National Philanthropy Day Celebrates Generosity and Community Building

We are so humbled by the incredibly generous gifts from so many individuals and organizations who help us build futures! National Philanthropy Day is a chance for us to celebrate everyone and showcase a new major partner. With their generous donation of $100,000, Quantum Properties epitomizes the importance of working together for the common good. Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver is embarking on its most ambitious build project to date, building 40 new townhomes at 1358 Coast Meridian Road on Burke Mountain, in Coquitlam. This gift propels our fundraising campaign forward and allows Quantum Properties to name the street, located within this development, and enables us to provide exponentially more affordable homes to working families.  

Image courtesy of City of Coquitlam Archives, C6-S01-C6.514

Current Burke Mountain MLSⓇ stats indicate an average house price of $1.5M, with the median days on the market for a home being 17 days. To say that the Burke Mountain area is a desirable place to live is an understatement. Through the foresight of Wesbild (who sold the land to the City of Coquitlam at a deep discount) and the City of Coquitlam, this block of land on Coast Meridian Road was dedicated for affordable housing. 

We went back in time to explore the history of this parcel of land, discovering the uniqueness of the area. We searched through the Coquitlam City Archives and interviewed families who have lived in the area for up to 60 years, along with politicians and advocates involved in advancing a plan to tackle the shortage of affordable housing. 

This is Habitat’s first time building in the City of Coquitlam and we want the community to know we are coming, to know we plan on addressing affordability, and that we will be relying on that community and others to bring this project to life and to completion by 2024.  

Through our application process, families will be selected based on our stated criteria, with an affordable monthly payment capped at 30% of their total household income. Much of this is returned to them when they are ready to purchase in the open market. Once they move on, a new family moves into the home and starts their journey toward stability. “These will be families with children, whose lives will be transformed for generations to come through stable and secure housing,” said Steph Baker, VP Construction. 

“We see many great examples of philanthropy at work in our organization,” said Lyn Duke, Habitat for Humanity Greater Vancouver’s Community Events Manager. “Many individuals, or companies choose to donate to Habitat because they know how critical affordable housing is to family success and good health. We have recognition benefits for different levels of donations, but some also choose to give anonymously.” 

All donations, no matter how big or small make a huge difference. Without the collective generosity of our community, we simply could not build. On National Philanthropy Day, we hope that everyone considers whether they are able to donate. It could be a one-off donation, setting up a monthly donation, or even considering leaving a gift in their will. 

For more information on some of the opportunities to donate visit www.habitatgv.ca/getinvolved or contact us to discuss what works best for you. 

Image citations and references for the video are found HERE.

Watch for Lyle Litzenberger’s “Burke & Widgeon: A History, Volume Two” due for release in 2022. Shop online or at Western Sky Books in Port Coquitlam.