Through an expanding partnership, Habitat for Humanity Québec and Lowe’s Canada increase efforts to provide affordable housing as part of an international initiative starting on International Women Day
Montreal, March 8, 2021 – Habitat for Humanity Québec partners with Lowe’s Canada to kick off International Women Build Week, a Habitat for Humanity international annual initiative powered by Lowe’s Companies. From March 8 to 15, the event starting on International Women’s Day will draw attention to the global need for women’s access to safe and affordable housing. This year, the organizations in the United States, Canada, and India are increasing efforts by supporting over 300 Women Build projects and women-led households, which will help women around the globe to build or improve decent, affordable places to call home.
“The Habitat for Humanity Québec team is extremely grateful for the support Lowe’s Canada has provided to our cause in the past and their continued support enabling us to enrich the lives of women-led households by providing safe and affordable housing opportunities in their communities,” said Claire Boulanger, Board Director and Secretary, Habitat Quebec. “We know that the current pandemic continues to have a negative financial and social impact on many women, making it increasingly difficult for them to maintain their current living conditions. As the need for affordable housing in many urban areas and beyond increases, Lowe’s Canada’s commitment to Habitat for Humanity in Quebec will assist us in further supporting women-led families towards meeting their housing needs and breaking the cycle of poverty.”
With the 2021 edition, Lowe’s Canada expanded its partnership to support four additional local Habitats in Canada, as the need for affordable housing sharpens in many parts of the country due to economic strains brought by the pandemic. Worldwide, Lowe’s Companies has increased its donation to nearly $2.7 million to widen its support for Habitat’s international projects that help women and their families.
“Supporting the communities that welcome our stores, our associates, and our customers is part of our fundamentals at Lowe’s Canada,” explained Jean-Sébastien Lamoureux, Senior Vice-President, Public Affairs, Asset Protection and Sustainable Development at Lowe’s Canada. “As many things we assumed were stable became fragile in the last year, we are pleased to see that our ongoing partnership with Habitat has helped provide women-led families in our communities with a foundation on which to build a sturdy home.”
Women experience multiple pressures as they struggle to find or retain safe shelter during the pandemic, according to a report by the Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network (WNHHN) and research from the Community University Policy Alliance on Women’s Complex Homelessness at McMaster University. Women are disproportionately impacted by a loss of income due to COVID-19, which puts women-led households at a greater risk of losing their housing. As a result, many more of them are forced to choose between either rent or mortgage, or other essential bills, such as utilities or health care.
Through this year’s International Women Build Week, Habitat Québec and Lowe’s Canada also wish to amplify the positive effects of housing stability for women and their families, especially during the pandemic. Habitat Québec remains committed to ensuring that its homeowners feel supported throughout the pandemic. “We have remained open and responsive to the needs of our female owners; including adapting mortgage payments when necessary,” said Boulanger.
Lowe’s Canada and its Lowe’s, RONA, and Reno-Depot banners have been partnering with local Habitat affiliates since 2009. Through the Lowe’s Canada Heroes campaign, International Women Build Week, and focused donations in cash or in kind, Lowe’s Canada has raised over $3.9 million to support the non-profit organization’s housing efforts across the country and help Habitat homeowners improve their living conditions.
To learn more about the initiative and partnership, visit https://habitat.ca/en/international-women-build-week. Follow #BuildHer and #WomenBuild on social media to join the conversation and view stories from around the world.
To share this news on social media, please use @habitatquebecrestore on Facebook, habitatquebec on Instagram, @Lowe’s Canada on LinkedIn, or @HabitatQuebec and @LowesCanadaCorp on twitter.
About Habitat for Humanity Québec
Habitat for Humanity Québec, a registered charity, has been pursuing its mission in Québec since 1999, allowing homeownership for 36 families (i.e., 171 people, including 108 children) in the Montreal, Estrie, Lower Laurentians, and Montérégie regions. Affiliated with the international Habitat for Humanity organization, Habitat for Humanity Québec’s mission is to mobilize volunteers, partners, and communities to build affordable housing and promote homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty. By selling these homes to lower-income families, with no down payment required and a mortgage that covers two thirds of the house without interest, Habitat for Humanity helps provide the stability needed to improve family members’ health, children’s education, and their quality of life. To learn more, visit www.habitatqc.ca.
About Lowe’s Canada
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving approximately 20 million customers a week in the United States and Canada. With fiscal year 2020 sales of nearly $90 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,200 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 300,000 associates. Based in Boucherville, Quebec, Lowe’s Canadian business, together with its wholly owned subsidiary RONA inc., operates or services some 470 corporate and independent affiliate dealer stores in a number of complementary formats under different banners, which include Lowe’s, RONA, Reno-Depot, and Dick’s Lumber. In Canada, they have more than 26,000 associates, in addition to approximately 5,000 employees in the stores of independent affiliate dealers operating under the RONA banner. For more information, visit lowescanada.ca.