Success Stories Archive

Shorelines across Canada receive much-needed TLC

From September 17 – 25, The Home Depot associates from approximately 50 locations across Canada participated in The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, a grassroots conservation program that promotes understanding and education of shoreline litter issues by engaging Canadians in shoreline cleanup activities.

“The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup is a great event because people of all ages and skill sets can get involved and feel as though they’re making a difference in their community,” said Don St. Denis, Store Manager of The Home Depot Cornwall store. “Not only does such a cleanup keep our waterways healthy, it also gives residents greater reason to enjoy nature at its best.”

The Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup became a national program in 2001 and is an endeavour of The Vancouver Aquarium.

Evergreen and The Home Depot unite to discuss urban stewardship projects

Since 2005, The Home Depot Canada has worked with Evergreen to provide more than 130 community groups across Canada with the funding, tools, materials and volunteers needed to complete urban stewardship projects through the Rebuilding Nature Grant Program.

On August 25, Evergreen’s regional greening experts in Calgary and Montreal gathered past and current Rebuilding Nature grant recipients and local The Home Depot associates in their respective communities to celebrate the program and its many achievements to-date. Grant recipients profiled their current projects, allowing The Home Depot associates to consider how they might be able to provide on-the-ground support throughout the coming months.

“It was great to meet representatives from the many organizations across Calgary that we’ve funded through the Rebuilding Nature Program over the past six years,” said Mark Beaty, Store Manager, The Home Depot Calgary Chinook store and Team Depot Captain in Calgary. “One of our core values at The Home Depot is ‘building strong relationships’ and this event has no doubt planted the seeds required to collaborate with many of these groups on projects that will having lasting effects in our community.”

Managed by The Home Depot Canada Foundation, TEAM DEPOT is The Home Depot's volunteer force that brings together associates to help the communities where The Home Depot operates through hands-on service.

Each year, Team Depot associates use their "know-how" to complete meaningful community projects, resulting in a contribution of more than 60,000 hours of volunteer time.

September 14

Today, ten associates from The Home Depot Parry Sound store visited HarvestShare – an organization dedicated to improving accessibility to good quality, affordable and nutritious food for all. With fall and holiday food drives fast approaching, the associates, led by Team Depot Captain and Store Staffing Coordinator, Mary Macfie, painted the entranceway, fixed trim, repaired and added shelving and made improvements to the flooring.

"HarvestShare is a unique organization in that it not only improves access to nutritious food, it also acts as a centre for social support and community problem solving," said Mary. "We are so happy to have been able to help them prepare for the busy season ahead."

September 14 – 16

Le Regroupement de Services Intégrés Propulsion has a new and improved kitchen thanks to a group of dedicated associates from The Home Depot Anjou location. The store first learned about this organization through this years' "Rénover sa Communauté, c'est beau" campaign. With the public voting and fundraising phases of the campaign complete, associates were able to tackle the project which involved painting and replacing the kitchen cabinets, backsplash, countertop and appliances.

"Everyone came together to make this project an astounding success," said Giovanni Attardo, Department Supervisor and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Anjou store. "Our associates donated about 150 hours of their time and our vendor community stepped forward with paint donations (Behr) and the countertop (Coupe D'Or) to add the perfect finishing touch."

September 1

The rain didn't stop associates from The Home Depot Aurora and Richmond Hill North stores from building a much-needed deck at Blue Hills Child and Family Centre in Aurora today.

Blue Hills offers counseling and mediation services to promote the social, emotional and behavioural well-being of children, youth and their families through residential and non-residential programs.

"We look for opportunities to give back to the community year-round," said Denes Incze, Operations Assistant Store Manager and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Aurora store. "Not every project day can be warm and sunny, but sometimes you take greater pride in the projects that take more perseverance to complete. This has been a rewarding project for our associates because we know it will benefit so many people in the future."

July 27

Today, a group of associates from The Home Depot Coquitlam store spent the day completing a series of small projects at Crossroads Hospice Society – an organization that offers compassionate support to those affected by the end of the life experience.

“It only took our associates six hours to repair and repaint the front entrance walls, hang murals and build a bench for the indoor waiting area,” said Sara Cooper, Kitchen Designer and Team Depot Captain. “It’s amazing how a space can be transformed when a small group of people come together.”

July 21 & 22

When associates at The Home Depot Orillia store learned that Couchiching Jubilee House, a local women and children’s shelter was in need of repair, they jumped at the chance to help out.  As they say, “home is where the heart is” and the store knew they had just the tools to renovate the space so it felt more like ‘home’ to residents and staff.

On project day, associates painted walls, replaced door locks, installed drywall and repaired the second story deck by adding new deck boards to rotting sections – leaving them with a great sense of accomplishment.

“Our associates value the opportunity to give back to their community,” said Toni Cromwell, Assistant Store Manager and Team Depot Captain, “especially when it involves supporting organizations like Couchiching Jubilee House that provide essential services for those in need in our community.”

June 16

The Boys & Girls Club of Winnipeg is a competent, community-based youth-serving organization whose dedication and focus is on providing youth structured programs that also promote positive development.

When Gerald Villegas, Manager of Environmental Programming for the Club noticed the Aboriginal urban garden at the Freight House was in need of some revival after a long winter, he turned to The Home Depot for help.

The Home Depot associates and youth groups from across Winnipeg gave the space a complete sprucing up.  Projects included weeding the gardens, adding fresh soil, planting flowers and vegetables in the planters, covering the ground with wood chips and mulch, building picnic tables and hanging outdoor art work completed by Club youth.

"This urban community garden is just one of five in Winnipeg that the Club serves manages,” noted Lucy Gislason, an Store Manager of the Winnipeg Crossroads store.  “Not only does it provide a great learning opportunity for the youth involved in the regular maintenance, but also nourishment for Club members and their families."

