Edmonton's Habitat for Humanity preps for 75-home building blitz

Organizers with Habitat for Humanity Edmonton are bracing for the biggest build in its 25-year history.

"It's like the Olympics," said president & CEOAlfredNikolai.

"To have the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project rolling into ourregion from July 9to the 14this huge," he said.

"We're expecting literally thousands of volunteers to come that week from across The States and around the world," explains Nikolai.

The Carter crew will be working on 58homes in the south Edmonton neighbourhood of the Laurel, 16 homes in the community of Fort Saskatchewan, and one site yet to be determinedall in one week.

In order to tackle75 construction projects in one week local volunteers are already building walls, decks, and floors for those homes in the warmth of the organization's prefabrication shop.

"I'm putting out a wish to all Edmontonians to try to help us get ready,"Nikolaisaid. "We're going to need the help of volunteers between now and July."

• Project seen as 'a solution to the affordable housing crisis'.

Each local family receiving a home is also pitching in 500 hours of volunteering.

The families are then responsible for aninterest-free mortgage with payments that do not exceed 25 pre cent of their household income.

From the vault: Habitat for Humanity

8 years ago

Duration 2:02

Watch this video we dug up out of the CBC archive vault by reporter Lionel Goddard of the first Habitat for Humanity home built in Edmonton in 1992.

The 75-home building blitz is the largest affordable housing project ever for the Edmonton chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

One of the big ways the organization keeps its administration costs down is through the proceeds of three ReStores in the city, said Chris Gibson director of ReStore operations.

Items are donated by individuals and corporations, volunteers sort and stock the store shelves, and shoppers purchase building supplies, furniture and other items.

In the three Edmonton ReStorelocations last year,100,000 transactions resulted in $3 millionin sales, Gibson said.

But whether you support by shopping or by swinging a hammer, Alfred Nikolai believes "all you need is the will to help others."

You can see more from the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on Our Edmonton Saturday at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday and Monday on CBC TV.

Inside the Habitat for Humanity ReStore

8 years ago

Duration 4:19

Alfred Nikolai with Habitat for Humanity tours Our Edmonton host Adrienne Lamb around their ReStore in west Edmonton.