Cathy Borowec has, in a sense, moved back home.
Borowec is returning to Habitat for Humanity Northumberland (HFHN) in January 2024, taking the reins as CEO from Meaghan Macdonald, who has left the organization after over 12 years in the role.
Borowec started her journey with the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in 2001 and will re-join the organization as HFHN enters its 26th year.
“The board of directors is excited for the return of Borowec, who brings over 20 years of Habitat leadership experience to the role,” reads a HFHN news release. “At HFHN she was the first staff person hired and under her direction, Habitat moved out to serve families in different areas of (Northumberland County) and opened the ReStore. In her eight years here, she led with innovation and established the first Habitat renovation program in the country.”
After leaving HFHN in 2009, Borowec became director of affiliate relations at Habitat for Humanity Canada, where she was charged with building relationships with local Habitat organizations across the country and helping them increase their capacities.
“Her visits to the many areas within Canada where Habitat works has given her a unique perspective on housing needs,” reads the release.
In 2018, Borowec returned to a local Habitat affiliate as CEO with Habitat for Humanity Kingston Limestone Region. During the past five years, she has worked collaboratively with Northumberland, creating partnerships for sharing services and resources, the news release noted.
“Building on relationships in Kingston, she spearheaded a project that will, in time, create more than 60 housing units in a diverse neighbourhood with a mix of built-form and affordability.”
“With the heightened urgency to create and maintain affordable housing in this current crisis, the board of directors at HFHN believes that Borowec is uniquely suited to steer the affiliate in along its path and continue work on the exciting projects that are underway.”
Borowec returns to lead HFHN as the affiliate is currently working on its largest single development project to date, in the village of Baltimore in Hamilton Township.
Located at 4751 Highway 45, the seven-unit townhouse development is a $2.5-million project. It’s also a new venture for HFHN in the sense the organization is hoping to build the largest Habitat net-zero development in Canada.
HFHN said in November that construction of the build is on schedule, with the framing of the first floor completed and the second level floor system nearly finished. The goal is to have exterior work completed by the end of this year, including completion of the roof and installation of solar panels shortly thereafter.
According to HFHN, the project is on track to house seven families by the summer of 2024. For more information about the Baltimore development, visit buildinghopewithfamilies.ca.
