I am pleased to announce the University of Manitoba Rady Faculty of Health Sciences will sponsor a Habitat for Humanity build again this summer! After months of planning and coordinating logistics, we are delighted to officially announce we will be kicking-off a 9-day build on June 20 at the home’s permanent location, 299 Patrick Street.  The site is located within walking distance, or a short drive, from our Bannatyne Campus.

Why are we doing another build? Firstly, as a health sciences faculty we are committed to social accountability and responsibility and what better way to demonstrate giving back than supporting adequate housing for a family in need? Housing is one of the social determinants of health that predicates not only health and well-being but educational success such as completing high school and continuing in post-secondary education. We had great participation in 2013 and 2014 when we made history by being the first Faculty of Medicine, then the first Faculty of Health Sciences in Canada to sponsor a Habitat for Humanity build.

Now that we are more established as the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, we want to encourage participation from faculty, staff and students in the Colleges of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy and Rehabilitation Sciences from across our dual-campus faculty. Conducting the build at its permanent site will get us out into community of which we are a part.

Over the next few weeks the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences communications team will be recruiting volunteers. University of Manitoba students, faculty and staff volunteers will be expected to commit a full day (1:00 p.m. –  9:00 p.m.) during the 9-day construction phase weekdays from June 20-30. Staff members can do so on work time with their manager’s approval. Student volunteers from the Max Rady College of Medicine will receive a notation on their Medical Student Personal Record (MSPR). Habitat for Humanity will provide training, supervision, safety gear and tools to the 10-15 adult volunteers required on site each day.  As well, they will provide a light dinner, water and refreshments throughout the volunteer shift.

In addition to giving your time, we also need your support to raise funds and meet our goal. I am confident that with the financial support of faculty members, staff, students, Residents and all Faculty Colleges/Departments, we will achieve our goal. To date, I have had commitments from a handful of departments; but to be successful, we would like to see all of our Max Rady College of Medicine clinical departments allocate a small portion of their tithes to this worthy cause.  And we want to continue to reinforce our commitment to inter-professionalism and see teams of educators and learners from across the Faculty of Health Sciences working together to “build hope.”

What was the best part of volunteering on a previous U of M Faculty of Health Sciences Habitat Build?