The Insko family at their new Habitat for Humanity home in 2021. (Photo Courtesy Habitat for Humanity)

By Chris Brown

Habitat for Humanity needs to build local committee

Feb 27, 2023 | 4:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Habitat for Humanity provides a path to affordable homeownership for families by building homes. Before they can build another one in Medicine Hat, they need to build a local committee.

The last Habitat build in Medicine Hat was a duplex for two families finished in 2021.

Mira Monagen, vice president of programs for Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta, says the need for homes is still strong in Medicine Hat.

“Weekly we get requests from families looking for affordable home ownership from us as well. So we know that there’s a need within the community there’s obviously stats as well that in around the need for affordable housing within Medicine Hat and within southern Alberta,” she says.

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“So within the need you know the support of the city as well, what now we’re looking for is a well-engaged community involvement and it doesn’t happen, a successful build doesn’t happen without sort of an engaged community and the support of some key volunteers to actually help lead that.”

Many on the build that finished in 2021 spent three years on the committee and Monagen says natural turnover happened following its completion. She says exhaustion follows every build because of the time, effort and passion that goes into them.

New blood is needed for the next build and Monagen says her organization taps into all different skill sets and special skill sets.

“We have positions that are leaders, like chairs and co-chairs that kind of run the whole show, individuals who like to recruit, individuals that like to work one-on-one with the families that we recruit as well,” she says. “We have people who can lead with regards to construction, treasurers if you like to money manage and individuals that like to be out in the community and help with awareness, raise funds, help with grants.”

READ MORE: ‘We start the build of the big dreams’: ground broken on Habitat for Humanity homes in Brooks

Habitat for Humanity has operated in Medicine Hat for more than 25 years, helping 15 families with more than 30 children become homeowners.

Visit the Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta website and find the volunteer tab if you would to lend your skills to a build in Medicine Hat or elsewhere in Alberta.