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Build-A-Thon 2011: Birmingham

23 May

This past week I got the privilege of going to the 2011 Build-A-Thon (BAT) Trip to Birmingham. BAT is an annual event that Habitat for Humanity International puts on for its AmeriCorps and National Service Members. (And it’s AmeriCorps Week, celebrating all the work that AmeriCorps is doing; check out here and here!)Build-A-Thon is a week (or three weeks this year) of building and improving houses all over the country.  This year BAT brought life to neighborhoods is seven different locations around the United States. AmeriCorps were doing everything from hurricane recovery in Mississippi, to rehab in Delaware, to LEED building in Seattle, and to tornado relief in Birmingham.

I had the privilege of heading down to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham and help with Tornado relief and  the Brush With Kindness program.  There were 60 AmeriCorps members from Maine to South Carolina! Over the week we helped over 15 families. It was an amazing time of learning about the successes and challenges that other affiliates face, as well as learning new construction techniques. We also got to witness the destruction of the Tornadoes that came through the area on April 27th, 2011. One neighborhood that was hit is a Habitat neighborhood. Over 20 houses were damaged, some beyond repair. We saw this on Monday, and it was crazy. We helped replace siding on some of these homes that were still standing and had minor damage. Thankfully, not one life of a Habitat Partner was lost.

The other four days of the trip were spent doing A Brush With Kindness projects, such as painting, fixing roofs, and planting flowers.

Overall it was a great trip, and it was great to meet people from all over the country dedicating a year of their life to Habitat. It was so rewarding to meet and help out many families that need assistance!

For more information about other Build-A-Thon projects and to hear more stories check out the BAT 2011 website!

*Habitat for Humanity of Chattanooga is currently hiring for an AmeriCorps Construction worker. If you are interested in this opportunity check out the website to apply! This is a great opportunity to learn more about Habitat while serving the community. (You will also have the awesome opportunity to go to BAT 2012!)

AmeriCorps Week

14 May

A couple of months ago, I talked about what it means to be an AmeriCorps VISTA working for Habitat here in Chattanooga (read the post here!). This week is AmeriCorps Week and we want to celebrate all the work AmeriCorps has done and is doing in this area, the state, and country!

For those of you who don’t understand how AmeriCorps Works, check out this cool graphic. As you can see, AmeriCorps members typically serve at a site (Habitat for Humanity in Chattanooga), which may be one of several sites served by a local AmeriCorps grantee or sponsor organization (Habitat for Humanity International).


Below are some facts and stats on what AmeriCorps Members of working on around the country today! Support Americorps TODAY!  Join! Volunteer!

AmeriCorps Tackles America’s Toughest Problems  

  • Service is a Solution:  More than 83,000 AmeriCorps members improve the lives of millions of our most vulnerable citizens each year.  AmeriCorps’ impacts are proven and measurable.
  • Education:  Most AmeriCorps members are helping youth from disadvantaged backgrounds succeed in school and in life through programs that teach, tutor, mentor, and engage young people in service. Last year, AmeriCorps members mentored, tutored or served more than 2.5 million disadvantaged youth.
  • Economic Opportunity:  VISTA, AmeriCorps’ poverty-fighting program, engages more than 7,000 full-time members each year in fighting poverty – creating businesses, expanding technology access, recruiting literacy volunteers, and strengthening anti-poverty groups.
  • Health:  AmeriCorps members save lives through HIV/AIDS education and outreach; drug and alcohol prevention training; and connecting poor families to health clinics and services.
  • Disasters: From tornadoes and hurricanes to fires and floods, AmeriCorps members have responded to hundreds of natural disasters.  In response to Katrina, more than 17,000 AmeriCorps members have provided 8.5 million hours of service and managed more than 611,000 other volunteers.
  • Environment:  AmeriCorps members build trails, restore parks, protect watersheds, run recycling programs, weatherize homes and support conservation and alternative energy strategies.
  • Veterans and Military Families:  Under the Serve America Act, AmeriCorps is working to engage more veterans in service and to support more programs that meet the needs of veterans as they readjust to civilian life.