June 8

Today, The Home Depot Saint John store lent volunteers to the Saint John Alzheimer Society’s renovation efforts. The team of seven associates prepped and painted the kitchen, the common room and built storage for the office to organize its paperwork. “All that was needed was a facelift to make their space more inviting and comfortable for their residents,” said Gord Lucas, Team Depot Captain. “Even the blinds just needed a good thorough cleaning, so we took them home and washed them down and they looked good as new! Our partners at the society were very happy with the results.”

May and June 2011

Throughout May and June, The Home Depot Campbell River helped the Laughing Willow Community Garden make their vision of inclusive gardening for the community a reality. Associates from the store helped plan, prep and plant garden beds that would serve 35 families. “The gardens also include education facilities for people in wheelchairs as well as children’s plots,” said Amy Heath, Human Resources Manager. “And a section of the garden will be dedicated to helping food banks and soup kitchens in the community. It has truly been a pleasure to be involved in such a meaningful and beneficial project.”

May 11

Today, associates from The Home Depot Coquitlam store readied the Tri-City Women's Resource Centre for spring by beautifying their outdoor space. Projects included planting a vegetable garden, cleaning up and weeding other gardens and trimming overgrown shrubs.

"The Society has been providing free services to women and families who have been impacted by violence and abuse in the communities of Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam, Anmore and Belcarra," says Sara Cooper, Kitchen Designer and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Coquitlam store. "We are happy to get their garden beds prepped for spring because it will provide staff and visitors with a nice space to relax in as well as some healthy food to incorporate into their meals in the months ahead."

May 3

Dunara Homes for Recovery Inc. provides residential care for adults with serious mental illness as well as recovery-focused programs that teach residents and community members about mental illness, coping skills and life skills to aid in successful independent living.

Today, a team of associates from The Home Depot Guelph store visited the Dunara Homes facility to renovate the front entrance, remove wallpaper, repair holes in the walls, paint the main entrance, hallways and stairwell and replace a light fixture. Few repairs/updates have been made to the space since it began operating in 1987.

"Dunara Homes for Recovery is helping break the stigma associated with mental health issues," said Liz Emond, Team Depot Captain and Assistant Store Manager at the Guelph The Home Depot store. "The updates we made to the facility are small in comparison to the difference Dunara is making for their residents and our community at large."

April 30

Associates from The Home Depot Orangeville store visited Dufferin Child and Family Servicesto help them improve their outdoor space.

"DECAFS was looking for a space that would encourage families to come together and talk," noted Tammy Rodgers, Human Resources Scheduling Coordinator and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Orangeville store. "So, we built a gazebo and gave the space some wow factor with some basic landscaping elements."

Dufferin Child and Family Services acts as a partner, resource and leader in supporting and building on the strengths of children, adults and families in their community. Specifically, they provide support for children experiencing mental health issues and a neutral setting where families overcoming high-risk situations can connect with necessary levels of supervision.

March 24 & 31

Spring was in the air as Toronto, ON area associates rallied together to support Habitat for Humanity Toronto with their build project at 4572 Kingston Rd.

For two days, 20 associates from the Caledonia, Stockyards, Etobicoke South, Yorkdale, Rexdale, Leaside, Curity and Ellesmere stores assisted with a variety of projects on the first block of townhomes that will be completed throughout 2011.  By the end of this build, 29 Toronto area families will have a home that is healthy to live in and affordable to own.

“It’s amazing to see how much progress has been made on this build since we were here last November,” explained Steve Bonanno, Assistant Store Manager and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Yorkdale store.  “We are so thrilled to have the opportunity to advance this project so the partner families can move in and begin the next chapter of their lives.”

March 21 - 31

Associates from The Home Depot store in Cranbrook, BC joined a number of community organizations to help the Ktunaxa Nation launch a health and wellness support program for local street people. The program is designed to link those living on the street with the services and opportunities they need to overcome a number of health and social issues.

“It is amazing to see a community working together to achieve a common goal,” said Tim Strauss, Assistant Store Manager and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Cranbrook store. “We were happy to offer the product and know-how of our associates to install durable flooring that will allow the centre to operate for years to come.”

February 25

L'Adoleus Inc, a youth centre in Napierville, Quebec, received new floors today thanks to the efforts of associates from The Home Depot St. Constant store.

Limited resources had prevented staff team from being able to replace the extremely worn floor in the past. However, with a quick analysis of the space and the support of Team Depot, laying a new ceramic tile floor became a quick reality.

"By replacing the floor at L'Adoleus, staff can focus on program delivery and youth will enjoy a more esthetically pleasing hangout," said Jack Paul, Store Manager and Team Depot Captain. "We are so excited to have been able to complete this project that will benefit so many people in our community."

January 28

Today, The Home Depot associates in Red Deer packed up their supplies and headed to Berachah Place - a local drop-in ministry and community support service centre - to complete a much needed improvement project.

Last summer the facility flooded and all of the carpet was destroyed. At that time, The Home Depot donated the materials needed to sand, paint and seal the concrete floors. Today's project involved removing the remaining carpet from the stairs and installing tile.

"Berachah Place depends on donations of everything from winter coats to toothbrushes to laundry soap to serve the individuals that depend on their services each day," said Lorraine Olson, Human Resources Scheduling Coordinator and Team Depot Captain at The Home Depot Red Deer location. "Given our area of expertise, the best way for us to help is with small renovation projects to ensure the facility is welcoming for staff and visitors."

January 20

Today, associates from The Home Depot store in Fort Saskatchewan visited their local Boys and Girls Club to help replace the existing toilets with 'low flow' models that will allow them to conserve on water usage.

