You can hear love during the holidays.

Joyful laughter and conversation plates and cutlery clanging during a shared meal the familiar tune of favourite song. These form the comforting soundtrack of the holiday season. But for 1.7 million families in Canada without a safe and decent place to call home, things sound a little different.

Droplets of water splash from leaky ceilings while broken radiators rattle and wind whistles through poorly-insulated windows.

You can help change the tune for families living with low income – giving people like Shelby and her mother Carolyn the gift of a new beginning.

Shelby has already overcome countless odds. Though she describes herself as “totally blind”, the young woman is a self-taught musician who plays the piano and accordion.

Now, she’s making music in the comfort of her own home.

Our keys change lives, but Habitat cannot open doors for families in need of housing without you.

Shelby and Carolyn were among the 1 in 8 people who live in core housing need in Canada - residing in homes that are unaffordable, overcrowded, or in need of major repair. Inadequate housing leaves people caught in punishing cycles of financial strain and structural issues – many of which, like mould, can cause health complications.

After years of being entertained by Shelby’s music, Moncton residents came together to give back to the young musician and her mother. They volunteered with Habitat to help build the pair a home of their own… and unlocked quality of life that had been sorely missing.

“Over 1,000 volunteer hours were put into this home and lots of tender loving care - from cooking lunches to cleaning, to ensuring coffee was hot… This is definitely a community build.”

Shelby and Carolyn’s new home comes with an affordable mortgage geared to their income, and reasonable utility costs they will be able to comfortably afford.

Will you join us in giving people like Shelby and Carolyn a home to fill with music, laughter, and hope this holiday season?