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Author: Taline Nalbandian

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Habitat for Humanity Québec’s InnovHaus project wins the 2020 Innovation Award!

Habitat for Humanity Québec would like to acknowledge the exceptional work achieved by the Université de Sherbrooke mechanical engineering students and all the volunteers involved. 

We’re extremely proud to have won the Housing Innovation Award as part of the national Habitat for Humanity Canada awards thanks to their involvement! We would also like to extend our special thanks to the City of Sherbrooke as well as all our partners who collaborated with us on this project. 

Habitat for Humanity Québec’s InnovHaus project wins Housing Innovation Award for 2020.

This green building project was the brainchild of a group of 11 graduating students from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Université de Sherbrooke looking to find the best ways to reduce the ecological footprint of new residential construction. Their goal was to design a house that would cost only $8 per month to heat, that is 90% less than a traditional house. 

The project, developed in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity Québec, is the organization’s seventh project in Sherbrooke and was made possible thanks to the help of several sponsors and partners.

So, we welcome this award with great pride! 

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Brilliant ideas at the end of every aisle…

Yesterday, I went to my ReStore to pick up some gardening supplies. Since summer has finally arrived, I need to get the gear I need! And why should I pay full price at a big-box store when I know I’ll find shovels, fertilizers and other items at a fraction of the price at my ReStore?  

I came across some used furniture on my way down the garden supply aisle. As I walk towards my destination, an idea pops into my head. I retrace my steps. 

At the end of the aisle, I find a small beige metal filing cabinet. You know, the type you find in most offices with drawers that lock? The cabinet was in pristine condition, with only a few scratches. It was the perfect piece of furniture to round out my gardening project! 

You may be thinking, “how can you use a filing cabinet in a gardening project?” Well, you can! I plan to convert it into a storage unit for my BBQ nook! The filing cabinet is the ideal size and made of weather-resistant material, so I’ll be able to store dishes and kitchen utensils in it. 

The project is coming together at lightning speed in my head. The very first thing I need to do is head to the hardware store to find some paint to update the cabinet’s look. At the hardware store, I grab some spray paint for metal surfaces. Initially, I thought of painting it black. However, when I saw that the paint came in so many different colours, I had second thoughts. Why not be bold and add a splash of sunshine to this dark corner of my yard? I finally settled on black paint for the cabinet and yellow paint for the drawers!

I headed to the cash register with my new finds, eager to get home and make my project happen! Breathing new life into objects is not only environmentally friendly, it’s also incredibly rewarding!

When I got home, I unpacked my purchases and… oops! I had forgotten to buy a shovel, which was the reason I went to my ReStore in the first place! That’s okay; I’ll go back tomorrow. And who knows what else I’ll find! 

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Maryse, a savvy shopper

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Paying it forward is so rewarding!

I’ve worked as a volunteer salesclerk at the ReStore in Montreal North for almost a year now. I answer customers’ questions, help them find what they’re looking for in the store, tell them about new arrivals and so forth. 

But best of all, I give back to the community. I’m donating my time to a cause I truly care about. I’ve been lucky enough in life to never lack anything. While I’m far from rich, I know that I’m privileged, which isn’t the case for everyone. 

Volunteering at ReStore has many benefits for me. I get to work with kind, generous and friendly colleagues. Throughout the day, we have a lot of fun and share so many laughs! I feel useful, and I love interacting with people. 

Over time, I’ve developed a kind of rapport with some of the customers, which I’ve dubbed my “regulars.” Some of them come in every day to see if anything new has come in. Sometimes, when I receive new merchandise, I know a specific customer may be interested in it. I’ll think to myself, “Madame Lapointe will love this lamp!” or “This set of flooring is perfect for Mr. Turcotte, who is renovating his basement!”

Every day that I volunteer at ReStore, I leave home feeling motivated and come back feeling a sense of accomplishment, often with a few finds in tow, which makes my husband smile every time! 

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Colette, ReStore volunteer