What it means to be a Visionary Sponsor
Two Visionary Sponsor case studies worth highlighting include Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. (Enbridge), our Energy Efficiency Sponsor; and TD Bank Group (TD), our Community Builder Sponsor.
Our Visionary Sponsors epitomize what giving back to the community is all about. They are strategic with their philanthropic endeavors. They pool resources to make an impact that aligns with their corporate social responsibility mandate. And they show their support through causes that matter to them and their employees.
Enbridge: Energy Efficiency Sponsor
Since 2001, Enbridge has been a proud supporter of Habitat GTA. The company’s goal is to improve the energy efficiency of homes in order to reduce operating costs and improve comfort for Habitat homeowners. By bringing together industry experts to support the design of our homes with energy performance in mind, our Pinery Trail build projects to be 23% more efficient than the 2017 Ontario Building Code. Thanks to this innovative partnership, Habitat homeowners save on their energy bills, allowing parents to further invest in their children’s future.
In addition to Enbridge’s generous financial contributions, they also bring hundreds of employee volunteers to build the homes they help fund.
In 2018, Enbridge’s generosity is providing Aziz, Amina, and their twin daughters with the strength, stability, and self-reliance of affordable homeownership at our Pinery Trail build.
After their twins were diagnosed with autism, finding a stable home with adequate space for them to grow and thrive became the family’s number one priority. But as much as Aziz and Amina wanted to provide a better home for their daughters, they couldn’t afford to rent a place suitable to their needs.
Change is on the horizon for their family. Thanks to Enbridge’s support, the family moved into a three-bedroom Habitat home at Pinery Trail in the summer of 2018. A home that they own and pay for through affordable mortgage payments geared to their income.
“We are so excited to finally have a home with enough space for our daughters to grow and thrive,” said Aziz. “We did this for them, so they can live a normal life.”
TD: Community Builder Sponsor
TD’s generous support dates back to 1999. For more than 19 years, TD continues to be a strong community builder for Habitat GTA. They sponsor signature events, and in 2017, more than 200 TD employees volunteered over 1,600 hours to help build homes at our build sites.
Their belief in our vision and mission allows us to grow and expand our impact. As our primary financial lender, TD provided upfront financing on our Pinery Trail build, as well as on past projects. Since 1999, TD’s support has contributed more than $4 million to build homes for Habitat families – a testament to their community building work.
In 2018, TD’s generosity is providing Moumina and her six children with a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home.
When you speak with Moumina about her Habitat home, it’s hard for her to contain her emotions. A widowed single-mother, she was living in a three-bedroom apartment with her six children in an unsafe complex.
There was a constant threat of violence inside and outside the building. Their unit was located next to a staircase where known drug dealers hung out. Often, smoke from the staircase seeped into their unit, posing a threat to her children’s health, especially her two daughters who suffer from asthma.
In the summer of 2018, Moumina and her children moved into a five-bedroom home at our Pinery Trail build – a home that she owns and pays for with affordable mortgage payments geared to her income.
“My kids would ask me all the time to drive by the Pinery Trail site so they can see our home being built,” said Moumina. “I cried tears of joy every time, knowing that we were soon going to be Habitat homeowners, and finally have a safe home that is big enough for my family to live in.”
Thank you to our Visionary sponsors for making our work possible!