Three deserving grand prize winners and nine runners-up have been
chosen in Habitat for Humanity Canada’s national writing contest,
Meaning of Home, in which children answer the question, “What does
home mean to you?”
The winning poems and stories are among 15,000
entries submitted by grade 4, 5, and 6 students from across Canada.
All the submissions are poignant reminders of the comfort and joy
that a safe home creates for a child.
Everyone who entered earns a $10 donation to their
local Habitat for Humanity with their submission. In addition,
three grand prize winners receive a $30,000 grant for their local
Habitat. Runners-up win a $10,000 grant for their local
Habitat.
Through their entries, students have raised
$327,000 this year for local Habitat for Humanity organizations,
bringing the total raised through the Meaning of Home contest to
$2.7 million since its inception in 2007.
The Grade 4 grand prize winner is Kashvi K. from
Burlington for her entry "A Home is Not a House". Her $30,000 grant
will benefit Habitat for Humanity Halton Mississauga Dufferin.
The Grade 5 grand prize winner is Kateryna (Katy)
K. from Hamilton, for her entry “What does home mean to me?”.
Katy’s grant will benefit Habitat for Humanity Hamilton.
The Grade 6 grand prize winner is Hannah B. from
Toronto, for her entry “My Home”, whose grant will benefit Habitat
for Humanity Greater Toronto Area.
Grade 4 runners-up
Isla A. of Oakville for her entry H.O.M.E.,
benefitting Habitat for Humanity Halton Mississauga Dufferin
Julia H. of Kitchener for her entry George’s
Question, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Waterloo
Karyssa K. of Vancouver for her entry The Wonders
of Home, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver
Grade 5 runners-up
Emily J. from Winnipeg for her entry Home,
benefitting Habitat for Humanity Manitoba
Sofia S. from Halifax for her entry Home Sweet
Home, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia
Xuyuan (Alec) Q. from Richmond, B.C. for his entry
Memories of Home, benefitting Habitat for Humanity Greater
Vancouver
Grade 6 runners-up
Qinhao Z. from Windsor, Ontario for his entry The meaning of
home benefitting Habitat for Humanity Windsor
Rihanna R. from Edmonton, for his entry What Home Means To Me,
benefitting Habitat for Humanity Edmonton
Winter W. from Winnipeg, for her entry What home means to me.,
benefitting Habitat for Humanity Manitoba
“Too many Canadians don’t have access to a safe and
affordable home — a universal need,” says Julia Deans, President
and CEO of Habitat of Humanity Canada. “Through their thoughtful
descriptions of the comfort and safety of a home, along with the
laughter and love it contains, these students are showing us the
meaning of home through a child’s eyes. Congratulations to all the
winners for their beautiful submissions.”
“Since the Meaning of Home contest began in 2007,
over 120,000 students have shared what home means to them. With the
support of Sagen as founding sponsor, these students have raised
$2.7 million to help more families in need of homes build stronger
lives through housing,” says Stuart Levings, President and CEO of
Sagen. “It’s our privilege to support students in becoming caring
citizens, and local Habitats in providing safe and affordable homes
for families.”
The Meaning of Home contest would not be possible
without the generous support of Founding Sponsor SagenTM and Award
Sponsor Urban Systems Foundation.
To read all the winning entries, please visit
http://www.meaningofhome.ca/page/winners2024.
About Sagen™ As a sponsor since
2000, Sagen has donated over $6.9 million in support of Habitat
Canada and has helped thousands of Canadian families realize their
dreams of affordable homeownership. While Sagen’s financial support
provides crucial funding for their homeownership program, its
support of Habitat Canada extends far beyond financial support.
Throughout the sponsorship, Sagen employees from all levels of the
organization, including President and CEO Stuart Levings and his
executive team, have lent their leadership experience, industry
knowledge, and time to help launch many of Habitats’ signature
programs, including the Sagen homebuilding grants, Global Village
volunteer program in Canada, and the Meaning of Home contest. These
programs, along with Sagen’s support and involvement, have
significantly increased Habitat’s ability to raise funds, recruit
volunteers and ultimately, support more families and build stronger
communities. Find out more at www.sagen.ca
About Habitat for Humanity
CanadaFounded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a
national charitable organization working toward a world where
everyone has a decent and affordable place to call home. Habitat
for Humanity brings communities together to help families build
strength, stability and independence through affordable
homeownership. With the help of volunteers, Habitat homeowners and
46 local Habitats working in every province and territory, we
provide a solid foundation for better, healthier lives in Canada
and around the world. Habitat for Humanity Canada is a member of
Habitat for Humanity International, which was established in 1976
and has grown to become a leading global non-profit working in more
than 70 countries. For more information, please visit
www.habitat.ca.
For more information:Jennifer FowlerDirector,
CommunicationsHabitat for Humanity Canadajfowler@habitat.ca(437)
317-8581
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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