Over 17,500 students across Canada participated in the Meaning of Home contest, raising $356,000 for the Habitat for Humanity NGO. Students from Grades 4, 5, and 6 submitted poems and stories about what their home means to them.

Students in grades 4, 5, and 6 participated in the annual contest with a 50 to 300-word entry about what their home means to them, along with a $10 donation. The contest offered a $30,000 grand prize for the winners’ local Habitats, and runner-ups received $10,000 for their local Habitat. All winners received a tablet for themselves and a pizza party for their class.

The 2025 event received 2,500 more entries than last year, raising awareness among students about the affordable housing crisis. The funds raised will help build homes for families in need of safe and affordable housing.

Each of the three grand prize winners secured the $30,000 for their communities. The grand prize winners included grade 4 student Mehak K. from Brampton, Ont., for her entry What Home Means to Me; grade 5 student Jocelyn C. from Richmond Hill, Ont., for her entry I found my home, and grade 6 student Ayaan R. from Stoney Creek, Ont., for his entry Home isn’t just a building.

Runner ups included Jana K. of Calgary, Merrigan M. of Dartmouth, N.S., Noreen E. of Mississauga, Hannah M. from Lower Sackville, N.S., Lenora D. from Dartmouth, N.S., Noa B. from Montréal, Alex D. from Stittsville, Ont., Caleb K. from Whitby, Ont., June M. from Burlington, Ont. To read all of the beautifully written winning entries, please visit the Meaning of Home website.

Source: GlobeNewswire