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The Door to Habitat’s Donor Village

A beautifully painted recycled door now hangs in the Habitat for Humanity Sault. Ste. Marie ReStore to honour the contributions donors have made to the Habitat mission. The donor village painting depicts the three Habitat houses that have been built to date in Sault Ste. Marie, as well as the one slated for construction this year. In the background are buildings dawning donors’ logos representing the important role companies like The Home Depot, RBC, and CitiFinancial have had in the building of those homes.

Painting Thanks
Local artist Heather Sinnott is the creative talent behind this special project. She says Habitat donors are a big part of the reason thousands of families now have safe, affordable housing and they deserve to be honoured. “We wanted to find a way to say thank you that showed more warmth than just a plaque,” says Sinnott.

According to Habitat Sault Ste. Marie President, Linda Lewis, the painting represents what Habitat is all about: community.
“We’re about businesses, individuals and families who come together to make a difference—and they’re all represented in the donor village.”
- Linda Lewis, President, HFH Sault Ste. Marie



A Canvas to Build On
The donors recognized in this painting have helped open the door to new lives for families in their community. The door is a work in progress; there’s room to add more logos as new donors come forward. Just as communities grow, so too will this painting.

“Every door opens and there’s hope about what’s on the other side.”
- Linda Lewis, President, HFH Sault Ste. Marie

Lewis says they plan to start work on a second door once construction of a fifth house begins. “It’s just the beginning,” she says, “I could see this idea being picked up elsewhere and other artists becoming engaged.”

A Door with Many Messages
“It’s taken on a life of its own,” says Sinnott, “there’s a lot more to this painting than you might think”:
  • a clothesline in the background of the painting along with wild grass promote Habitat’s environmental message,
  • a church reflects the organization’s faith base, and 
  • the recycled door itself is a symbol of Habitat’s sustainability initiatives.
Visitors to the ReStore have praised the painting. “We wanted to create something that was friendly and approachable—and I think we’ve done that,” says Sinnott.

Although the door is already on display, Habitat Sault Ste. Marie is planning an official ceremony to celebrate this new donor recognition initiative this summer.

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