AmeriCorps Fast Facts

  • 706,000: Number of people who have served as AmeriCorps members since 1994.
  • 860 Million: Total number of hours served by AmeriCorps members.
  • 2.5 million: Number of disadvantaged youth tutored, mentored, or served by AmeriCorps members in fiscal 2010.
  • 2.6 Million: Number of community volunteers managed or mobilized by AmeriCorps members in 2010.
  • 14,000: Number of nonprofit, faith-based, and community organizations that AmeriCorps members serve with.
  • $480 million Value of cash and in-kind donations leveraged by AmeriCorps members in fiscal 2010.
  • $2 Billion: Total amount of Segal AmeriCorps Education Awards earned by AmeriCorps members.
  • $7.2 Billion: Amount of AmeriCorps funds invested in nonprofit, community, education, and faith-based groups since 1994.

How To Join

Go to AmeriCorps.gov or call 800-942-2677 to get started!

Get Things Done! Join AmeriCorps. Go to AmeriCorps.gov

Spring Tour of Homes – May 12, 2011

5 May

Have you ever wondered what Habitat Houses look like after everything is done?

If so -  come to our Spring Tour of Homes!RSVP TODAY!


Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area Presents:

Spring Tour of Homes

Date: Thursday May 12, 2011

Time: 5:00pm – 6:30pm

Location: The Mill – 1601 Gulf Street Chattanooga, TN 37408

See the new home designs, Meet the Partner Families,

Hear the Vision of the Future

 The event is free, but space is very limited!

For more information, contact Dawn Hjelseth at dstoike@habichatt.org or call 423-756-0507 ext. 16

Office Back Up …

28 Apr

After two days without power, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area’s phones and lights are back on! Our offices and ReStore (both the temporary location in Alton Park, and the construction site) were undamaged.  All of our staff made it through just fine, but our thoughts and prayers are with those of our friends, family and other associates whose homes were damaged or who lost relatives in the storms.

Congratulations to Don and Diane Barnes!

13 Apr

Representatives of many area non-profits gathered last evening at Unum’s Atrium as the United Way of Greater Chattanooga marked National Volunteer Week by recognizing volunteers in our area who make exceptional contributions through service. Faithful Habitat volunteers Don and Diane Barnes received the 2010 Community Volunteers of the Year Award. All of us at Habitat are blessed to know them – they set a tremendous example for all of us to live by!

 

Survey: ReStore Design Workshop

30 Mar

Did you attend a ReStore Design Workshop?

If so, fill out this survey! Tell us what you thought and what you want to see in future Design Workshops! Thanks for you support this year!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/J37C6YC

ReStore Design Workshop Series – Saturday!

18 Mar

Tomorrow, Saturday March 19th, is this year’s last ReStore Design Workshop!

Join us tomorrow at 1pm at the Habitat ReStore to learn how to “ReDesign” Your Recycled Treasures ! Habitat’s own  ReStore Director, Tina Shaw- Cox,  will be leading this workshop!

It is going to be an amazing time. Spread the word. Come. And bring friends.

And did I mention that it is FREE, and you get a 20% off coupon to use for a future purchase at the ReStore?!?!? What a deal!

For more info, check out our Facebook Event or call (423)634-1004

Habitat for Humanity ReStore 

3126 Alton Park Blvd
Chattanooga, TN

Share What You See – HFHI 2011 Photo Contest!

16 Mar

Enter Habitat World’s 2011 photo contest for a chance to help build in Haiti.


The winning photograph from the 2010 Habitat World photo contest
2011 official contest rules, entry instructions and required forms: habitat.org/hw/photo_contest/2011

Last year, hundreds of photographers from around the world entered the inaugural Habitat World photo contest. Their pictures — nearly 650 images were considered by our judges — created a fascinating focus on the importance and vitality of Habitat’s work.

Now that last year’s winner Neil Reid has shared his build experiences from Nepal in New Hope in Nepal, it’s time to officially launch the 2011 contest.

Submit your photos
Once again, show us what Habitat means to you through images that help communicate how Habitat’s mission plays out in your experience: volunteers, families, houses, the need that exists in your community, the change Habitat has helped create.

The grand prize
The contest winner will be awarded a spot as a volunteer at the 2011 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project in Haiti. In addition, photos and statements from the contest winner and top four finalists will be featured in the December 2011 issue of Habitat World and on habitat.org.

How to enter

  • Official contest rules, entry instructions and required permissions forms are available at habitat.org/hw/photo_contest/2011.
  • To enter the contest, e-mail your photo entries to hwphotocontest@habitat.org.
  • Along with each photo entry, attach signed release and consent form(s) from any individual(s) who appear in your submission(s).
  • In the body of your e-mail, include complete photo caption information (who, where, when) for each submitted photo.
  • Be sure that your e-mail includes your name, mailing address and phone number.
  • In order to advance in the competition, you must be able to present proof of a current passport immediately upon request.