The Home Depot Canada Foundation formalized a partnership with The Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada in 2009 as part of their collective efforts to provide healthy gathering spaces for children to thrive in. Through the partnership, Boys and Girls Clubs across Canada are providing funding - and where possible, volunteer assistance from local The Home Depot store associates - to support projects that make a positive impact on their facility and/or raise awareness about the environment in their community.

January 19

In an effort to keep the spirit of the holiday season alive, a group of more than thirty associates from The Home Depot Etobicoke South and Stockyards stores - along with representatives from CIL, District Manager, Sandra Carlucci and City of Toronto Councillor Doug Ford - completed a series of small projects at Ernestine's Women's Shelter today. Ernestine's provides temporary support and shelter for close to 100 women and their children escaping violence each year.

Together, this keen group of volunteers made minor repairs in the corridors, offices, playroom, lounge and storage room and added a fresh coat of paint to the walls. They also repaired some of the existing door frames and doors. To finish off the project, MaxXmar Window Fashions, a The Home Depot vendor donated seven sets of blinds.

"The best way for us to recognize Ernestine's contribution to our community is to help them with the small repairs and aesthetic improvements they want to make to their space," said Lloyd Hartley, Team Depot Captain. "This way so they can focus on doing what they do best – helping those in need carve out a successful future for themselves."

December 10, 13, 14

This year, Breakfast Television and The Home Depot Canada teamed up in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton to sell holiday trees in support of Toronto's Daily Bread Food Bank, Calgary's Inter-Faith Food Bank, and Edmonton's Food Bank, respectively. For a minimum $10 donation, customers were able to walk away with beautiful trees to put up in their homes, while helping to fight hunger in homes around their cities. All of the trees sold were provided by The Home Depot Canada and its affiliated suppliers.

"It sure was cold out there," said Ashleigh Ann Dellaire, Cashier at the Westend Home Depot in Edmonton. "But we had a great time watching the skating by Edmonton Oilers and Edmonton Oil Kings – even Olympic champion Jamie Salé came out for the fun! And we helped put food on the tables of families in our city this holiday season. I would say it was a day well spent."

December 6

Associates from The Home Depot store in Timmins showed their holiday spirit by donating their time and know-how to a deserving local charity today. The Good Samaritan Inn provides shelter and other essential services to about 800 homeless men and women every year and after many years of operation was in desperate need of some improvements.

Associates completed a series of projects including adding insulation to targeted areas of the building, putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls and constructing 15 bunk beds – projects that made the space much more inviting for staff members and those who depend on its services.

"Our associates wanted to give back to a local charity to get into the holiday spirit," said Joe Leblond, Store Manager of The Home Depot Timmins store. "This project allowed us to do just that and feel satisfied knowing the end product will be appreciated long after the holiday season ends."

November 3

Mike Palmer, Assistant Store Manager at The Home Depot Aurora store was thrilled when he first visited Blue Hills Child and Family Centre because he knew he had discovered a space that had big potential. He took some measurements, created a project list then headed back to his store to begin recruiting associates to help him get the job done.

On project day, Mike led his team of twelve The Home Depot associates through a series of projects including removing old carpets and installing laminate flooring in the common room, painting and decorating some of the client space and installing bookshelves for additional storage.

"It's amazing to see a space undergo such a drastic transformation in the span of hours," said Mike. "I'm so proud of our team for stepping up and giving the centre a healthier and more organized space to deliver its programs in."

Blue Hills Child and Family Centre is a client-centred service provider that focuses on improving the social, emotional and behavioural well-being of local children, youth and their families.

October

The Home Depot Canada Foundation's partnership with Habitat for Humanity and its member affiliates across Canada was bustling throughout the month of October. During the course of the month, The Home Depot associates from Regina, SK, Saskatoon, SK, Oakville, ON and Hamilton, ON volunteered their time on build sites supported through The Home Depot Canada Foundation Sustainable Housing Grant Program.

During the second half of the month, The Home Depot associates participated in home dedication ceremonies in Orillia, ON and London, ON and The Home Depot and The Home Depot Canada Foundation were recognized at Habitat's annual donor recognition event for their three-year, $12-million commitment to Habitat for Humanity's efforts.

October 26

Participation House of Markham has been a support provider to adults with multiple disabilities since 1972. They currently provide residence and services for 44 clients, including 24 hour nursing care, meals, laundry, recreation programs and life skills training.

Today, associates from The Home Depot Markham North store helped spruce up the family residences by completing a series of small projects including window washing, raking leaves, prepping gardens for the winter, mounting a new air conditioner, installing blinds, insulating windows and hanging shelving.

"The sole focus of staff at Participation House is on providing quality care to its residents, leaving them minimal time to make improvements to the building," said Lynn Smith, Assistant Store Manager at The Home Depot Markham North store. "We were happy to accept an invitation to spend one day tackling some much needed indoor projects that will increase the aesthetics and efficiency of the units."

October 21

For patients in Horizon Health’s Healthy Aging and Rehabilitation program in Fredericton, New Brunswick, getting outdoors for fresh air and taking part in gardening activities are important ways to stay healthy and active. "We decided we would build wheelchair accessible planters that could be enjoyed by all patients," said Beulah Parrott, Department Supervisor at The Home Depot Fredericton. "It’s important that they be able to touch the soil, smell the flowers and watch their efforts grow. We have even designed them so that once the weather turns cold, they could be brought inside so that patients could continue gardening all year round."

October 7

Equipped with shovels, gloves, buckets and other supplies, associates from The Home Depot store in Lethbridge, AB headed out to their local park and planted trees and shrubs in a demonstration plot along with staff from the City of Lethbridge Parks department today.

"Giving back to the community is one of our core values," said Hal Thompson, Hardware associate at The Home Depot Lethbridge. "By planting trees we are making the parks where we walk our dogs, take our kids to play and picnic on a lazy summer afternoon more inviting, healthier places to be."

