THUNDER BAY — Habitat for Humanity had called out to the public for assistance following a break-in at a garage on its build site, and the community did not disappoint.
The garage that is located at 908 Alexandra Street stored tools that were all stolen on the evening of July 17 when a window was broken and the lock was cut.
The non-profit organization was unable to continue work until the tools were replaced.
A post was made on Facebook that included a link where community businesses, organizations, and residents could donate to help with the replacement, which added up to about $5,000.
Nearly two weeks later, the donation page has reached almost $6,000 in donations.
Todd Davis, interim CEO for Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay, said that when the incident happened, the prospective homeowner was volunteering at the Restore and was devastated.
“She was almost in tears to hear that we had a break in, and that was going to impede building the house. So, we posted on social media on Saturday (July 19) that we needed a little help to replace the tools, and the local community came out and really donated,” he said.
Many different businesses stepped forward, whether it was with a monetary donation or tools and supplies.
“The community support has just been outstanding, and we're so internally grateful for that support. We hope that the community continues to support us in our endeavours.
“We're about giving back to the community,” Davis said.
He said, along with support from multiple businesses, community members also came through with donations that ranged anywhere from about $25 to $1,000.
With Habitat for Humanity receiving more than originally anticipated, Davis said they will put the rest of the funds back into the build, or they will invest in tools for next year’s triplex build.
