USG Boral has recently supported the completion of three new homes in Yea, Victoria as part of its ongoing commitment to Habitat for Humanity Australia’s home building program.
Credit: Naomi Rahim
Yea was heavily affected by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and Habitat for Humanity is assisting low income families in the area by partnering with them to build simple, safe and affordable housing at its Yea Heights Estate project. Nine affordable houses have been built on the estate to date, providing partner families and their children with a place to call home.
“Habitat for Humanity gets the partner families involved in the build to understand the process and heighten their engagement. There is a big difference between a house and a home. Many of the families’ stories are heartbreaking. These homes create a positive change in the lives of these families, particularly those with young children. The kids can have a more stable living environment which helps them focus on schooling. It’s a great honour to be involved in these building projects and to be able to hand over the keys to a new home to a deserving family,” says USG Boral regional business analyst – Southern region Tom Spencer.
Credit: Naomi Rahim
USG Boral has been providing materials and labour to local Habitat for Humanity projects since 2014, including Sheetrock plasterboard, cornice and compounds to line and finish the two and three bedroom homes. For the three homes in Yea, USG Boral also deployed a team of contractors to manage the install and assist volunteers.
“Our first support to Habitat was at Crib Point in Victoria. After hearing the families’ stories of hardship and trauma and then seeing all the volunteers and locals who assisted families in need and the positive impact on the lives of the people moving into the houses, you say to yourself, ‘we can make a difference here’,” says Tom.
“USG Boral is extremely proud to support Habitat for Humanity, helping address the lack of affordable housing for low income families in a number of communities. While we can simply deliver material to building projects, we realised we could add more value by being involved on site as well. This is why we now also provide the installation teams on the ground. It’s equally a great opportunity for our management and staff to visit these sites, and provide a helping hand when they can.”
