Next week I’m headed to Winnipeg for a very important reason. In honour of Canada’s 150^th birthday, Habitat for Humanity, in conjunction with the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project, will be building 150 homes across Canada in just one week. It’s a massive project that will take people from all over the country to complete, and I’m honoured to be helping with the build in Manitoba.

I’ve been working with Habitat for quite a while now, and what I love about their approach is that they’re all about giving a hand up, not a hand out – meaning they don’t just give away houses, they teach people how to become responsible homeowners, help them gain financial independence, and they help to build stronger communities.

Everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live, and by the end of next week, 150 more families in Canada will be a step closer. If that isn’t a good way to spend your time, I don’t know what is. So if you want to volunteer, donate money, or if you just want to learn more, please visit Habitat.ca/150ReasonsToBuild. And join in the conversation online using the hashtag #150ReasonsToBuild.

We’ll see you on the job site!

Photo: Scott McGillivray and homeowner Karen Francis on a Habitat for Humanity build site in Toronto. Courtesy of HGTV.ca’s Moving the McGillivrays.

Feature photo courtesy of Habitat for Humanity Canada.