Meet a Habitat Partner Family

Future homeowners in New Brighton

Lena & Family

Sponsor:  Rotary Club of Calgary West

Lena is a single mom with four children; sons Cedric (14), Ronan (2) and daughters Jaden (8), Lola (5).

Lena has had many ups and downs in her life and has overcome some truly difficult circumstances.  Exhibiting tremendous strength of character and committed to improving the quality of life for her children, she put herself through school full-time to earn a Legal Assistant Diploma and now has a full time career as a legal assistant.

Lena's colleagues and friends speak highly of her and her family, indicating that she is a strong, dedicated and caring friend, employee and mother. She has strong community ties, is a committed volunteer with Servant's Anonymous and is focused on furthering her education and training as she works to complete an Oil & Gas Land Administration certificate.

The children are excited about having a place they can finally call their own.

Debbie & Family

Sponsor: St. Albert the Great Catholic Parish

Debbie is a single mother with five children; sons AJ (16), Sacha (14), Zach (13), Max (11) and daughter Natalie (21).

Debbie and her family have experienced domestic violence and have been in and out of shelters throughout their lives, including Discovery House and the Sheriff King Home. Debbie has been described as a ‘fighter', enduring and overcoming many crises in her and her family's lives, including separation, which most could not endure.

Debbie maintains strong community ties, enabling her children to remain connected to their community, where they in turn give back.  Debbie is employed with a law firm where she has worked since 2002 as a clerk.

Debbie and her children feel that Habitat has opened the door to a settled, quite and stable life as a family they have always dreamed of and are truly thankful and grateful for this opportunity.

Future homeowners in Evanston 

Jawad, Naila & Family

Sponsor:  Midnight Oil Exploration & Daylight Energy Ltd.

Jawad and Naila have two children; son Musa (5) and daughter Fatima (2).  The family is expecting another baby in October 2009. 

Jawad is a professional who emigrated from Pakistan.  An architect by profession, he works as an architectural technologist, where employers describe him as a great and hard worker.  Jawad is happy about living in Calgary and the opportunities the family has here and intends to complete his Master's degree in Architecture within the next few years.

The family is quite excited to put their ‘building skills' to work on their new home.

Homeowners at Sun Court

Lynnelle, Robert & Family  

Sponsor:  Nexen Inc., Enerplus Resources Fund, CIBC World Markets and Blake, Cassesls, & Graydon LLP          

Lynnelle and Robert have three little ones, ages 5, 3, and 1. 

They are homeowners in our Sun Court community of townhouses though they used to live in a rental home, where the rent fluctuated with income. When Robert got a raise, the rent went up. When he was laid-off, it did not go down. Now, they can rest easy with a predictable mortgage and a predictable future.

When we last visited their house, Julian, the three year old began pointing wildly, hollering, “Look, it’s my new house!” According to Lynelle, her children will now have a much safer place to play and grow, and she is thankful.

Carol & Family

Sponsor:  Burnett Duckworth and Palmer LLP

Carol calls her new habitat home her "place forever".  Carol and her twin daughters moved 11 times in 10 years in Calgary.  And now they are in their own home, in their own neighborhood, making their own future.

Just two years ago, Carol felt helpless and hopeless.  Today, she can not only hammer a nail, paint, frame, and drywall, she can plan for her daughters' university education. They are finally home.

Belachew, Marie & Family

When Belachew and Marie immigrated to Canada from Ethiopia, they brought with them one daughter, Yordanos (age 10).  But life soon took a dramatic turn.  Belachew and Marie, both employed, were living in a small apartment with their daughter when they learned they were expecting triplets!

When Belachew and Marie were accepted to become Habitat homeowners, Belachew exclaimed, "it was a dream come true.  When we found ourselves with three babies on the way, we didn't think we would ever be able to own our own home.  Habitat Calgary has made this possible!"