Seven women with developmental disabilities will soon have their own permanent home in Peterborough thanks to a partnership between Habitat for Humanity Peterborough & Kawartha Region (Habitat PKR) and Our Daughters’ Home, a charity founded by the women’s parents.
On Wednesday morning (July 9), Habitat PKR hosted a well-attended ground-breaking ceremony at a vacant lot on Sophia Street in a quiet East City residential neighbourhood near the Rotary Trail, the future site of the affordable housing project where an accessible duplex will be built with 24/7 support for the seven women.
“We’re here today to break ground, not just literally but symbolically too,” said Holly O’Connor, Habitat PKR’s communications and marketing manager, who emceed the event.
“This accessible duplex being built in partnership with Our Daughters’ Home will soon become a safe and stable home for seven women with developmental disabilities,” O’Connor said. “This build signifies dignity, independence, and peace of mind — not only for these women, but for the families who love them and have been looking forward to this day for a very long time.”
“At Habitat PKR, we believe that affordable home ownership should be within reach for everyone. That’s why we work with partners like Our Daughters’ Home to support those who are so often left out of the housing market. As with every Habitat for Humanity build, this build takes a village. It takes neighbours, donors, volunteers, and community champions coming together to make it as possible.”
Along with representatives from Habitat PKR and Our Daughters’ Home, speakers at the event included Peterborough city councillor Matt Crowley on behalf of Mayor Jeff Leal and Peterborough MP Emma Harrison, who attended with two of her three children. Also in attendance were city councillor Joy Lachica along with Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith, who arrived late due to traffic.
Habitat PKR’s board chair Hope Lee addressed the crowd and explained what makes this build different from other Habitat projects.
“It’s an honour to be here with you today in front of what right now is just an empty lot, but very soon will become a space and something very extraordinary,” Lee said.
“Less than a year ago, our (Habitat PKR) board sat down and made a very important decision. We decided to expand how we live out our mission. For over two decades, we’ve focused on building safe, decent, and affordable homes for local families and individuals. But we asked ourselves, what more can we do? The answer was clear: we could use our tools, our experience, and our partnerships to support other local organizations doing vital work. We could help them build homes for people who are often left behind.”
“Enter this powerful new partnership that we have with Our Daughters’ Home,” Lee said. “Peterborough is in the midst of a housing crisis. We have had one of the lowest vacancy rates in Ontario and some of the highest rental costs in the country. For many people, even those with modest incomes, owning a home feels out of reach.”
“But today, I want to talk about the people who are rarely included in that conversation: women with developmental disabilities — women who not only face those same impossible odds of home ownership, but are navigating a system that was never designed for them in the first place.”
“Too often, they’re left out and they’re forgotten when we talk about housing solutions — but not today. Today, we break ground on safe, accessible, and permanent housing, a place where these women can live with stability, independence, and a sense of belonging in a community that they know and love. A place where they can remain close to their families who have supported them so fiercely and tirelessly.”
Next up was Peterborough MP Emma Harrison, who said she was honoured to “celebrate this project that represents inclusion and community.”
“This initiative is more than just a building — it’s about creating a home for seven women that provides them with dignity and independence, while still allowing them to be a part of a close-knit, supportive community,” MP Harrison said. “The partnership between (Habitat PKR) and Our Daughters’ Home gives me so much hope for the future of this community. To the amazing people and organizations that make this project possible, thank you and congratulations — this day would not be possible without all of you.”
“As we break ground today, I know we are planting the seeds of independence, joy, and community. Let’s celebrate this groundbreaking moment together with pride, with purpose, and with the shared belief that everyone deserves a safe and supportive place to call home.”
Attendees also heard from Peterborough city councillor Matt Crowley, who spoke from his personal experience about the challenges faced by aging parents with children who have disabilities.
“As a parent, I’ve had the privilege of watching my daughter grow into a remarkable young woman,” he said. “She lives with cerebral palsy and faces significant mobility and speech challenges. But, like any parent, I’ve always hoped that she would have the opportunity to live with dignity, security, and as much independence as possible.”
“Now as I get moderately older, these hopes have become more urgent questions start to weigh a little heavier. What will happen when I’m no longer able to provide the same support? Where will she live? Who will be there to ensure that she’s safe and cared for, but also respected, included, and empowered? This development begins to answer those questions. It offers more than just bricks and mortar or a place to live — it offers peace of mind. It offers independence and it offers a future.”
“What’s being built here today is not only a home but a promise — a promise that our children, regardless of ability, deserve spaces where they can thrive. A promise that families like mine don’t have to carry their fears alone.”
Our Daughters’ Home was founded in by Jane Bischoff in 2023, when her daughter Jenny — who has been diagnosed with moderate autism — was 30 years old. Seeking a female-only group home setting for Jenny out of concerns for her safety and security, Bishcoff connected with other parents and they began looking for real estate options for a permanent home in the Peterborough area and possible partnerships with groups such as Habitat PKR.
“Families that have done this in the past have taken 10 years to do it — every two weeks they met for 10 years,” Bishcoff told kawarthaNOW at the time. “We all decided, no, that’s not happening. We don’t have 10 years.”
Debby Donaghy, who is treasurer of Our Daughters’ Home and the mother of Michelle, one of the women who will live in the duplex, told attendees that she put her daughter’s name on a waiting list for a group home when Michelle was 16 years old, “knowing that there would be some day that I would not be able to look after her.”
“That was 22 years ago,” Donaghy pointed out, adding that 28,000 adults in Ontario are waiting for supportive housing. “That number goes up each year, but the number of placements goes down.”
“In 2023, I read this article in kawarthaNOW which featured Jane and Jenny, our founder, wanting to create a home for women. I contacted her immediately and have been part of this band of parents ever since. We’ve learned so much over the last two years and are a fierce bunch and, with lots of determination, we have learned how to do incorporation, letter writing, grant proposals, fundraising, web development, business plans, and recently we got our charitable status designation. We have accomplished in three years which most have taken 10 to 12 years.”
“We could not have done this without the partnership of (Habitat PKR), and we will be forever grateful. This is not a temporary or transitional placement, but a secure, long-term residence where these women can live with dignity, independence, and stability for life. For years, our daughters have been safe at home with us. Now, we must ensure they always have a safe home — one that will last a lifetime with the care they need to thrive.”
Donaghy thanked donors to Our Daughters’ Home including a “generous” quarterly donation from Sullivan Law, the Buckhorn District Lions Club, Kawartha Credit Union, a grant from the Peterborough Foundation, Sloan’s Respite, “and many, many others who have donated to help offset our mortgage, though we still have a very long way to go.”
She added that Our Daughters’ Home is hosting a benefit dance on Saturday, August 2 at the Peterborough Holiday Inn. Tickets are available at www.ourdaughtershome.ca.
As for the Sophia Street build, Habitat PKR expects construction to begin later this summer. Fundraising efforts are continuing to bring the project to completion, including Habitat PKR’s “Win Big, Build Homes” 50/50 draw, with all proceeds going directly to Habitat PKR build projects, including the Sophia Street build. Tickets will be available to purchase at habitatpeterborough.ca.
This story has been updated to include a donor for Our Daughters’ Home that was inadvertently omitted from the story (the Peterborough Foundation). With files from Megan Gallant.
