PETERBOROUGH, Sept 10, 2012 – Habitat for Humanity, The Peterborough Petes, Peterborough Rotary Club alongside with volunteers, donor, neighbours and stakeholders celebrated the official ground breaking of the Home of the Petes, a single detached home to be built at 749 Young Street in Peterborough.
The Peterborough Petes are the title sponsor of the first home to be built under Habitat for Humanity new Youth Program (HYP – Habitat Youth Program). The entire team as well as GM David Reid and the new Petes Ice Angels all participated in the event. The Petes have committed to working with Habitat to raise $40K to help build the home. Funds will be raised through a number of special events as well as five designated HYP-Petes game nights.
HYP is a new initiative aimed at engaging local youth and giving them the opportunity to advocate for those in need of affordable housing and fundraise and actually build Habitat homes. Kenner High School’s Senior Construction Program will be building the home Monday to Friday from Sept to March and teams of other youth will be encouraged to volunteer on Saturdays.
The Peterborough Rotary Club has partnered with Habitat for Humanity to develop and implement HYP. They will act as mentors to the HYP Council and have committed $100,000 towards the building of the first five HYP homes. “This program has huge potential”, says Sarah Tate, Habitat Executive Director. “Youth are our future leaders and it is important that we give them opportunities to become educated about social justice issues and to participate in real tangible change in our community.
The new Habitat partner family that will be moving into the Home of the Petes was announced at the ground breaking. Mike and Tianna Beatle and their daughter Brenna (13) and their son Cody (8) were on hand as the numerous partners gave their well wishes.
About Habitat for Humanity
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit organization whose mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in the building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. Habitat gives a “hand up not a hand out” to low income families by offering 0% interest mortgages, with no down payment and geared to income monthly payments.
