ST. PAUL - Jay-ar Guardiana says he’s feeling incredibly blessed this past year. After a nine-year separation, his family has joined him in Canada from the Philippines, he and his wife Menchu welcomed their fourth child, Queen Levin, last month, and this spring ground will be broken on their new home.
“I don’t have words, God is really good to our family,” said Guardiana.
The Guardiana family applied for one of the affordable, single-family homes being built by the St. Paul Affordable Community Housing Society (SPACHS), a local volunteer group that raises money and in-kind donations to make home ownership a reality for low-income people in the area.
“When I received the news from Miss Louise, I cried actually. I cried because I'm at work at that time, and then when she told me that your family has been chosen - I called my mom, I called my son, I tell my wife. We're so happy, we're so blessed and grateful,” said Guardiana.
Guardiana came to Canada in 2015 and has lived and worked in the Lakeland for most of the time since then. He and his family will be calling St. Paul home for at least the next 10 years as part of the terms for their house. They will also need to do 500 hours of community service, carry a small mortgage and maintain the property for that long before the full title transfer can occur.
“The Filipino community is very big here, so it feels like we're still home, but a little bit colder,” said Kyrone Guardiana, Jay-ar and Menchu’s eldest son, who works at the Cornerstone Co-op deli.
“When we came, they [the Filipino community in St. Paul] welcomed us very warmly. They treat us like family,” said Menchu Guardiana, who also spoke highly of the care she received when she gave birth to her daughter in St. Paul in December.
“They took care of me very well in the hospital. It was a very nice experience,” said Menchu Guardiana.
According to Louise Severin, SPACHS president, the society just reached their fundraising goal of $94,500 in cash for the first house last week with a $25,000 grant from the Alberta Real Estate Foundation.
“Just under $400,000 is the cost to build the house. The family will be having a mortgage of $200,000 and the rest of the cost is covered by the society, but with the in-kind and cash donations that we've received in our community,” said Severin.
The house, which will be located on the currently vacant fenced lot at 4721-51 Ave, will be a split-level with a little over 1,000 square feet inside. According to Severin, this build will be done by Pierre Langevin and the team at 72 Developments.
SPACHS has a total of four lots to build on in town. Severin said SPACHS plans to build single-family homes on two of them and duplexes on the others so they can help a total of six families.
SPACHS is continuing its fundraising efforts with a new goal of $380,000. Tickets to their upcoming Valentine’s Day Dinner and Comedy Show can be purchased at Ideal Carpets.