Contest deadline
The contest closes at midnight, July 8, Eastern Daylight Time.

Habitat Myth Busters #2 – Habitat is a Land Lord

14 Mar

Today we are debunking a second myth that Habitat hears all the time: We are land-lords.

Fact: Again, this is simply NOT TRUE. As mentioned in the previous post, Habitat homeowners partner with Habitat to purchase their home. Not only do they have to complete 350 hours of service and homeowner education, called sweat equity hours, they also have to pay $2,100 in closing costs. Once those requirements are completed, they sign the papers and they get the keys to their first home! *

The family enters into a 0% interest mortgage usually a 20-30 year period for the cost of the home. The payments are usually much cheaper than the average rent in the area ; which is $711 for a three bedroom. Except for being 0% interest, the mortgages are just like the ones you and I have; payments are due every month and there are consequences for missed payments.

Habitat does give a one-year builders warranty, so if something goes wrong in that first year (with appliances, water heater, and etc) Habitat will work to replace or fix it. However, after that first year, if something breaks or something needs some maintenance– Habitat does not do this. It is up the homeowner to fix it, or hire someone to fix it. They are regular homeowners, and have all the benefits and responsibilities that it entails.

So there you go! Another Habitat myth BUSTED!

Next week we’ll cover the myth that we only serve African American single moms.

*Some of you are wondering if Habitat homeowner can turn around and sell their home to make a profit. We make sure this does not happen by placing a second, forgivable mortgage on the property. For examples, the sales price (appraised value) of a home may be $100,000 with the cost to the homeowner being $75,000. A second mortgage in the amount of $25,000 is placed on the property. For each payment made on the first mortgage, a payment is forgiven on the second mortgage. If the home is sold, the remaining balance on both mortgages becomes due. This prevents the homeowner from making a quick profit on the house and discourages the use of predatory lending services.

Habitat Myth Busters! Myth: Habitat Gives Away FREE Homes.

7 Mar

For the Month of March we are turning in to the Habitat Myth Busters. We want to focus on debunking the many myths out there about Habitat for Humanity. I know there are lots of them, and everyone thinks they know the real habitat – who we help, how we get money, and how we build houses. We are here to shed some light on the truth, and reveal what Habitat truly does and how we truly help.

Here are the most common myths we deal with right here in Chattanooga:

1.        Habitat gives houses away to poor people for free.

2.        Habitat is a land-lord, we help families fix their houses and manage the property.

3.        We only give homes to single African American mothers.

4.        (and out most popular) Habitat house are ugly and reduces the neighborhood’s property values.

Have you always wondered if these were true? Well stay tuned as we reveal the truth about Habitat every week for the next four weeks!  Here goes myth #1:

MYTH #1: Habitat Gives Houses away to poor people for free.

Fact: This is simply NOT true. Habitat for Humanity offers homeownership to families who are unable to obtain conventional house financing. Generally this includes those whose income is 30-50% of Chattanooga’s median income (see the income tables below). Generally speaking, Habitat families make a $2,000 down payment and have to complete 350 hours of sweat equity hours (hours they spend working on their home or another’s home). We also require the families to complete homeownership classes and Dave Ramey’s Financial Peace University coursework. We sell the completed home on a 30-year 0-% interest mortgage once the family has paid the down payment and completed the 350 sweat equity hours.

We are able to do this because we build houses using donations of land, material, and labor. That way the mortgage payments are kept affordable, and under the cost of the Fair-Market-Rent in the area. So, we don’t “give” houses away, we make sure our families are qualified and willing to commit to partnering with us.

Habitat Partner Income Limits:

Household Size Minimum Income Maximum Income
1 person

15,000

23,500
2 people 15,000 26,850
3 people 15,100 30,200
4 people 16,750 33,550
5 people 18,100 36,250
6 people 19,450 38,900
7 people 20,800 41,600
8 people 22,150 44,300

*To find out more info about the qualifications to qualify for a Habitat House in Chattanooga, click here.

 

There you have it! A Habitat Myth exposed! Spread the word!

Next week, we’ll take a look at the myth that Habitat is just a glorified landlord!

 

P.s. If you know a family who meet these basic guidelines and is in need of a simple, safe, and  affordable home, click here to get an application. We are always looking for willing and qualified homeowners!

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