Drumheller’s Habitat for Humanity made a major stride Thursday, when it received two large cash donations and officially announced the location of the project.
Chinook Financial and Drumheller Rotary donated $15,000 and $10,000, respectively, to the project, which aims to construct a duplex at 102 Poplar St. in Drumheller by 2017. It will house two families.
“This really does bring us halfway along our fundraising journey,” said Drumheller chapter chair Chris Curtis at the event.
“To be able to help two families that can become stabilized by being in these homes will be a great thing.”
Chinook Financial president Scot Hadden said the company established a partnership with Habitat for Humanity after affordable housing was identified as an issue after meeting with Mayor Terry Yemen last year.
“We asked ‘where can we make an impact’ and what came through was affordable housing. I was surprised that in a small, rural town, that it wasn’t as prominent as Calgary, where prices are so high, but it is a problem, and throughout the rest of Alberta, too,” said Hadden.
Albert Clark donated the land on Poplar Street to the Drumheller Habitat for Humanity branch.
Drumheller was one of the smallest centres to be picked for a Habitat project and the donation of land was incentive for its selection.
Rotary Club president Doug Stanford said the club donated because its there to support the people.
“It’s important because there’s people here that need the housing really bad. Rotary is here for the people.”
Along with the cheque presentations, a partnership with St. Anthony’s school was also announced, which will see students volunteer with construction.
“The project is everything our school represents,” said St. Anthony’s principal and Habitat board member JoAnne Akerboom, adding students will earn volunteer hours and potentially CTS credits with the project.
The total estimated cost of the project is $500,000. The Drumheller branch is responsible for half, with the other half to be matched by Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, based in Calgary. Volunteer hours will also be matched, with wage dollars being donated toward the total cost.
The duplex was initially projected for completion in 2018, but chapter chair Curtis believes the support for the project has bumped it into 2017.
Fundraisers are planned over the summer which will be announced soon.
Habitat for Humanity Drumheller and District was formed in April 2016.
