Meaning of Home Contest Winner Building a Future For Families

Donate

Participate

Advocate

About Habitat

Local Affiliate Offices

Contest Winner Building a Future for Families

Entries for Genworth Financial Canada’s 3^rd Annual "Meaning of Home" Contest Accepted October 5-November 13

Two Families Gain from an Essay

What a few words can do to change the lives of two families in Montreal, Quebec. Michelle Stoopler, a grade 5 student of United Talmud Torah School, entered Genworth Financial Canada’s "Meaning of Home" contest in 2008, and came away with a $5,000 prize, which she provided to the Habitat for Humanity Montreal affiliate.

Students Gather for Groundbreaking

Michelle was there with her classmates on the day of the ground-breaking ceremony for the new duplex, which will house two low-income families at the beginning of 2010, and all she had to do was write an essay on what the "Meaning of Home" meant to her.

"I am delighted to have won this contest, but more than that, I’m delighted knowing that I will have made a difference for two families who will have a new house where they can create memories and be happy".

- Michelle Stoopler, 2008 "Meaning of Home" Contest

Runner-Up Winner

On June 18^th, contest winner Michelle Stoopler, pictured here holding the ceremonial shovel

and accompanied by her classmates, took part in the groundbreaking ceremony

for a duplex in Montreal.

(Photo: Christine Fournier)

Michelle’s Winning Entry

"Some believe that a home is another way of saying a house, but this is not what a home represents for me. For me, a home contains loving people who take care of us. It is a place where one feels warm and in peace, even on the coldest and stormiest days. A home is a place where one creates memories that are shared among those who live there and those who are visitors. It is the place to laugh, cry and spend time with loved ones."

To read Michelle’s winning entry in full, as well as the other 2008 winners, please click here.

Congratulations to Michelle, and all the winning entries from the 2008 contest, whose sentences are being transformed into support beams!

2009 "Meaning of Home" Contest Details

The "Meaning of Home" contest is open to grades 4, 5 & 6 across Canada, with a grand prize winner and 5 runner-up winners selected.

To find out more about this contest, including helpful information for teachers and schools to include this valuable exercise as a lesson plan, please visit http://www.meaningofhome.ca/.

The contest opens October 5, and will be accepting entries until November 13, 2009.