Winning entry earns $10,000 in grants for Habitat for Humanity Manitoba. 

Winnipeg, Manitoba – Habitat for Humanity Manitoba is celebrating the winners of Meaning of Home, an annual national writing contest put on by Habitat for Humanity Canada that brings together students from across the country to share poems and stories about what home means to them.

This year, Grade 6, Runner-Up, Artem S., from Winnipeg was recognized for his  submission, Meaning of Artem’s Home.  Artem’s entry earned a $10,000 grant in support of Habitat for Humanity Manitoba, helping local families access safe and decent housing.

3,069 student entries were submitted from Manitoba this year, each one a powerful reflection of what home truly means. Across Canada, three grand prize winners and nine runners‑up were selected from more than 19,000 submissions by students in Grades 4, 5 and 6. Together, their heartfelt entries reflect a shared understanding of home as a place of safety, belonging and possibility.

Every eligible submission sparked a $10 donation to the student’s local Habitat for Humanity, turning creativity into meaningful support for families in need. Grand prize winners each earned $30,000 grants, while runners‑up received $10,000 grants for their local Habitat organizations.

In total, students raised an inspiring $440,000 through this year’s contest, helping strengthen communities across Canada. Since Meaning of Home launched in 2007, more than 156,000 students have taken part, raising over $3.4 million to help families build brighter futures through affordable housing.

“We are incredibly proud of Artem and all the students who participated in this year’s Meaning of Home contest,” says Jamie Hall, CEO at Habitat for Humanity Manitoba. “Artem’s heartfelt reflection reminds us that home is more than just a place, it’s where families find hope. He’s helping us build affordable housing right here in our community. This grant money will help us to continue work on our last 15 homes on Pandora Avenue West.”

Since the Meaning of Home contest began in 2007, over 156,000 students have shared what home means to them, raising more than $3.4 million to help more families in need of homes build stronger lives through housing. The Meaning of Home contest would not be possible without the generous support of title sponsor BMO, founding sponsor Sagen^R and award sponsors Metrie and Stantec.

To read all the winning entries, please visit //www.meaningofhome.ca/page/winners2026.

CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg with Hal Anderson

About Habitat for Humanity Manitoba
Founded in 1987, Habitat Manitoba is a not for profit housing organization that believes everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live. Habitat for Humanity has a decades-long legacy of improving access to quality affordable homes, locally and worldwide. Thanks to our generous corporate and individual donors, thousands of volunteers, and customers at our three Habitat ReStores, we continue to build homes, communities and hope in Manitoba. Habitat Manitoba have helped build homes for over 500 families and more than 1,400 children across the province and in Kenora, Ontario. Every safe, affordable home sparks wider change, leading to better health, education and well-being, more economic growth and less poverty. Peace of mind and the ability to focus on what matters most – it all starts with a home.

Media contacts: 

Christa Mariash, Vice President, Marketing, Communications & Philanthropy
Habitat for Humanity Manitoba
E: [email protected]
C: 204-299-5956