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Strangers helping strangers build strength, stability and independence

Published: April 25, 2022

In Cornwall, and across the world, volunteer power fuels Habitat for Humanity home building projects

Key ceremonies are one of Joanne Mohamed’s favorite days of the year.

Because those are the occasions when she and her colleagues at the Cornwall, ON affiliate of Habitat for Humanity hand over the keys to a brand-new home to a deserving family. A brand-new home built just for this family by dedicated community volunteers.

“It’s priceless seeing their smiling faces,” says Mohamed, the coordinator of build projects and finance at Habitat Cornwall. And she’s not just referring to the happiness of the new homeowners; she’s also recalling the joy of the volunteers who helped build the house and change a family’s life.

This is National Volunteer Week across Canada—and volunteer power fuels Habitat home builds around the world. Teams of friends, family members, neighbours, and work colleagues commit hundreds of hours of volunteer time to help construct a home for a deserving family. They hammer and drill, drywall and sand, paint and lay flooring—whatever the build needs—and they do it all in the spirit of giving back.

“Having strangers on site building a home for another stranger is an experience you just can't duplicate,” Mohamed adds.

On Feb. 25, a group of 10 Enbridge employees braved a snowstorm to drive to Cornwall to volunteer with a Habitat build. They donned hard hats and long-sleeved, red Habitat for Humanity shirts featuring one of the non-profit organization’s key messages printed in white: “Every child deserves a stable start in a safe and secure home.”

The Enbridge crew enthusiastically sanded drywall, primed walls and painted trim, helping put the finishing touches on the house being constructed for a family of seven—parents Owen and Chelsea and their five children.

Five weeks later, Enbridge team members attended the key ceremony and shared in the excitement as the family received the keys to their house. It was just as moving as Mohamed said it would be, watching the family excitedly take possession of their first home. “It’s their dream home,” Mohamed adds.

Owen and Chelsea’s house was a long time coming. COVID and rising building costs—which have doubled through the pandemic, Mohamed says—delayed the family getting their home.

“I’m seeing the numbers, and they’re certainly more expensive than in previous years,” Mohamed continues. “But there's families that rely on us and this is what we do: we find a way to build these homes.”

With the increasing costs of construction materials, the organization is relying more than ever on financial contributions, in addition to volunteers, which offset building costs. Enbridge made a $50,000 grant this year, using remaining funds from our liquids pipelines group’s Enbridge Indigenous Home Program, to support the Cornwall Habitat affiliate’s important work. Mohamed says gifts like Enbridge’s are what give the organization the funds to make the builds happen.

Up next, Habitat Cornwall will construct a home for a family with four children.

“Just finding a place to rent is impossible,” Mohamed says. “Here in Cornwall, people are on waiting lists with a hundred people just to get into apartments.”

As the Canadian housing crisis persists, more families will rely on community support from organizations like Habitat for Humanity.

Mohamed hopes that when the call goes out to build the next house, the community will respond to help: “They’re here for families that need a hand up.”

(TOP PHOTO: Enbridge volunteers sanded drywall, primed walls and painted trim at Owen and Chelsea's new home built by Habitat for Humanity's Cornwall affiliate.)

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