This past weekend marked our final spring home show in Salmon Arm. It’s been wonderful getting out into communities up and down the valley, connecting with so many of you. Time and again, we’re reminded just how many people have a connection to Habitat in some way, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support.
At the end of April, one of our partner families moved out of their Lake Country home, an incredible milestone. In just four years, they were able to build equity, use it as a down payment, qualify for a traditional mortgage, and move into their new home. This success is exactly what our affordable homeownership program is designed to achieve, and we couldn’t be more proud of this young family.
If you haven’t visited one of our ReStores recently, now is the perfect time. We have an exciting wave of brand-new product donations arriving soon, including appliances, furniture, dog food, gardening supplies, and housewares, plenty of great finds hitting the shelves in the coming weeks.
In April, we also celebrated National Volunteer Week, recognizing the incredible contributions of our dedicated volunteers. We marked the occasion with appreciation events across all our ReStores, filled with good food, fun, and gratitude for the people who make so much of our work possible.
It is with mixed emotions that I share this will be my final message to you. At the end of this month, I will be stepping into retirement after nine years with Habitat Okanagan, first as a board director, and for nearly seven years as CEO. It has been a true privilege to lead this remarkable organization and a meaningful way to close out my career.
The early years brought their challenges, including navigating the impacts of a global pandemic, but thanks to a passionate and committed team, we emerged stronger than ever. I’ve had the honor of working alongside a group of people who are more than colleagues, they are my Habitat family. Together, we’ve accomplished so much: completing our largest build to date and helping many families achieve the dream of homeownership.
That success extends far beyond the office. I also want to recognize our ReStore teams, who work tirelessly to turn donations into revenue. Whether in rain, snow, heat, or smoke, they show up every day to support our donors and customers with dedication and resilience.
I leave Habitat with a heart full of memories: emotional key ceremonies, calling 50/50 raffle winners, celebrating generous (and sometimes unexpected) donations, chasing runaway tents, sorting bottles and cans for weeks, traveling across the valley to connect with communities, winning awards and even wearing an inflatable gingerbread outfit at Orchard Park Mall. It has truly been a fun and fulfilling journey, and I will miss the people and the purpose that make Habitat Okanagan so special.
I’m also pleased to share that Lenetta Parry has joined Habitat as the new CEO. She brings over two decades of senior leadership experience in the nonprofit sector, including roles with the Central Okanagan Food Bank and most recently with the Salvation Army Okanagan Central. Over the next few weeks I’ll be transitioning the role and getting her habitized to take the helm.
To everyone who has been part of this journey whether as a customer, donor, 50/50 supporter, volunteer, or staff member, thanks, you have all made this experience truly unforgettable.
Andrea Manifold
CEO Habitat Okanagan
