News & Events
The Mr. Nobody Project: How One Young Girl Made a Difference through Habitat

An Assignment to Teach Kids the Value in Helping Others
When seven-year-old Kaylie Dolan got an assignment from her second grade teacher to give a meaningful personality to a faceless doll called ‘Mr. Nobody’, she used that assignment to help Habitat for Humanity Durham support families in need of affordable housing.

The goal of the project was to teach kids the importance of helping those in need. Each student would have the doll for one week and find a way to use it to help their community be a better place. Along the way, Mr. Nobody became a 'somebody' and the child attached to the doll a symbol of their community service.

How Kaylie Raised Funds for Habitat Online
Kaylie chose Habitat for Humanity as Mr. Nobody’s cause because she recognized the importance of having a home and the achievements of Habitat across Canada for families in need.
“I wanted to help someone find a home to spend their life in.”
– Kaylie Dolan, Whitby, Ontario

The Dolan family used the online Habitat fundraising tool to create Kaylie’s own webpage for collecting donations. Kaylie’s goal went from $100 to $200 after a quick response, and after only one week, she raised $178 for the Habitat for Humanity Durham affiliate.

Kaylie’s Fundraising Reward: Buying the Lock Set for a Family’s New Habitat Home
The money Kaylie raised was used to buy a lock set for a family’s new Habitat home. To complete her project, she attached a key to Mr. Nobody representing the key for the new house and the difference she made in her community.

A New Generation of Donors, When Every Donation Counts
“Kids are the donors of the future. Doing fundraisers helps them open their eyes, which then opens the door to make a big impact from something seemingly small.”
– Mary Bone, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Durham


Ms. Bracken's grade 2 class at Fallingbrook P.S. in Whitby, Ontario.
Centre: Kaylie holds ‘Mr. Nobody’ adorned with a key affixed to a necklace
 – the key necklace represents the key and lock set Kaylie’s online donations
were able to purchase for an upcoming Habitat home.
The staff members at HFH Durham were overjoyed to see such a young girl taking the initiative to help the cause. Mary Bone, Executive Director, explains what the donation meant to them:

“Because we’re a relatively new affiliate, every nickel we receive is absolutely cherished. Kaylie’s story affects others, and it’s because of kids like her that help get the word out. It’s great to have the extra voices in the community.”

 
 
If you'd like to see or donate to Kaylie's online fundraising page, click here or the snapshot of her page below:

       

 
 

How to Fundraise Online for Habitat

There are so many ways to raise money in your community:
  • Ride in a bike-a-thon
  • Host a bake sale
  • Organize a car wash
  • In lieu of a birthday gift, ask family and friends to donate to Habitat!
Fun and Easy to Use!
To help raise funds, build your own webpage – with this tool you can do so many things:
  • Share the page with friends, family and supporters
  • Personalize it with pictures and videos
  • Email your fundraising message to spread the word  
  • Track all of your fundraising results
© 2007 All Rights Reserved | Site Index | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Français