From assistance with organization to funding to just day-to-day operations, the synergy between the two communities has led to eight new homes in Moose Jaw, with two more families to receive new homes this summer through the ongoing duplex project on Ominica Street.
Now, they’ll have the backing of a unified provincial organization.
Habitat for Humanity announced recently that the three community chapters in Saskatoon, Prince Albert and Regina — along with their affiliates — would be merging as one organization, now known as Habitat for Humanity Saskatchewan.
And with that comes a host of benefits.
“It’s very exciting,” said Gail Lefebvre, vice chair of the brand new Habitat Saskatchewan board. “What it’s really going to change by merging is allowing the three separate affiliates and their chapters to combine our skills and our abilities and really be able to build more homes in Saskatchewan by being more efficient and effective and using our best practices.
"We believe we can leverage that, and with a provincial presence, the goal is to secure more provincial funding and provincial donors from a province-wide perspective and that in turn can help us turn around and build more homes in Saskatchewan.”
It also means that instead of needing, say, three different IT systems, three different financial systems and working with three different banks, all will be streamlined to work together as one.
And as one can imagine, having a full provincial body to work alongside will certainly be of assistance to smaller chapters like Moose Jaw
“So there will be more than just Habitat Regina they’ll lean on, it’ll be Habitat Saskatchewan and certainly the province-wide focus will grow our ability to do what we do while still having a local presence in all of our chapters and all of our locations,” Lefebvre said.
In terms of day-to-day operations, both Saskatoon and Prince Albert will continue to have administrative offices, with the organization’s head office located in Regina. Habitat for Humanity Regina director Donna Watts — who has overseen the last handful of Moose Jaw builds — will now work with chapters around the province.
Locally, Fern Paulhus will continue to lead local builds, as he is currently doing with the Ominica Street duplex.
The unification announcement coincided with a huge donation from Conexus Credit Union, covering $1 million over four years to help build 80 homes in Saskatchewan.
“They wanted to make a donation province-wide and when we announced we were merging, it worked out as the perfect time for the announcement,” Lefebvre said. “We’re excited, that’s a significant commitment over the next four years and we know it’ll be of great help.”
For more information on Habitat for Humanity Saskatchewan, be sure to visit their new website at www.habitatsaskatchewan.ca.
