One insurer stepped up to the plate and raised most of the $80,000 needed to break ground on a Habitat for Humanity home in a community that hasn’t seen that type of construction in over a decade.
Gillons Insurance made it possible after several years of intensive fundraising, and the generosity of one broker in particular.
“Habitat approached us one time about helping out on a few builds,” David Baxter, general manager of Gillons, told CBC News. “We did that and then when we were looking at what else could we do, we said 'we haven't built a house.’”
Gillons Insurance was previously known as Thunder Bay Insurance, until it changed its name at the beginning of this year.
The group raised more than $80,000 for the home located on the property on Hodder Avenue in Thunder Bay, where one of the company’s veteran employees grew up.
“They're very excited and they're so thankful to Thunder Bay Insurance for taking five years to raise the money to build this house,” Diane Mitchell, the CEO for Habitat, told reporters.
Insurance broker Janis Whatley found herself selling her family's estate after both of her parents died within months of each other in 2007 and 2008. She said that she and her siblings decided to subdivide the property and sell one part as a separate lot.
The process was finalized just as the Habitat was starting to scope out a location for the new home.
"This is very nice and it's going to help a lot of people,” said Whatley, “and I know Habitat does wonderful things so it's very nice to be part of it.”
Habitat will give the families who move into the newly-built homes interest-free mortgages based on the fair-market value of their houses.
They will pay them back at a rate not more than 25 per cent of their gross family income in mortgage and property taxes.
Each family will also contribute 500 hours of "sweat equity" volunteering for Habitat, including helping build their own homes.
The families' names will be announced later in the year.
