Four-year-old Leilani Vanderydt became a Habitat for Humanity volunteer in 2014. Her family was among the large group that helped build Habitat's home in Westsyde. KTW file photo Habitat for Humanity in Kamloops is already thinking about Christmas.
The organizatiom also has October circled on its calendars as that's when Habitat plans to start its next build with another duplex in Westsyde.
And the group is looking for a new location for its ReStore, which has outgrown the 9,000 square feet it now occupies on Cariboo Way in Sahali. There's a committee looking for a site with between 10,000 and 20,000 square feet.
Interim executive director Celine Calfa said the organization continues to grow and is also looking for volunteers to start sorting through the many bins of Christmas-related items that will be out on shelves by the fall.
Volunteers are also needed to help with specific projects or to donate a few hours to work at the store.
Since it began in 1999, the Kamloops Habitat branch has providing housing for eight families. It bought land next to the site of its last duplex at 1343 Westsyde Rd. -- the group always builds duplexes -- and hopes to break ground in October.
At that time, Calfa said, it will start the process to identify families who will live in the structure.
They need to be chosen early because those identified must also help in the build as part of their commitment to be approved for the homes.
To qualify to live in a Habitat home:
o A person's current living situation must be untenable due to cost, safety or other concerns.
o A person must also be considered low-income in the Kamloops area, as defined by Statistics Canada, and be willing to work with Habitat on the all aspects of the home for more than a year.
o Homeowners are required to put in 500 hours of "sweat-equity" during the course of their build, in place of a down payment.
Habitat provides the mortgage to the homeowners interest-free and with no down payment.
The families then make the monthly payments on the fair market value of the home.
Calfa said individuals, tradespeople and community groups who want to pt a team together are welcome to help with the build, which likely will be completed next spring.
Anyone interested in getting involved with the group in some capacity can call Calfa at 250-314-6783 or email her at executivedirector@habitatkamloops.ca.