October 6

Today, a group of associates from The Home Depot Park Royal store gave the outdoor space at Klahanee Park Lodge, a local residence for the elderly, a makeover. Projects included creating raised garden beds, planting, painting a fence and clearing the area of debris.

"Our associates love giving back to the community," said Lovenia Chia, Dept Manager. "We can’t thank the staff and residents enough for their hospitality and for inviting us to make their courtyard more vibrant and safe."

Month of Service

This September, The Home Depot celebrated its eighth annual Month of Service, a volunteer campaign delivered by Team Depot associates across Canada. Month of Service sees The Home Depot associates from all across Canada contributing their time and hands-on know-how to complete projects that make a difference in their community.

Throughout our Month of Service, Team Depot associates contributed more than 20,000 hours of service to improving communities across Canada - from building playgrounds to cleaning up watersides and beautifying parks to supporting affordable housing projects!

Congratulations to all The Home Depot associates who took part in this years’ campaign! Together we are helping to make our neighbourhoods better places to live, work and play.

September 27

On September 27th, associates from The Home Depot Belleville in Ontario created a recycling centre for Hastings County Non-Profit Housing. The Belleville Intelligencer, the town’s local paper, had recently reported on the major challenge that dealing with the housing units’ trash had presented for residents of the complex. "We felt we could really contribute to addressing this problem with the skills of our associates," said Sarah Marsh, Human Resources Manager. "And it was great to have conversations with some of the tenants afterwards, who were able to say how much help the recycling centre will be in their effort to keep the grounds clean."

September 26

With more than 300 beds and a staff team of more than 2,000, Chalmers Regional Hospital provides emergency, primary and secondary medical services to residents of Fredericton and the surrounding area. Their Veterans Health Unit also operates a Healthy Aging and Rehabilitation Program which includes low-impact activities like gardening.

In order to make the gardening program more inclusive, associates from The Home Depot store in Fredericton spent a day constructing wheelchair accessible planters.

“Gardening is a wonderful way to stay active and meet new people,” said Chad Shearer, Human Resources Manager at The Home Depot Fredericton Store. “We’re happy to have constructed these new planters so patients in wheelchairs can now enjoy the same benefits.”

September 22

Locarno Beach in Vancouver is a popular destination for BBQ’s and picnics in the summer; unfortunately this means that sometimes trash from those events gets left behind at the beautiful waterfront. Today, The Home Depot associates from the Vancouver area joined a group of 65 elementary school students to pick up and dispose of litter at Locarno Beach. The event was one of many taking place across Canada from September 18th-26th as part of the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up, of which The Home Depot Canada Foundation is proud to be a national partner.

“It was a lot of fun to come out and get to work alongside the kids,” said Sara Wolfe, Human Resources Manager at The Home Depot store in Vancouver. “You can tell they really care about the condition of the community they live in. The event reinforced the importance of being good stewards of the environment. I think it was a good reminder not just for the kids but for all of us who attended!”

September 10

The ‘Anderson Gardens’ Habitat for Humanity home build site in Edmonton was filled with orange t-shirts today. In total, forty Team Depot associates from Edmonton area The Home Depot stores volunteered their time to support this build site that will provide healthy, affordable homes to 47 local families.

“We are excited to be a part of this ‘green’ home building project,” said Curtis Kinal, Store Manager of Edmonton West End The Home Depot store.  “Our associates are already looking forward to coming back to ensure the homes are completed on schedule for the very deserving partner families.”

Habitat for Humanity Edmonton is one of 15 affiliates supported with a Sustainable Housing Grant through The Home Depot Canada Foundation’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada. The ‘Anderson Gardens’ development is the largest Built Green project in Canada and will be realized in three phases over the next three years.

September 8

Today, a group of 25 associates from ten The Home Depot’s stores in Eastern Ontario completed a series of small projects at Nova’s Ark, a registered charity that provides stimulating experiences for people of all ages and abilities involving a wide range of exotic, gentle animals.

Together, they installed some flooring, replaced steps to the barn, removed brush and trees and built benches, making the site more amenable to staff and visitors.

“Nova’s Ark does such incredible work,” said David Serviss, Store Manager of The Home Depot store in Brooklin, ON. “This is why we continue to come back to the site year after year. The little projects we can complete in a day allow staff to focus on more important things, namely the animals and the people that come to interact with them.”

August 19

Today was an exciting day for families and children who live near O'Connor Park in Sudbury, ON.

As part of The Home Depot Canada Foundation's commitment to creating vibrant, sustainable communities for Canadians, more than 100 The Home Depot associates worked together with the City of Greater Sudbury, Better Beginning, Better Futures and KaBOOM! to complete the playground in just one day.

"It is an honour to be part of this project that will bring families together and give children a place to learn and explore," said Chuck Reimer, Store Manager of the Sudbury The Home Depot store.

In addition to creating the play structure, volunteers also added environmentally sustainable features to the site to make it healthy and vibrant.

August 4

Today, the Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region affiliate held a ground breaking ceremony for their 36th home build project in Stittsville, located southwest of Kanata, ON.

"We are honoured to be involved with this project," said Rick Palmer, Assistant Store Manager at The Home Depot Kanata store. "Our local associates can't wait to get their hands dirty on the build site and to see the joy on the partner families' face when they are finally handed the keys to their new home."

The Habitat for Humanity National Capital Region affiliate was recently awarded a Home Building Grant through The Home Depot Canada Foundation's Sustainable Housing Grant Program. This program is designed to support Habitat for Humanity home build projects that incorporate sustainable materials and/or practices. In addition to the monetary support provided, Team Depot associates will provide volunteer support throughout the build.

