Habitat for Humanity GTA Gingerbread Build - The Ultimate Guide to Hosting Your Own Gingerbread Build Holiday Party!

Habitat for Humanity GTA
     Gingerbread Build
 The Ultimate Guide to Hosting Your Own

     Gingerbread Build Holiday Party!

Habitat for Humanity GTA

Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area helps low
-income families across the GTA break the cycle of
poverty by partnering with them to build decent,
affordable homes through a no down-payment and
interest-free mortgage. With the generous support of
donors and volunteers, Habitat GTA has housed over
270 families!

Habitat invites you to make a difference in the lives of
others by taking part in our popular Annual
Gingerbread Build! By purchasing a Habitat GTA
gingerbread house this holiday season, you can help
families living in substandard housing realize their
dreams of home ownership. 100% of all proceeds will
go directly to home building in the Greater Toronto
Area. As children are not permitted on Habitat build
sites, this event offers a way for youth to get involved
with Habitat’s mission of building simple, decent and
affordable houses for families in need.

Yours to decorate and keep, these gorgeous
gingerbread houses represent the true spirit of the
holiday season! Our annual Gingerbread Build is a
fantastic reason to get together with classmates and
colleagues, family and friends, and give back to your
community while building a ‘home sweet home’!

Host Your Own Gingerbread Build Party!
What better way to spend the holidays then hosting a gingerbread party with your classmates
or colleagues, family and friends?

    Home: Make decorating a gingerbread house your new family tradition. Let the kids express
     their creativity as they decorate their own Habitat gingerbread house while learning the
     importance of giving to families in need.
    School: Host a Habitat Gingerbread Build in your school’s gymnasium. Get classmates, parents
     and faculty involved.
    Church and Other Faith Groups: Give back to your community by organizing a Gingerbread
     Build with your church, Sunday school, youth council, Women’s Auxiliary, interfaith committees
     and/or other faith groups.
    Daycare: A great way to meet the parents at your child's daycare! Organize a Gingerbread Build
     with your child's pals and their parents.
    Girls Night: No Kids? No problem! Get the girls together for some Christmas themed cocktails
     and decorate your own gingerbread mansion!
    Sports Team: Need a break from the hockey rink? Create a team building opportunity by
     organizing a Habitat Gingerbread Build for your child's teammates and their families.
    Corporate: Host a gingerbread building competition at your workplace for an amazing team
     building experience!

Steps to Hosting Your Own Gingerbread Build!
1.   Determine the type of gingerbread party you would like to host.
2.   Visit www.habitatgta.ca/gingerbreadbuild or call 416 755 7353 ext. 256 to order your Habitat GTA
     pre-assembled or unassembled gingerbread houses kits at $50 each* (or $45 before November 15
     for groups).
     *Note: Schools and nonprofit groups can pre-order kits and pay post-event if required.
3.   Invite your family, friends, classmates or colleagues to take part by purchasing their kits at $50 each
     ($25 charitable tax receipts can be provided for each kit if name and address provided).
4.   Deck out your Gingerbread Build site (kitchen, living room, office, school gymnasium, church
     basement, etc.) with tons of Christmas or holiday inspired décor.
5.   BUILD!
6.   Follow up with thank you notes to all your supporters! If you raised additional funds for Habitat,
     deliver the donations as soon as possible.
7.   Enjoy looking at (or eating!) your gorgeous Habitat GTA Gingerbread House throughout the holidays.

        Each kit includes:
           8.5” Gingerbread house (unassembled and pre-assembled available)
           Cardboard toolbox stuffed with oodles of candy with lots of colour and variety*
            *Photo is representative only. Candy may vary.
           Two bags of icing
           Two gingerbread cookies (snowman and Christmas tree)
           Foil base and cellophane wrap

Ideas, Tips and Tricks!

