CREDIT: ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NEWS / THINKSTOCK
Habitat for Humanity Heartland is a Christian housing organization who help build simple, decent, affordable homes with low-income families.

Habitat for Humanity Heartland Ontario may be coming to Fanshawe College. On Nov. 13, a group of students and staff members met with the Habitat Family Services & Outreach Coordinator Chelsey Gordon- Edmonds, to learn more about Habitat and how a club at Fanshawe could benefit students and London.

Gordon-Edmonds emphasized that students in Habitat clubs at Western and other campuses have a great deal of fun while raising funds and awareness for Habitat; they are only limited by their creativity. While it is a learning experience, it is also a chance to meet other students on campus, learn new skills and build a permanent, quality home with an area family.

Gary Genereaux, who works as an Instructional Designer at Fanshawe College, gave a presentation during the meeting on how Habitat benefited his family. He was able to build and purchase a Habitat house earlier in his family’s life.

He explained that home ownership allowed him and his two children to pursue post-secondary educations at Fanshawe and Western. Home ownership was like a building block upon which his family reached for further goals in their lives. He never forgot the many volunteers who helped build his family’s house. Even today he can see their work in the bricks and nails in the walls of their well-built home.

According to the Habitat for Humanity website, they are a non-profit, non-denominational Christian housing organization who build simple, affordable houses with low-income families.

Most of us have seen Habitat for Humanity at work building homes around the world. Their work is well-known. The organization began in the U.S. in the ’70s.

This organization also sells donated construction supplies at its two ReStores in London. The profits from this store allow 100 per cent of donations to go directly to home building. Also, families who purchase homes from Habitat are able to do so without having to pay interest on their mortgages. This allows them to save, buy necessities and get ahead while paying off their house.