July 29

Thirty The Home Depot associates from across Durham Region came together to spruce up the YWCA Durham's Adelaide House. Projects included painting the common area entrance and main floor hallway, replacing broken ceiling tiles and painting steel doors.

"The YWCA is such a valuable resource in our communities," said David Serviss, Store Manager of The Home Depot Brooklin store. "With a focus on providing support to visitors there is never time for staff to renovate the space. So we came in and took care of it for them."

Adelaide House is an emergency hostel for women and their children, from the Oshawa, ON and surrounding area.

July 6 & 7

On July 6 & 7, 2010 associates from The Home Depot Lethbridge store made their way down to the Lethbridge District Boys and Girls Club for a day of hands-on work in the club's kindergarten room. The Kindergarten-age children were due for an update of their space. "The room had outdated paint and chipped walls and needed some color and fun injected into the children's area", says Jeremy Riehl, Store Manager. "We prepped, painted, removed some blinds and plugs. Then we painted stencils of whales onto each of the walls. With 19 people on hand, the days went by quickly, and we loved seeing the results of our work at the end of the day. Those kids were going to come in the next day and have a much nicer environment to learn, play and grow in."

The Home Depot Canada has been proud to support the local projects of Boys & Girls Clubs across Canada with material and volunteer support for many years. In 2009, The Home Depot Canada and Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada solidified a partnership as part of their collective goal to provide healthy gathering spaces for children to thrive in. As such, The Home Depot will provide cash and gift card grants to Boys & Girls Clubs that are completing a project that will have a positive environmental impact on their facility and/or raise awareness about an environmental issue in their community.

June 30

Today marked the launch of a new Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Local dignitaries, community members and national partners - including The Home Depot – participated in a kick-off ceremony and afterward enjoyed an evening of food and dance to celebrate this milestone.

Habitat for Humanity Sherbrooke is one of more than 70 Habitat affiliates working for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live; they are currently fundraising for their first home building project.

The Home Depot Canada Foundation, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity Canada offers a Sustainable Housing Grant Program that provides Habitat for Humanity affiliates across Canada with the support they need to build homes that incorporate environmentally responsible techniques and materials.

June 24

Members of the Boys and Girls Club in Victoria are enjoying new surroundings after 20 associates from The Home Depot Langley store and Langley Distribution Centre spent a day painting the interior of the facility and creating new gardens outside.

"Our associates enjoy giving back to their community," said Sonja Trafford, Store Human Resources Manager. "We were thrilled to have the opportunity to transform a space where local families gather every day and look forward to working with the Club on future projects."

June 10

The Home Depot Okotoks store associates gave back to their community by taking a day to enhance the Black Diamond Community Garden.

The project was taken on by a 10-member team to build 5 picnic tables for the garden. These will accommodate local students that use the site as an outdoor classroom as well as local seniors who gather there regularly.

"Improving this community garden not only achieves our goal as a company to give back, but will provide residents an opportunity to learn and enjoy for years to come" said Cathryn Mailey, Human Resources Staffing Coordinator at The Home Depot Okotoks store.

June 8

On June 8th, The Home Depot Canada Foundation participated in a groundbreaking ceremony at 4572 Kingston Road (Toronto, ON). This new Habitat for Humanity Toronto development will provide 29 safe, affordable townhomes for men, women and children currently living in substandard housing in Toronto.

"Our Sustainable Housing Grant Program supports our longstanding commitment to giving back to the communities we serve, doing the right thing for the environment, and helping to build affordable, sustainable housing and vibrant, environmentally responsible communities for Canadians," said Gino DiGioacchino, Chair, The Home Depot Canada Foundation. "As such, we are thrilled to provide a Sustainable Housing Grant to Habitat for Humanity Toronto to support this build project."

The Home Depot Canada has been Habitat for Toronto's Partner in Sustainability for four years, contributing monetary, product and volunteer efforts to support home build projects that incorporate sustainable materials and practices.

June 2

A group of associates from the Woodbridge The Home Depot store put their gardening skills to use this spring at St. Margaret Mary Catholic School.

"School staff wanted to make their garden special for the entire community," said Tania Galea, Assistant Store Manager. "So, we created a 'secret garden' that is playful for the kids and a place of reflection for the staff, alumni and community members."

This garden was created as part of St. Margaret Mary Catholic School's 50th anniversary celebration that kicked off with a gala event in February.

May 7 & 8

Associates from The Home Depot stores in Windsor and Barrie, ON got their hands dirty this weekend while planting trees at the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre and Innisfil Beach Park.  In Windsor, 300 seedlings and 10 large native trees were planted to highlight the need for increased forest cover in the area.  And in Barrie, over 250 species of trees and shrubs were planted in an effort to make a quickly growing community more “green.”

“We are proud to be here today to illustrate our commitment to making the communities we live in more sustainable,” said Karen McOuat, Store Manager at The Home Depot Windsor East store.  “It was nice to trade in our aprons for gloves and a shovel for a day so we could make this park more inviting for local families.”

These tree planting events were part of Trees Ontario’s second annual 50 Million Tree Planting Weekend which directly supports the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resource’s commitment to plant 50 million trees across Ontario by 2020.

April 28

Today, the outdoor landscape of the Burquitlam Lions Care Centre was given a facelift with the help of 13 associates from The Home Depot Coquitlam store.  After many hours of hard work, four cedar planter boxes and four wheelchair accessible planter boxes were constructed to provide residents with a place to seed, sow and socialize.

“We wanted to make sure that all residents could use the space - whether it was for gardening, meditation or just getting together with friends to chat,” said Caroline Reddemann, Store Manager at The Home Depot store in Coquitlam. “With the adapted planter boxes we can rest assured that all residents will benefit equally from this project for many years to come.”

The Burquitlam Lions Care Centre is a non-profit, 76-bed facility that has been providing care for seniors since 1981.

