Toronto, June 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TORONTO, June 14, 2023 – Three Toronto-area students are being celebrated as winners of Habitat for Humanity Canada’s Meaning of Home national writing contest. Daphne U. is the Grade 4 grand prize winner for her entry, No Place Like Home. Her $30,000 grant will benefit Habitat for Humanity GTA. Daphne joins Grade 4 runner-up JL B. for his entry, The Meaning of Home and Grade 5 runner-up Eldana A. for her entry, The Foundation of My Heart, who each won a $10,000 grant towards Habitat for Humanity GTA. Combined with more than 1,200 students who made submissions, the three students helped raise more than $60,000 to support Habitat for Humanity GTA’s efforts to build affordable homes for working families in our communities.
Habitat for Humanity and representatives from Sagen, the founding sponsor of the writing contest, gathered to honour the three students at an event last night at Habitat for Humanity GTA’s Toronto office.
Since 2007, the Meaning of Home contest shares what home means to students in Grades 4, 5 and 6. This year, three grand prize winners and nine runners-up have joined over 12,000 students across Canada to raise $302,000 for Habitat for Humanity organizations across Canada through their entries. Three grand prize winners won a $30,000 grant to their local Habitat for Humanity organization. Runners-up have won a $10,000 grant for their local Habitat. Congratulations to all the winners and to everyone who entered and earned a $10 donation to their local Habitat for Humanity with their submission.
“To see over 1,200 students from the GTA alone reflect on the importance of home and what it means is inspiring. At Habitat for Humanity GTA, so much of what we do is really for the children. A strong, stable home base opens up resilience and possibilities for a child’s future, whether it’s having a place to study, play or just share a meal in the best company. The lifelong benefits of a home of your own are truly immeasurable,” said Ene Underwood, CEO for Habitat for Humanity GTA. “On behalf of Habitat for Humanity GTA, thank you to the students, teachers, school staff, parents and volunteers that made this year’s contest such a powerful one.”
“Safety, security, a place of love, a place to grow, play, learn and make memories – these are the things that children say matter most when asked what home means to them,” says Julia Deans, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada. “Housing provides a foundation for all these things, and we continue to build and advocate so more families can benefit from affordable homeownership.”
“Since the Meaning of Home contest began in 2007, over 100,000 students have shared what home means to them. With the support of Sagen as founding sponsor, these students have raised $2.3 million to help more families in need of homes build stronger lives through housing,” said Stuart Levings, President and CEO of Sagen.
The Meaning of Home contest would not be possible without the generous support of Founding Sponsor, SagenTM and Award Sponsors Urban Systems Foundation, Face to Face Games, and Home Trust. To read all the winning entries, please visit https://habitatgta.ca/meaning-of-home-2023/.
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