12-year-old “Meaning of Home” contest finalist donates $5,000 prize to Habitat for Humanity Montreal

(Montréal, Quebec) April 18, 2011 – Samuel Dion-Dundas’ winning poem Chez-soi illustrates the importance of having a home, and thanks to his contribution a deserving Canadian family will be that much closer to having a home to call their own. Chez-soi was a finalist in the fourth annual “Meaning of Home” national writing contest, earning a $5,000 prize, which Dion-Dundas donated to Habitat for Humanity Montreal. The contest is sponsored by Genworth Financial Mortgage Insurance Company Canada (Genworth Financial Canada) in support of Habitat for Humanity Canada.

Dion-Dundas’ poem was one of 2,400 submissions, and he was the only winner from Quebec. In it Dion-Dundas demonstrates his understanding of what it means to have a place to call your own; the contest was created in 2007 to help raise awareness among students of the importance of having a home. Dion-Dundas writes, "Un chez-soi est l'endroit qui vous permet de vous construire en tant que personne que vous serez demain".

Since the “Meaning of Home” contest began in 2007, $357,000 has been donated by Genworth Financial Canada for Habitat for Humanity Canada affiliates. According to statistics compiled by Habitat for Humanity, there are four million Canadians in need of adequate housing. The contest

"On behalf of Habitat for Humanity, I'd like to congratulate Mr. Dion-Dundas for winning the "Meaning of Home" contest, and I'd like to thank him for donating the $5,000 prize to Habitat for Humanity Montreal. We are all proud of Mr. Dion-Dundas and all the other students that participated in the contest and very appreciative of their teacher, Ms. Janice Wong, who saw the value of having her students participate in the writing contest. I'd also like to thank Genworth Financial Canada for making this contest possible. Without their generous help none of this would have been possible", said Isabel St.Germain Singh, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity Montreal.

“The quality of entries we received again this year demonstrates the high level of creativity and compassion found in the younger generation,” said Peter Vukanovich, President and COO of Genworth Financial Canada. “The Meaning of Home contest empowers students from across Canada to use the importance of their words to give a family a home.”

Karen Simpson of Guelph, Ontario, won the first place prize of $60,000 for her essay, and there were four other runner ups, Kevin from St. John's, Newfoundland, Lucy Gay from Oakville, Ontario, Margaret Ovenell from Vancouver, BC, and Tyler Gerke from Edmonton, Alberta.

For more information on the contest and this year’s winning entries visit www.meaningofhome.ca and http://www.habitatmontreal.qc.ca.

About Habitat for Humanity Montreal

Habitat for Humanity Montreal (HFHM) is a non-profit organization committed to eliminating substandard housing. We build simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with volunteers, donors and families in need. Since its creation in 1998, HFHM has built nine new homes in Montreal. Habitat is about affordable home ownership. It provides a long-term solution that breaks the cycle of poverty by giving a hand up, not a hand out.