~2012 Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life National Award winner announced at Habitat for Humanity Canada AGM ~
REGINA, May 11, 2012 /CNW/ - Today, Habitat for Humanity Canada presented Carl Ryan with the fourth-annual Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life National Award for Leadership in Sustainable and Affordable Home Building at its Annual General Meeting in Regina. Carl Ryan is the Board Chair of Habitat for Humanity Niagara, and has been instrumental in instituting and advancing recognized sustainable building practices1 over his eight years as a volunteer with the organization.
The award was created in 2009 to encourage and inspire more individuals to champion the issue of affordable homeownership in their community. It was also designed to encourage the adoption of sustainable building practices to address "energy poverty" - an affordability issue many households face in the wake of increasing utility costs. The annual award provides $25,000 to a Habitat for Humanity volunteer in Canada for direction toward a Habitat for Humanity affiliate for a sustainable building project.
"Homeownership provides a multitude of personal and community benefits and yet, for many low-income families, rising utility costs are an extra financial challenge," said Jan Belanger, Assistant Vice-President, Community Affairs, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life. "Our hope is that this award encourages individuals like Carl to actively support and engage in affordable and sustainable home building as a means to help Canadians break the 'energy poverty' cycle."
Carl Ryan has been a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity Niagara since 2004, and is currently serving as its Board Chair. In those eight years, Carl has been involved in many facets of Habitat for Humanity Niagara, having a transformational impact on the organization. Through his leadership and tireless work with volunteers, local corporations and as a member of the Niagara Home Builders Association and the Niagara Construction Association, he has directly supported the building of 17 sustainable houses and, more importantly, has provided valuable strategic leadership, positioning Habitat Niagara well for continued success moving forward.
"It's through the hard work of people like Carl Ryan that Habitat for Humanity is able to provide the hand up of affordable and sustainable homeownership to so many low-income families," said Stewart Hardacre, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Canada. "We are honored to recognize Carl with this award, and thank him for his unwavering commitment and passion."
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life, along with their staff and distribution associates, have a long history of supporting Habitat for Humanity Canada, sponsoring multiple builds and contributing hundreds of volunteer hours. In 2009, Great-West Life and its subsidiaries made a five-year commitment of $250,000 to create and support this award program.
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1 Definition of Sustainable Building Practice as it applies to Habitat for Humanity (HFH):
When considering "sustainability" one thinks of exploiting natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of an area. To HFH, Sustainable Building Practices also take into consideration enhanced Energy Efficiency, aligning with locally recognized initiatives/programs and limiting the environmental impact of the house during construction and after occupancy. At the same time, HFH makes a concerted effort to maintain true affordability for the organization during construction and for the Partner Family once they occupy the dwelling.
About Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life:
Great-West Life is a leading Canadian insurer which, together with its subsidiaries, London Life and Canada Life, serves the financial security needs of more than 12 million people across Canada. As an Imagine Caring Company, Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life donate a minimum of one per cent of average pre-tax profits to non-profit, charitable and community organizations each year.
About Habitat for Humanity Canada:
Founded in 1985, Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, non-profit organization working towards a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live. With the help of over 50,000 volunteers every year and 69 affiliate organizations from coast to coast, their mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to break the cycle of poverty in Canada and around the world. For more information on Habitat for Humanity Canada, please visit www.habitat.ca.
Kate Marshall
National Director, Marketing & Communications
Habitat for Humanity Canada
(416) 294-3039
kmarshall@habitat.ca
Marlene Klassen
Assistant Vice-President, Communication Services
Great-West Life, London Life and Canada Life
(204) 946-7705
marlene.klas[email protected]
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