Charity looks to penny for home-building help

The Canadian penny is being discontinued and a northern charity wants to cash-in before it’s gone for good.

Habitat for Humanity North Bay Blue Sky is calling on the public to drop off their pennies at their office.

The organization builds homes for families in need.

Marg Allison is a board member with Habitat for Humanity.

"Well, we're hoping to collect 10 million pennies, because that's what it would take to build a $100,000 home," she said.

Allison said the organization has built four homes in the last five years and isn't funded by the government.

The federal government announced in last week's budget that pennies will stop being distributed in about six months.