OneFortyOne and Habitat for Humanity Nelson launch new sponsorship

A new sponsorship provides a much-needed funding boost which will help Habitat for Humanity Nelson build more affordable homes in the Top of the South.

Forestry company OneFortyOne launched the new sponsorship this week at Habitat Nelson’s new community housing project in Stoke.

Speaking at the sponsorship announcement, Tracy Goss, General Manager OneFortyOne’s Kaituna Sawmill said that this sponsorship is a natural fit for his company.

“Our timber is being used as internal timber framing, fencing and other hard landscaping, all provided by our local customer ITM. There’s a great connection knowing the trees grown to make the timber, have been grown locally for the last 28 years in the Golden Downs Forest and can now be enjoyed by families for decades to come,” said Tracy.

Habitat Nelson’s GM Nick Clarke said, “We are excited to be partnering with OneFortyOne. Affordable housing is one of our region’s biggest issues and it requires collaboration and investment from strong partners. Having crucial partners like OneFortyOne supports us in the access of affordable materials through ITM, thus helping to make these decent homes affordable.  Habitat Nelson has been supported by ITM for almost 30 years and were instrumental in instigating this partnership.”

“We currently have 14 houses being built, with over 30 more homes to be completed by 2025, and other projects to follow. These are life changing projects for families in need; building self-reliance, families’ self-worth, increasing their hope for the future, enhancing community inclusion, and providing young children the stability and safety they need in order to succeed at school and life in general,” said Nick. 

“For many families in the Nelson Tasman region, decent and affordable housing is becoming difficult to find. This is having a negative impact on the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of whānau and tamariki.”

Research shows that beyond causing severe emotional and mental strain, unaffordable and substandard housing influences the quality and quantity of interactions within neighbourhoods, affecting social cohesion, trust and a collective sense of community. Besides Habitat Nelson’s focus on affordable housing initiatives, it promotes community wellbeing, inclusion and connection.

“By partnering with like-minded partners such as OnefortyOne we are able to provide decent, affordable and healthy homes, and subsequently we have been able to reduce the incidence of sickness within our community and provide hope and security for whānau and tamariki,” Nick said.

About Habitat for Humanity Nelson

Habitat for Humanity Nelson is a non-profit community housing provider and a Christian organisation with a vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live. In pursuit of this vision, Habitat for Humanity Nelson has provided a range of programmes aimed at building strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter since 1996. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower.

habitat.org.nz/nelson

About OneFortyOne

OneFortyOne is a vertically integrated Trans-Tasman business, that manages both forests and sawmill operations in New Zealand and Australia.

In New Zealand it manages 80,000 hectares of certified sustainable plantation forests in Nelson Tasman and Marlborough and the Kaituna sawmill near Blenheim.

www.onefortyone.com