Northumberland Paramedics has handed over the keys for a decommissioned ambulance to Habitat for Humanity Northumberland.
Northumberland County council and Northumberland Paramedics made the donation to Habitat on Wednesday (March 20), after the ambulance served county paramedics and patients for the past six years.
Habitat for Humanity Northumberland will use the vehicle to transport equipment, materials and supplies to building sites in the county, which ultimately helps support the organization’s efforts to build affordable housing.
“We are pleased to see this retired ambulance repurposed to support vital work in our community,” said Northumberland Paramedics Chief Susan Brown in a media release.
“While the ambulance has reached the end of its recommended life cycle with Northumberland Paramedics, we look forward to seeing it put to great use during its retirement. We are proud to support the important efforts of Habitat for Humanity Northumberland to increase affordable housing in Northumberland.”
Melissa Morrison, Habitat for Humanity Northumberland’s community and fund development co-ordinator, prepared the letter to Northumberland Paramedics asking the chief to consider donating the ambulance.
“The need for affordable housing is growing across our communities and we are working even harder to support local families (to) achieve strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership,” Morrison said in her letter.
“In 2023, the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity Northumberland recognized that we had to increase our efforts to meet that growing need. The board established a strategic goal to see an additional 19 affordable housing units developed through 2023 to 2025. In addition to our homeownership program, we aim to serve 35-plus families through our home repairs suite yearly.”
Habitat for Humanity’s mission is to break the cycle of poverty by promoting homeownership among financially vulnerable individuals and families.
Northumberland Paramedics has previously donated two ambulances to Habitat for Humanity Northumberland and they were well-used and appreciated, Morrison noted.
“The decommissioned ambulances that we received have been the perfect vehicles to meet our unique needs and, ultimately, has helped us support more families across Northumberland County,” Morrison said.
Habitat for Humanity Northumberland CEO Cathy Borowec concurred.
“The ambulance donation will be used to support our home-building program,” Borowec told kawarthaNOW.
“We have one in use now and it helps us to move materials to and from our build sites. We have two sites on the go now, one in Baltimore — our seven-plex net-zero build — and a single family dwelling just starting on Daintry Crescent in Cobourg. The retired ambulances are great for tool storage too.”
Habitat for Humanity Northumberland is currently working on a seven-unit net zero project in Baltimore, which will be the largest Habitat net-zero development in Canada.
Back in 2012, Northumberland County established a bylaw permitting the donation of surplus assets, including retired ambulances.
Donations of retired ambulances from the Northumberland Paramedics fleet are prioritized to support non-profit agencies and community emergency management partners that continue to serve residents across the county, Northumberland County noted.
