Habitat Chair Addresses Rotary Club

"Because they've become a regional group they are starting to have more habitat affiliates within the province. And what kind of affect that has is we're going to be able to get more houses built in Manitoba and in Northwestern Ontario," said Muirhead.

He added that chapters in Kenora, Virden, possibly Steinbach and Winkler, and others may join.

"Likely not too many changes that we'll see but we'll probably be part of a group of about 20 chapters. We'll have access to all the staff at the Winnipeg office, and we have somebody that is appointed to us and will help us through any of our needs. We're going to have more online resources that are intended to be available to the chapters just by using a password. People can donate specifically to chapters through the website," said Muirhead noting that Habitat is now involved with the website Canada Helps which allows visitors to donate online to any registered charity in Canada.

Differences can also be seen in how missed payments will be handled. Instead of dealing with the Portage office residents of the home will have to deal with the Winnipeg office.

"That sort of breaks our relationship with them. It's an important thing to do because in some ways we get tied in too deeply with the people that we build for and that can have an affect on our friendship and we don't want that to happen," said Muirhead.

At the end of his presentation Muirhead played the Rotary Members a ten minute video which educated viewers on exactly how Habitat works and that Habitat for Humanity is a hand up and not a hand out.

"These people are people that rent, they are what could be called almost the working poor, because they can't get enough money together to buy themselves a home. What Habitat for Humanity does is provide them with the opportunity to work towards a home that they will own eventually. They pay a mortgage like I pay a mortgage, they pay property taxes like I pay property taxes, and they become citizens of the community," said Muirhead.

Two homes were built by Habitat last year on 6th St. In order to get the home the adults in the household had to work 350 hours each in community service of some sort, whether it be at the MCC store, or helping to build their new home. Although no houses will be built in Portage this year, July will mark the completion of the 200th house in Manitoba, and the 2000th house in Canada. Next year two more homes will be built in Portage in a side-by-side to help out a family of two and a family of five.

"If you want to be of help to habitat for humanity you can do that through donation as a club, donation as an individual, or you can come out and volunteer," said Muirhead.

Story courtesy Robin Dudgeo, The Daily Graphic