Families Across Manitoba Receive Keys to Their Homes in Time for the Holidays

On Friday, December 13, Mathilda and her son, Ashton, received keys to their home in Fort Rouge. Surrounded by friends, family, volunteers, dignitaries and staff, they celebrated this pivotal moment in their life.

Overcoming many challenges to provide for her family, Mathilda returned to complete her High School Diploma when Ashton was just four months old. Since 2010, she has held a rewarding role with Norway House Cree Nation, progressing from administrative work to a management position. Mathilda’s determination and hard work inspire her family and community.

This Habitat home represents the stability and independence Mathilda has long worked for, a place where she and Ashton can thrive for many years to come. Their new home was made possible by a generous partnership with the Manitoba Housing Renewal Corporation, who gifted the unit to Habitat for a full retrofit.
Habitat Manitoba also presented the keys to four families throughout Manitoba in Virden, Winkler and Brandon in the month of October. Community partners and volunteers worked tirelessly to make this important moment possible by offering families an opportunity to purchase a safe and decent home through Habitat’s affordable homeownership program and a unique financing partnership.

“The path to homeownership is an involved and in-depth process that requires hard work, time and commitment by these homeowners,” says Jamie Hall, CEO of Habitat Manitoba, “All of which helps to strengthen their long-term success and contributes to future homes being built for additional families in our province.”

These homes are more than buildings; they are foundations for independence, security, and a sense of belonging in vibrant communities.

In 2024, Habitat Manitoba presented keys to 22 families across Manitoba. In 2025, we are on track to present keys to at least 26 families.

A stronger, more equitable province and country begins with ensuring access to safe and affordable housing. This season, consider making a gift to Habitat chapter to help even more families achieve the dream of homeownership.

Your gift today will help complete these homes and give deserving families the foundation for a brighter future.

We Appreciate our Donors 

We celebrated some special donors on October 17 at the Best Western Premier East, to thank them for making an impactful difference in our community by helping low-income families reach their dream of homeownership through Habitat for Humanity Manitoba.

The event honoured the volunteers, donors and supporters whose ongoing commitment helps provide affordable housing to families in need throughout Manitoba. The evening also included a chance to tour the 55-home project on Pandora Avenue West in Transcona, which is a beacon of hope for families caught in the housing affordability crisis.

The evening highlighted the critical role each supporter plays in creating stable, affordable housing solutions for local communities. From financial contributions to hands-on volunteer work, cycling participants to office volunteers, every effort makes a significant difference in helping families achieve their dream of homeownership.

The event served as a powerful reminder of the collective impact of Habitat for Humanity Manitoba’s supporters. By coming together, these compassionate individuals continue to build hope, opportunity, and strength within our community, one home at a time.

The Women Build Program Celebrates an Amazing Year

This achievement highlights the dedication and passion of the committee, sponsors, donors, event attendees and volunteers who supported the numerous fundraisers and events held over the past year.

From the Women Build Speaker Series on International Women’s Day that featured Sara Orlesky to What’s the Price game show to the highly anticipated Handbag Bingo to the brand new Comedy Night – these events brought the community together in support of safe, decent and affordable housing.

A special shout out to the Women Build committee: Alisha Huber, Grace Karpinsky, Joanne Machado, Julie Biluk, Karen Beck, Kathy Jongstra, Michelle Finley and Terri Keith – these amazing committee members poured their heart and soul into these fundraisers, and then worked on building a home, rain or shine, during the Women Build Blitz Week from May 27-31. Talk about inspiring!

Looking ahead to 2025, Women Build promises another exciting year, beginning with the announcement of the Speaker Series headliner: Joy Loewen – as VP of Growth & Inclusion at the Canada Media Fund and a trailblazer in media and diversity initiatives, Joy’s achievements are inspiring. Stay tuned for more details about her event and other Women Build events in 2025.

What Does Home Mean to You 

The Meaning of Home writing contest invites students in grades 4, 5, and 6 across Canada to submit a poem or essay about what home means to them. The contest is an activity that students will see as meaningful. It will challenge them to think creatively about a topic that directly impacts their lives—the meaning of home—and ultimately improve their writing skills.

Contest will be open to submissions from January 6 to February 21, 2025. With every submission, Habitat for Humanity receives a $10 donation from the contest’s sponsor, Sagen.

Learn more here.

In Loving Memory of Roman Poliakov. 

The Habitat for Humanity Manitoba Restore and administrative staff are mourning the loss of Roman Poliakov, a cherished member of Habitat Manitoba’s ReStore team, who passed away on November 17, 2024. Roman’s warmth, dedication and kindness left a lasting impact on all who worked with him.

Our deepest condolences go to Roman’s girlfriend, Kateryna, and his family during this difficult time.

The Habitat for Humanity Manitoba administrative hours during the upcoming holiday season are as follows: Closed from December 24 at noon until January 1. We will be ready to serve you on Thursday, January 2 at 8:00 am.