March 24 & 31

Unseasonably warm weather conditions allowed The Home Depot associates to help Habitat for Humanity Toronto and Habitat for Humanity York Region with their current build projects recently.

For two days, associates from the Caledonia, Stockyards, Etobicoke South, Yorkdale, Rexdale, Gerrard Square, Eglinton East and Ellesmere stores hung drywall and built bulkheads at the William's Way site at Jane St and Weston Rd.

"It was great to have associates from a number of stores come together and put their know-how to work to build homes for local families in need," said Tom McCulloch, Assistant Store Manager at Stockyards. "Normally we are helping Habitat select product for their builds from behind the counter at our stores so it was a nice change to get our hands dirty on the build site."

Also in March, associates from the Markham East store helped Habitat for Humanity York Region with some of the final projects at their heritage home renovation site on Bittersweet Drive in Markham, ON. Associates from many local stores have grown close to this project since it broke ground in June 2009, some completing close to a dozen build days at the site. The Home Depot will participate in a dedication ceremony at the site once the build wraps up in April.

December 18

Fifty associates from The Home Depot Stores across southwest Ontario packed boxes of food at Hamilton Food Share's distribution centre today. The effort was part of Hamilton Food Share's annual holiday food drive which supplies food banks across Hamilton-Wentworth with stock to feed more than 19,500 residents.

"Giving back and doing the right thing are two of The Home Depot's core values and what better time to give back than during the holidays?" said The Home Depot District Manager, Rachael Charley. "We want every family in our community to enjoy a nice meal during the holidays so hopefully our collective efforts will make that a reality."

After the food boxes were packed, associates helped load them into delivery trucks to ensure they made it to their various destinations in ample time for the holidays.

December 11

Breakfast Television (Toronto) and The Home Depot Canada brought the holidays into homes across Toronto by selling Christmas trees at Yonge- Dundas Square in Toronto for a $10.00 donation this morning. All of the trees sold were provided by The Home Depot Canada and its affiliated suppliers.

The Toronto morning show aired from the sale, allowing customers to mingle with many of the on-air personalities.

Proceeds from the sale will support the Daily Bread Food Bank, the hub of the food bank community in Toronto that supports over 160 member agencies in running a series of food relief programs.

December 2

Today, The Home Depot across Canada took part in Volunteer Canada's Resolve to Get Involved initiative that promotes volunteerism and celebrates the International Day of the Volunteer. Associates from 10 The Home Depot stores in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal completed a variety of projects including sorting toys and gifts for families in need and organizing donated building materials and furniture at two Habitat for Humanity ReStore locations.

Congratulations to everyone who participated in this remarkable global campaign!

November 20

Team Depot associates in Duncan, BC jumped into action this week as two rainstorms pummeled the region causing extreme flooding that led the province to declare a state of emergency and caused hundreds of residents to be evacuated from their homes.

After the first storm, associates created and stacked 5,000 sandbags to protect affected homes from the surging flood waters. Just days later, they were back at work in the Nanaimo region where a second storm was wrecking havoc. Additional sandbags, cases of water and clean up supplies were provided to residents impacted in this area.

Tim Robinson, The Home Depot Duncan Store Manager said, "our associates exemplified The Home Depot's core values by assisting local residents, even if it meant standing in frigid, waist-deep water for hours stacking sandbags. I couldn't be more proud of their collective efforts."

November 3

Fall was a busy time for more than fifteen associates at The Home Depot Saint John store when they volunteered close to 150 hours to make improvements at Hestia House, a transitional house and support centre for women and children. Together they completed a series of small projects in the facility's lower level bathroom and bedrooms including electrical and plumbing repairs. They also gave many of the rooms a fresh coat of paint.

Tia Gorman, Human Resources Manager at the Saint John store notes, "Women experiencing spousal abuse need a safe place to go. Our associates take comfort knowing that the repairs they made to the space will make this house safe and comfortable for those who need it most."

Hestia House receives government funding and support from the United Way but depends on contributions from local businesses and individuals to remain operational. The Home Depot Saint John store and a number of their supplier partners will help Hestia House with ongoing facility repairs in the coming months as part of their commitment to giving back to the community.

November

Recently, The Home Depot Canada Foundation provided Habitat for Humanity Toronto with a Sustainable Housing Grant that will support two developments and will provide 49 local families with homes that are healthy to live in and affordable to own. The grant has multiple components including cash, gift card and product as well as volunteer support provided by Team Depot, The Home Depot Canada's associate volunteer force.

In November, The Home Depot associates from across Toronto volunteered over 600 hours at two of Habitat for Humanity Toronto's current build sites. At the William's Way site, associates focused on getting homes enclosed to allow winter construction to continue. Meanwhile, at the Hainford Street site, associates used their know-how to complete finishing touches on homes that will be presented to the partner families just in time for the holidays.

Associates will continue to support these projects as well as a new build on Kingston Road that will get underway in the New Year.

September 30

Recently, a group of The Home Depot associates spent a day helping the Conseil Régional de l'Environnement et du Développement Durable de l'Outaouais (CREDDO) restore a section of forest in Lac Beauchamp Park classified as an exceptional forest ecosystem. The group removed invasive species and planted native species in a way that limits the number of footpaths through the forest.

"Our parks and forests are precious so we have to do all we can to preserve them," says Sylvain Richard, Specialty Assistant Store Manager at The Home Depot Gatineau store. "Our associates were happy to give back to their community - and it's environment - by helping with this project."

CREDDO is one of 16 regional environmental councils in Quebec that promotes sustainability, preservation and conservation of natural resources in the Outaouais region. Their project was one of fifteen supported with a 2009 Rebuilding Nature grant through The Home Depot Canada Foundation's partnership with Evergreen.

