Sault’s latest Habitat homeowners ready to move in
A family in Sault Ste. Marie who fled the civil war in Syria has become the area’s newest Habitat for Humanity homeowners. The Barakat family moved to Canada in 2016 as refugees, and are now ready to move into their new home and onto to a new chapter of their lives.
Staff from Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area, donors and local dignitaries joined the Barakats for a ribbon cutting ceremony and to help them celebrate.
"We are very excited for our new home," said Ahmad Barakat.
"A home accessible for (my) wheelchair, more space, especially for the kids, they have a backyard. We are very, very excited."
Ahmad suffered a spinal injury years ago and he depends on a wheelchair for mobility. He and his wife, Manal, are expecting their fourth child in May.
"I feel like a special something has happened to me and my life," said Manal.
"New chapter to my life and my family's life."
- Download our app to get local alerts on your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
Katie Blunt, Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area’s executive director, said the Barakats applied for a ‘Habitat home’ in the past, but were deemed ineligible for various reasons – adding this family's story should serve as encouragement for families in similar situations.
"They kept applying, and now they're successful, now they own a Habitat home," said Blunt.
"If you're not eligible for a ‘Habitat home’ at one point, please continue applying, because you could be eligible in the future."
To stay up-to-date about Sault-area Habitat for Humanity projects, follow them on Twitter.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.