Words from Our SESC President

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian mission working in partnership with people of all faiths in our community to build simple and affordable houses for lower-income families in need of a decent place to call home.  

Volunteers are Habitat’s lifeblood and greatest asset.  Everyone is welcome to help our efforts, for by serving others, we believe we are serving God.  No matter the skill, construction or not, Habitat has a place for anyone with the desire to help.

 

Using the old barn-raising concept of neighbor helping neighbor, Habitat uses donations of money and materials to build a house working side by side with the soon-to-be homeowner.  After the house is complete, Habitat sells that house to the new homeowner who has already invested 500 hours of sweat equity into that house.

 

The cost of the house is the actual cost of the construction materials with no added profit.  The no-interest mortgage is held by SESC Habitat with the mortgage payments being used to build the next Habitat house.

 

You know our Habitat partner families.  They are contributing members of our community, fighting hard in today’s economic climate to provide better lives for their children.  These homeowners are of lower-income, not earning enough to save up large down payments or qualify for conventional mortgages through a bank.

 

One of our homeowners used to drive tow truck and was the man you couldn’t wait to see when your car broke down on a busy street.  Since he became a Habitat homeowner, he has taken an even better job.  Another homeowner works for the school system providing sign language and interpretation for deaf students.  A third is a nurse’s aid in a nursing home.  All are working hard to provide a decent place to live for their children.

 

One family lived in an old rented mobile home that was held together by wires wrapped around the four sides.  In the winter, snow drifted in through the cracks in the walls.  Another family was squeezed into a tiny apartment where a bat got in through the ill-fitting screens and bit their little girl.  Yet another had to carry her physically challenged son up a flight of stairs every night to go to bed because there was no handicap accessible place for them to live.

 

The stories are repeated 20 times to date as with your help, SESC Habitat has completed 20 homes and is working on the 21^st.  Over 100 people now live in decent houses because of our work. 

Habitat houses mean dignity, hope and freedom for our families.  These houses change lives for the better, now and in the future.  And that makes all our efforts worthwhile for we all know that there is no place like home … especially when home is safe, decent and affordable.

      

 

Jan Harvey