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One of the greatest joys in life for David is hosting family and friends at his home.

Whether it’s his mom and dad, his girlfriend Corrine or one of his close friends, there are few things the personable and outgoing David savours more than spending time with those he’s close to.

That’s a big part of the reason why he is eagerly looking forward to moving into the new home he will be sharing with longtime roommates Nathan and Todd beginning later this fall. The three bedroom, 1,200-square-foot bungalow has a spacious kitchen area with an island that is ideal for preparing meals for guests. It also has a well-manicured backyard with a large deck that is perfect for barbecuing or cracking open a cold one in the summer. In addition, the living room features a live edge fireplace and mantel that will be great for hosting people when the temperatures outdoors start to drop.

“I would say I like it better than our old house. I like the new surroundings and the new neighbours here,” David says of the River Heights area house.

The house was purchased by Epic Opportunities this past May thanks to an $80,000 grant from the Epic Opportunities Foundation, the fundraising wing of the not-for-profit agency. It’s the third new home purchase made possible through a grant from the Foundation, which covered the full down payment required to purchase the home. Since the Foundation was established in 2011, Epic Opportunities has purchased nine new homes. In the early days, funds raised by the Foundation did not cover the full portion of a down payment. Now, thanks to the Make a House a Home campaign and the generosity of many loyal contributors, the goal of Epic Opportunities to raise enough funds to purchase 10 new homes is close to becoming a reality.

While admitting he will likely feel a bit of sadness when it comes time to leave the old house he shared with his roommates for nearly a decade, David is excited about the prospect of the three of them having an opportunity to make a “fresh start” in a new location.

Epic Opportunities began looking last October to purchase a new home to replace the rental accommodations the three men previously occupied. They all played key roles in that search, with each providing a list of needs and preferences they would like to see in any new home.

David, who has been supported residentially by Epic Opportunities for nearly 20 years, says one of the things that made the new house so attractive to him is the fact it’s located just a few minutes from his previous home. That means he’ll still be able to shop at all the same stores he already does, use the same bus routes, do all of his banking at his current branch and continue to worship at the same church he has since he first moved into his own place.

And because the new house will be owned by Epic Opportunities, David and his roommates will also have far more say in determining their living arrangements, from choosing how it is furnished to influencing decisions on any renovations that could eventually be required.

“It’s going to be like night and day for them,” Coordinator Mallory Mitchell says of the new house. “They now have a way to really take ownership of the house and decide how they want to make their house look and feel. Now it’s like the sky’s the limit for them.”

Best of all, perhaps, is the fact that David, Nathan and Todd will be able to make those decisions together. They have developed a close bond over the years and consider each other to be brothers.

“We get along pretty well,” David says. “There are times we like to do our own things. But I just like being with them. I enjoy their company.”

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