Ottawa, ON – The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® and Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region have joined forces for the first-of-its-kind “Women in Wood” Build Day, helping to change the lives of an Ottawa-area family. The special day, involving 20 volunteers, included a “Wall Raising” and building the framework of a brand-new home.
The “Women in Wood” team, led by SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow, included a diverse team of volunteers – Ottawa women and SFI volunteers who work not only in the forest industry but in various government, business, environmental and social sectors, including: Donna Hicks, CEO, Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region (NCR); Joanne Laskoski, Editor-‐in-‐Chief, Capital Woman magazine; Kirsten Vice, Vice President, Canadian Operations, National Council for Air and Stream Improvement; and Pamela Miles, Director at CUSO International.
Despite being from different fields, all of these women share the common passion of making a difference in their communities and in the work force. “There are all sorts of amazing jobs in the natural resource, conservation, and forest products supply chain and it just makes me happy to have so many women in leadership positions joining in this cause,” said SFI President & CEO Kathy Abusow. She went on to express how important it is for SFI to be involved in projects like this. “As an organization, SFI takes great pride in seeing wood certified to the SFI standard being used in today’s homes. But beyond our dedication to promoting responsible forestry it’s incredibly important for us to be involved in community building, Aboriginal engagement and on-‐the-‐ground collaboration.”
“On a national level, Habitat for Humanity has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Assembly of First Nations,” says Donna Hicks, CEO, Habitat NCR. “Part of our mandate is to help urban Aboriginal families purchase their homes with an interest-‐free, long-‐term mortgage through our Homeownership Program.”
The project will have a transformational effect in the lives of Ida Kakekagumick and her three grandchildren. As members of the Ojibwa-‐Cree First Nation, they are one of the first Ontario Aboriginal families to be helped through a Habitat for Humanity project.
“We wish the Kakekagumick family all the best in their new home,” said Abusow during the presentation of an Irving Tissue gift basket. The company has generously donated a six-‐month supply of tissue and bathroom products certified to the SFI standard to the family. Much of the wood used for this Build Day is certified to the SFI Standard, including a significant donation of oriented strand board (OSB) from LP Building Products. The home will also be the first in the Ottawa area to be certified as a Built Green Canada home.
Since 2008, SFI has partnered with more than a dozen various Habitat for Humanity builds across Canada and the U.S. Through these partnerships, more than 4,000 volunteer hours and significant supplies of certified building materials (panel products, lumber, and engineered wood products) have been donated. Currently there are more than five million acres of forest lands managed by or for First Nations communities that are certified to the SFI forest management Standard.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
About Habitat for Humanity NCR
Founded in 1993, Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region (NCR) is a volunteer, non-‐profit organization that builds simple, decent, affordable homes and sells them with long-‐tern, no-‐interest mortgages to hard-‐working, low-‐income families seeking an affordable home in which to raise their children. People of all faiths and cultures are warmly welcomed by Habitat for Humanity NCR. To learn more, visit www.habitatncr.com.
Media Contact
Kristin Harold
Communications Manager,
Habitat NCR
613‐749‐9950 ext.224
communications@habitatncr.com
About Built Green Canada
Founded in 2003, this national industry‐driven organization is committed to working with builders interested in responsible sustainability practices in the residential building sector. Committed to the integrity of its programs—Single Family, High Density and Renovations—Built Green Canada provides learning opportunities that encourage continuous improvements to building practices, participation affordability and third‐party certification, which requires builders to contract Certified Energy Advisors to assess the effectiveness of the systems in the home. While energy efficiency is a fundamental component of these programs, integrating the EnerGuide label through Natural Resources Canada, Built Green Canada goes beyond energy efficiency toward a more holistic approach to sustainable building practices. For more information, visit www.builtgreencanada.ca.
Media Contact
Rebecca Peters
LBMG for SFI Vancouver
604‐637-6649
Rebecca@LBMG.ca