Great party ideas:
   Screen your favorite Christmas movie during your
    gingerbread party!
   Add in a caroling karaoke component to your build.
   Create a Christmas themed dessert table with your finished
    gingerbread house as the centerpiece at your annual
    Christmas party.
   Challenge your corporate departments to a Gingerbread
    Build competition! Fundraise further by selling stop work
    orders, candy confiscation passes, and extra decor for a
    premium.
   Once the fun of decorating is done, sell the houses to the
    highest bidder or raffle them of at your corporate holiday
    party.
   Give a Habitat Gingerbread house as a Christmas gift, host
    gift or client gift.
   Check out Pinterest for decorative inspiration.
   Combine your family's gingerbread party with a Secret
    Santa gift exchange.
   Create a hot beverage station and include mulled wine, hot
    apple cider or hot coco.
   Arrange for a visit from Santa!

Ideas, Tips and Tricks!

Gingerbread building at its best:
   Use butcher’s paper during your Gingerbread Build to
    save your table.
   Don’t forget to dress your kids in Christmas aprons so
    they can let their creativity run wild.
   Popping your icing in the microwave for a few seconds
    may make icing your house much easier.
   Do not under estimate the drying time of your icing as
    you build!* If so you could have a wall collapse!
    *Note: you can purchase pre-assembled or unassembled
    kits from Habitat.
   Remember not to over decorate your roof. Too much
    weight might cause a cave in!
   Chex and gum squares are great as roof tiles.
   Create cool holiday lights with almond M&M’s and
    green Mike & Ikes!
   Straight pretzels also make great house siding and
    fences.
   Don’t forget the marshmallows! Marshmallows make
    perfect snowmen!
   Peanut brittle is also handy for walkways.
   Sprinkle icing sugar on the top of your house as you
    finish decorating for that snowy look!

GROUP GINGERBREAD KIT ORDER FORM
  FIRST NAME: ______________________________ LAST NAME: __________________________________________
  Group/Party Name: _______________________________________________________________________________
  ADDRESS: _____________________________CITY:__________________ POSTAL CODE: ____________________

  TELEPHONE: ____________________________________EMAIL: __________________________________________

PLEASE INDICATE NUMBER OF EACH PURCHASE:

 __________ Gingerbread House X $50
                                                                 PAYMENT INFORMATION
 CHOOSE PICKUP TIME:
 o Nov 17 - Nov 21         o Nov 24 - Nov 28                     __ Cheque enclosed (to Habitat for Humanity GTA)
 o Dec 1 - Dec 5           o Dec 8 - Dec 12                      __ Visa    __MasterCard ___AMEX
 o Dec 15 - Dec 19
                                                                 Card number
 CHOOSE PICKUP LOCATION:
                                                                 __________________________________________
 o York Region Office, 449 Eagle Street, Newmarket, ON L3Y 1K7
                                                                 Exp date (mm/yy) __________________________
 o Toronto Office, 155 Bermondsey Road, Toronto, ON M4A 1X9
                                                                 Name on card
 o Brampton Caledon Office, 268 Rutherford Road S. U#5,
                                                                 _________________________________________
 Brampton, ON L6W 3N3

 __________ Gingerbread House for a family living in
 shelter x $50
                                                                    Please return completed form to:

 Your special message to a family living in shelter:                    sally.ding@habitatgta.ca
 ___________________________________________________
 ___________________________________________________
 ___________________________________________________                     10% discount before Nov 15th
 ___________________________________________________                  $25 tax receipt for every purchase.
 ___________________________________________________
                                                                 Questions? Call Sally at 416-755-7353 x 256

 TOTAL NUMBER OF HOUSES: ________
                                                                       Thank You! We will confirm your
 PURCHASE TOTAL:                  $ ________                                     order by email .

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday Season!

We hope you will take part in a long standing Habitat tradition by offering a
hand up to low income families with the purchase of a gingerbread house
today.
Have questions, ideas or comments? We want to hear from you!

                                  Sally Ding
                         Toronto Events Officer

                         sally.ding@habitatgta.ca

                           T: (416) 755 7353 x 256

                                Ashley Culp

         York Region & Brampton-Caledon Events Officer

                       ashley.culp@habitatgta.ca
                           T: (905) 868 8722 x 24