehart, is a runner-up, earning a $10,000 grant for Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North.
For the third year in a row, a record number of students shared what home means to them in Habitat for Humanity Canada’s Meaning of Home contest. Over 13,000 students entered, beating last year’s record by more than 1,000 entries and raising over $311,000 for local Habitat for Humanity organizations across Canada.
By sharing what home means to them, students learn about affordable housing issues in their community and raise funds to help build homes for people in need of safe and decent housing. In addition to three grand prize winners who won a $30,000 grant each for a local Habitat, nine runners-up have won a $10,000 grant and every student who entered the contest earned a $10 donation for their local Habitat.
“Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North was excited to see students from our communities reflecting on the strength and stability that a home provides. They each contributed in their own way towards Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a safe decent place to live,” says Kimberley Woodcock, CEO, Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North. “Gloria’s poem not only beautifully captures the meaning of home to her but has contributed $10,000 to build futures for two families.”
The Meaning of Home contest would not be possible without the generous support of Founding Sponsor, SagenTM, Award Sponsors Urban Systems Foundation, Chapman’s Ice Cream, and Home Trust, and Judging Sponsors Microban 24, Face to Face Games, and Hunter Douglas.
“We could not be more proud that this contest continues to grow year over year,” said Stuart Levings, President and CEO of Sagen. “Children across Canada are provided the unique opportunity to be a part of something so important on a national scale while helping their local community at the same time, all with a short poem or essay.”
To read all the winning entries, please visit meaningofhome.ca/page/winners2022
For more information:
Brittany Wright, Communications and Events Coordinator
Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North
bwright@habitatgatewaynorth.com
(705) 644-9109
About Sagen™
As a sponsor since 2000, Sagen has donated over $6.8 million in support of Habitat Canada and has helped thousands of Canadian families realize their dreams of affordable homeownership. While Sagen’s financial support provides crucial funding for their homeownership program, its support of Habitat Canada extends far beyond financial support. Throughout the sponsorship, Sagen employees from all levels of the organization, including President and CEO Stuart Levings and his executive team, have lent their leadership experience, industry knowledge and time to help launch many of Habitats’ signature programs, including the Sagen Homebuilding Grants, Global Village Volunteer Program in Canada and the Meaning of Home Contest. These programs, along with Sagen’s support and involvement in them has significantly increased their ability to raise funds, recruit volunteers and ultimately, support more families and build stronger communities. Find out more at www.sagen.ca
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.
About Habitat for Humanity Canada
Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national charitable organization working toward a world where everyone has a decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat for Humanity brings communities together to help families build strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership. With the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners and 49 local Habitats working in every province and territory, we provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada and around the world. Habitat for Humanity Canada is a member of Habitat for Humanity International, which was established in 1976 and has grown to become a leading global non-profit working in more than 70 countries. For more information, please visit www.habitat.ca