Two Parry Sound families were welcomed home for the first time.
The homes at 24A and 24B Addie St. have been under construction since July of 2017. After months of hard work and over 3,800 hours contributed by local volunteers, Habitat For Humanity Ontario Gateway North staff and volunteers, donors and Parry Sound community members came together to welcome two Parry Sound families to their new homes.
Dave and Patty Norrie have lived in Parry Sound for the past 28 years. “The first thing I’m going to do when I get through the door is set a chair in the living room, sit down, and say, ‘I’m finally home’,” said Dave Norrie.
As a single mother, Janet Anderson is looking forward to hosting family dinners, playing cards, having friends over, and watching her son “just be a kid”. “To me, home is a place where you can be safe, be yourself, relax, and enjoy family and friends,” said Anderson.
Habitat for Humanity empowers families to overcome the barriers that stand between them and more financially stable lives.
“It is affordable home ownership, we don’t give homes away. Often people who don’t qualify for a conventional mortgage could qualify for a habitat homeownership,” said Meghan Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Habitat for Humanity Ontario Gateway North.
Smith also suggested that the next time Habitat for Humanity obtains permits to build again in Parry Sound, that those who do not qualify for a conventional mortgage or live under certain housing conditions, to reach out to them and fill out an application to be part of the process.
The next project for 2019 has not yet been slated though, Habitat for Humanity says they are working on plans to help families in other townships.