September 23

Recently, many of Habitat for Humanity Regina's tools were stolen when someone broke into their site storage trailer. When Gail Nameth, Store Manager at the Regina NW The Home Depot store learned that insurance would only cover a portion of the cost required to replace the tools, she reached out immediately to offer help.

"Habitat for Humanity is such a critical resource to families in need who live in our city," said Gail. "We value our partnership with Habitat - especially the opportunities they provide to our associates to use their skills and know-how on build sites. It is very rewarding work."

Gail presented Chuck Beaton, Construction Manager for the affiliate with a $2,000 The Home Depot gift card so the affiliate can purchase some of the essential tools they need to keep their current home builds on track.

The Home Depot shares Habitat for Humanity's commitment to providing affordable homes for Canadian families in need. Since 1996, The Home Depot has been the largest supporter of Habitat for Humanity in Canada and currently donates over $3 million in funding and product as well as thousands of volunteer hours each year to Habitat's housing projects.

September 17

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Edmonton's Camp Discovery is a place that 300 inner city youth frequent each summer break to meet new friends, explore nature and learn new skills.

Due to the high volume of traffic this facility receives each year, there is always an ongoing list of repairs to be addressed. This fall, associates from eleven The Home Depot stores across Edmonton helped knock a few items off of the "to do" list by volunteering their time to re-shingle the roof and re-side the camp's dining and assembly hall. They also painted benches and picnic tables as well as groomed many trails around the camp in preparation for another busy camp season in 2010.

"All children deserve to have a great camp experience in their lifetime," said Jeff Tymo, Store Manager at the Sherwood Park, Alberta Home Depot store. "Now parents can rest assured that their kids have a safe place to socialize and learn in when they are away from home."

Jeff and colleague, Paddy O'Neill, Store Manager at the Edmonton Strathcona store organized this project as part of The Home Depot's Month of Service campaign in September.

Month of Service

This September, The Home Depot celebrated its seventh annual Month of Service, a volunteer campaign delivered by Team Depot associates across Canada. Month of Service encourages all The Home Depot associates to contribute their time and know-how to complete projects that make a difference in their community.

In September alone, Team Depot associates contributed more than 21,000 hours of service to improving communities across Canada during Month of Service - from building playgrounds to beautifying parks to supporting affordable housing projects!

Congratulations to all The Home Depot associates who took part in this years' campaign! Together we are making our communities a better place to live for everyone.

August 27

Recently, fifteen The Home Depot Canada associates from Medicine Hat partnered with the Society of Grasslands Naturalists to beautify the Police Point Park Nature Centre.

The group worked together to remove existing benches and picnic tables and replace them with new ones. They also built raised brick and block flower beds and painted the existing outside patio trellis.

"We are always looking for opportunities to give back to the community," said Derek Nielsen, Store Manager. "It's a win-win situation - our associates feel good about their accomplishment, and local residents are provided an inviting space to gather."

This beautification project was one of fifteen urban stewardship projects that received a 2009 Rebuilding Nature grant through The Home Depot Canada Foundation's partnership with Evergreen.

August 22, 2009

Bow Cliff Seniors residence prides itself on its commitment to provide opportunities and active living for its occupants. Many residents have expressed an interest in gardening but limited time and resources have prevented the facility from creating one.

When staff began thinking of local businesses that could help them create a garden, The Home Depot immediately came to mind. They turned to The Home Depot Canada Foundation for funding and volunteer support and their wish was granted.

"Our associates were so happy to create this community garden," said Mike Simpson, Assistant Store Manager at the Calgary North Hills store. "With so many avid gardeners living here, it will no doubt get lots of use and care."

August 5

In August of 2008, a massive explosion at a north Toronto propane facility sent shockwaves through the surrounding community. The force of the blast damaged homes, forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and generated international media attention.

In the days following the disaster, associates from the Yorkdale and Caledonia The Home Depot stores mobilized to lead relief efforts, distributing plywood and clean-up supplies to hundreds of impacted residents.

One year later, The Home Depot illustrated its strong connection with the community. Associates from the stores initially involved along with additional associates from the Toronto and Atlanta Store Support Centres, recently returned to the neighborhood to improve a park that was closed for weeks following the blast.

"Our customers asked us to return and help improve Ancaster Park, an important gathering place for the community," said Steve Graseski, Yorkdale Store Manager. "We are thrilled to play an ongoing role in the community's recovery."

Associates built six planters and benches and painted the park's existing benches. In September, they will return to build a pergola, providing shade to park visitors.

July 25, 2009

The sun was shining on a quiet, residential street in Edmonton today as Habitat for Humanity Edmonton celebrated the completion of its 100th home.

Because The Home Depot was a major sponsor of the build, Paddy O'Neill, Store Manager of the Strathcona The Home Depot Store was given the honour of presenting keys to the recipient family - a much deserving mother and her two sons.

The Home Depot made both a financial and volunteer contribution to this milestone home build. More than two dozen staff volunteers from The Home Depot stores across the city gave time on their days off to take on everything from sanding drywall to painting. "Habitat for Humanity is big in Edmonton," said Paddy. "There's always lots of interest and we love to support it."

July 21, 2009

The Home Depot Bracebridge store and The Rotary Club of Bracebridge share a special relationship. Five years ago when the Club decided to create a destination garden to commemorate Rotary International's 100th anniversary, they asked local businesses for support and The Home Depot was one of the first to step up to the plate.

Since the garden officially opened in July 2005, The Home Depot associates from the Bracebridge store have returned to the garden to provide further enhancements under the leadership of the current Store Manager, Tom Heindl. Their projects included creating a lattice fence, developing a "Home Depot" garden (which has received several compliments) and hand building a composter for the site.

Stephen Newroth, Chair of the Rotary Gardens Operations Committee recently called out Tom's support for the Rotary Club and the Centennial Gardens project. "My thanks for your support and great community spirit."

