To many people, a young girl with scoliosis and a group of home building and renovating professionals may seem an unlikely duo. But not to the Manitoba Home Builders’ Association (MHBA) and their past president Mike Moore, who were looking for a way to give back and make life better for someone in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In 2014, after undergoing spinal cord surgery with the goal of improving her Scoliosis, 14-year-old Delaney was instead left paralyzed from mid-chest down. Understandably, she had new and substantial challenges in her life – including mobility at home.

The family home needed extensive renovations to become more accessible, and they needed help. A rehabilitation counselor contacted Variety, the Children’s Charity of Manitoba, hoping to make some connections. As luck would have it, MHBA had previously reached out to Variety. Their RenoMark Renovators Council wanted to give back to those in need in the community, and were a great fit to work on a home renovation.

MHBA Members Go Above & Beyond

Variety began the fundraising project, pledging to raise $20,000 for the home renovation. Once MHBA joined in, they contributed $10,000 of in-kind materials and labour.

With so much help, the renovation’s scope grew in size to give the family a truly accessible home. Entrance ramps were built and installed. Wheelchairs require wider spaces to navigate, and so walls were removed, with demolition in the kitchen and bathroom. The basement was totally renovated to be made accessible, and an elevator was installed.

Renovating a home to make it accessible requires a lot of work. MHBA RenoMark Renovators volunteered hundreds of hours of their time to re-frame

walls, reconfigure plumbing and electrical, widen door openings and install new doors, paint, and much more.

Brad Sveinson of Character Homes, an MHBA member, led the project. He had no shortage of help, as MHBA members and RenoMark Renovators dedicated their time and experience to help ease the child’s transition and allow the family to stay in their home.

MHBA member companies who couldn’t physically be on the job site found others ways of contributing. They donated more than 7,000 square feet of building materials for the project, including drywall, tiles, and flooring.

Find out how other CHBA members are contributing to #CdnBuilt communities by following the hashtag on social media. For other stories, visit Giving Back on the blog.