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With support from friends like Right at Home Realty, families living in overcrowded, unsafe, or unaffordable living conditions are able to become first-time homeowners. Our generous donors make it possible. Thanks to Right at Home Realty, lower income families are empowered to work hard to become Habitat homeowners and build better lives for themselves and their children.

Habitat homeownership is the platform on which a family can live out today’s realities and prepare for tomorrow’s transformations. Right at Home Realty’s realtors believe in the power of the Habitat homeownership model. And over the last 10 years, they have donated more than $500,000 and contributed hundreds of volunteer hours to ensure families achieve the strength, stability, and self-reliance of Habitat homeownership.

Canada’s largest independently owned real estate brokerage, and the number one brokerage in the GTA since 2013 according to Toronto Real Estate Board’s data for units sold and residential transactions for area delimited by entire Toronto MLS, Right at Home Realty empowers their realtors to give back to Habitat for Humanity affiliates in innovative ways. By instituting a simple process for donations, they make it easy for their over 4,100 realtors to contribute to Habitat with each transaction.

The generosity of Right at Home Realty changes lives of families like the Jim’s.

A few years after the birth of their first child, Michael and Kitty became concerned that he wasn’t speaking. They took him to a doctor, who told them that he had autism, and would require life-long care. After the birth of their second child in 2006, a daughter named “Mandy” who was also diagnosed with high-functioning autism, Michael and Kitty decided to come to Canada, where their children could receive the support they needed.

Moving the family to a new country was difficult. They ended up in a tiny, one-bedroom, basement apartment in Scarborough, where they share a kitchen and bathroom with two neighbours. It’s not very well insulated, and there are occasional infestations of mice. It was all that they could afford on Michael’s salary at his new job working in a supermarket, while Kitty stayed home to care for the kids.

Michael and Kitty applied to Habitat for Humanity GTA because they want a “better tomorrow” for their children. They raced to complete their sweat equity, the 500 hours of volunteering made as a down-payment on their home, and finished it in just 6 months of hard work.

A home means a backyard for the kids to play instead of being cooped up, and a room where they can rest in safety when their feeling overwhelmed. And with more space, Michael wants to save up to buy Mandy a piano to support her dream of being a musician. Kitty will be able to have the other moms and kids from their autism support group over, and the entire family is excited about hosting friends and family.

“Over the past 10 years supporting Habitat for Humanity, our realtors have seen the impact of our work in action,” said Howard Drukarsh, Co-Founder/Broker of Right at Home Realty and former member of Habitat for Humanity GTA’s Advisory Council. “Not only financially, but also through volunteering on build sites, attending home dedications, and connecting with the families that are becoming Habitat homeowners. For a real estate brokerage, the tie-in to this charity is an excellent match for us, and we look forward to continue our partnership with Habitat for Humanity for many more years.”

Thanks to Right at Home Realty, the Jim’s will soon live in a decent, affordable home at our Pinery Trail build site in Scarborough.

We are proud to partner with companies like Right at Home Realty who understand what affordable homeownership means to families in need of decent, affordable housing. Together, we are able to give a hand-up to more Habitat families so they can build brighter futures for themselves and their children.