July 8, 2009

When The Home Depot associate Gogoy "G" Reyes heard that the play structure at the Seven Oaks Village Housing Co-op in Winnipeg, MB was in need of a facelift, he was quick to investigate.

After a visit to the site, he realized it wouldn't take much to fix the structure and make additional enhancements to the space. "The more inviting an outdoor space looks, the more likely residents are to gather there," says G. "At The Home Depot, one of our core values is building strong relationships so it's a privilege to support community projects that encourage this behaviour."

In one day, G and 14 of his colleagues from the Winnipeg North The Home Depot store gave new life to the Co-op's play structure. They also created a sand box and garden for the residents to enjoy. "We hope the residents enjoy their outdoor space for years to come," noted G.

June 1, 2009

Recently, The Home Depot presented keys to two Habitat for Humanity recipient families, in Montreal, QC, and celebrated the ground breaking of a new home in the Deux-Montagne region, just east of Montreal. "It was a rewarding experience to present two Habitat partner families with the keys to their new homes", stated Jack Paul, Store Manager at The Home Depot L'Acadie store. "To be a part of this, helping build the homes and share in the joy of the families when they receive their keys was wonderful. Our associates are looking forward to volunteering on the next build in Deux-Montagne." The Home Depot associates in the Deux-Montagne area will have the opportunity participate in all aspects of the build over the coming months.

May 27, 2009

This spring, twelve The Home Depot Canada associates partnered with Nature Conservancy of Canada (Atlantic Region) to build boardwalks as part of a walking trail preservation initiative.

The day-long event began with a hearty breakfast and trek to the Five Fathom Trail. Upon arrival, The Home Depot associates used their know-how to carefully move lumber that had previously been delivered to the site by boat, to three difficult-to-reach areas so the boardwalks could be constructed.

At the end of the day, a group of wet and very muddy volunteers headed home, laughing about the slipping, sliding and crawling they did to get the job done and satisfied with what they accomplished.

The Musquash Estuary Nature Preserve Trail project was one of fifteen urban stewardship projects that received a 2009 Rebuilding Nature grant through The Home Depot Canada Foundation's partnership with Evergreen.

May 23, 2009

The end of the school year and the approach of the summer camp season took on special meaning for The Home Depot's West Bank store for a second straight year. More than 10 The Home Depot associates spent a day with staff at the Mosquito Hollow Girl Guides Camp clearing brush, fixing a roof and completing some general painting and clean up to prepare for their annual camp program. "We had an amazing turnout both last year and this year and look forward to returning in future years to make this camp the best it can be for the children who attend the camp every summer," said Julie Lamontagne, DS - Seasonal.

May 7, 2009

This spring, forty female The Home Depot Canada associates took part in the second annual Habitat for Humanity Women Build Blitz - a project that will provide affordable housing for sixteen Toronto families.

Habitat for Humanity Women Builds promote women as leaders and provide them with an opportunity to learn new trades and skills, under the direction of skilled tradespersons.

Work on the site will continue throughout the summer and upon completion, the recipient families will be presented with keys to their new homes.

May 5, 2009

The Home Depot associates at the Caledonia store were proud to transform a bleak Toronto school yard into a vibrant, welcoming park recently.

The greening project at C.E. Webster Public School complemented a playground that the Toronto District School Board installed in the junior kindergarten area earlier this year.

Ten The Home Depot associates placed trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials donated by two The Home Depot vendors strategically around the yard and added a vegetable garden to provide a learning opportunity for current and future students of the school.

April 24 - 26

During the last weekend of April, The Home Depot Canada associates in Toronto celebrated Earth Day by taking part in a series of events across the city.

The weekend kicked off with the City of Toronto's "20 Minute Makeover" when associates at The Home Depot's Store Support Centre gave the area around the building where they work a much needed tidying up.

Over the course of the weekend, associates from the Toronto Store Support Centre and two area Distribution Centres contributed more than 50 hours to planting trees at Sun Valley and Downsview Park.

The Home Depot Canada and its associates' are committed to reducing their impact on the environment and as such, welcome the opportunity to take place in Earth Day activities.

April 23, 2009

The Youth Emergency Shelter Society (Y.E.S.S.) in downtown Edmonton serves youth aged 15 - 18 who have no place to call home by providing emergency shelter and transitional housing services.

Y.E.S.S. was awarded a community grant at the grand opening of the Edmonton Windermere store in late 2008 but The Home Depot's support didn't stop there. A group of The Home Depot associates spent a day giving one of Y.E.S.S.'s youth homes a makeover - fresh paint, new window treatments, and some small repairs.

The Edmonton Windermere store plans to help Y.E.S.S. transform a former local pub into a transitional home for youth later this year.

April 15, 2009

Community Kitchen, an organization that provides well-balanced, nutritional meals to the less fortunate received a makeover by a group of The Home Depot associates from the Fredericton, NB store.

At the end of project day, the kitchen, dining area, hallway and washrooms had all been tidied up with a fresh coat of paint.

The Fredericton store plans to further develop their relationship with the Community Kitchen by returning to assist with other small repairs in the coming months.

Our History of Giving Back

• In 2010, The Home Depot associates volunteered over 60,000 hours to community projects nationwide, through Team Depot.
• Since 1996, The Home Depot has been the largest supporter of Habitat for Humanity in Canada, donating over $3 million in funding, product and thousands of volunteer hours annually to affordable housing projects.
• Since 1997, The Home Depot Canada has built more than 70 playgrounds and ice rinks in communities across the country with KaBOOM!
• Since 2005, The Home Depot Canada has worked with Evergreen to provide 119 communities across Canada with the funding, tools, materials and volunteers needed to complete urban stewardship projects through the Rebuilding Nature Grant Program.