World Habitat Day has been observed every year on the first Monday of October since 1986 and it carries official United Nations (U. N.) status. The purpose of the day is to reflect on the state of our cities and towns and the basic human right to adequate shelter, and different national chose to mark the event in different ways (or to ignore it completely).
The focus for 2015 is public spaces. This carries the official U.N. title of Sustainable Development Goals highlight Public Spaces as a key and important topic. “Sustainable Development Goals.” With this the aim is, by 2030, to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces. With these, there is a focus on access for women, children, older people, and people with disabilities.
Although promotion of public spaces remains at the forefront, Habitat for Humanity Canada aims to promote voluntary activity focused on home ownership and home building. Habitat for Humanity Canada is a non-profit organization that seeks to create a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.
With the 2015 campaign, 63,000 volunteers are already signed up to “drive the nails, mud the drywall, shingle the roofs and paint the rooms that shape houses that become homes for Canadian families who could otherwise never afford homeownership.”
The volunteer teams are harnessed through the Canada Builds program. This is specifically focused on low income families. The program is seeking donations and volunteers for throughout October.
