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Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Habitat for Humanity
PO Box 3188 Staunton VA, 24402-3188 located
at: 434 Richmond Road -Staunton Would YOU like to have a simple decent home for your family? Consider the Habitat Homeownership self-help program!
Mary and John Harner add 1st
nails to a project they helped make possible.
Building underway for 2nd Thrivent Builds First nail driven by partner family and land donors June 6, 2009 WAYNESBORO, Va. (June 6)— Last Saturday, construction leaders, volunteers, and Lutheran champions from 18 area Lutheran churches gathered to give thanks and praise for the beginning of the Thrivent Builds Homes project in Waynesboro. The three-bedroom, one-level, handicapped accessible house will soon be home for Virginia Griffin, her daughter Traci and her granddaughter Tara. This new home is possible because of the Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity’s national alliance called Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity.
“We were
fortunate enough to be selected for the second time in this alliance that
helps local Habitat affiliates do more for their area,” said Rhonda
Howdyshell, Executive Director of the Habitat for Humanity program in
Staunton, Augusta and Waynesboro. “With new home construction and
infrastructure costs at $100,000, the alliance helps us provide decent,
affordable homes for more families. It involves a partnership with
Lutherans in our area who will provide volunteer hours and 10 percent of
the funds needed. The national Thrivent Builds Homes program
provides 65 percent of the funding and we, the local Habitat affiliate,
raise the final $25,000, or 25 percent of the project.” Locally, SAW Habitat for Humanity will be building one of the 313 affordable homes through this alliance. The homes will be built by area volunteers – substantially reducing the cost of the home and the amount the family will pay back through an interest free (0 percent) loan – which also substantially reduces the monthly payment. Volunteers on this project will be made up of at least one-half Lutheran church members, and one-fourth Thrivent Financial members. The Habitat partner family is required to invest at least 200 hours of “sweat equity” helping to build their home and another 300 hours on Habitat projects and education. Construction got underway last Saturday (June 6) with the Griffin family and although work started at 7:30 a.m. – all workers paused to commemorate and give thanks for being able to help this family pound their first nails into their own home. But for some special visitors it was a dream realized. Mary and John Harner and Harry and Kathy Harner – donated the land to Habitat for Humanity – so that a family could have a home. Not only special donors to SAW Habitat for Humanity they are members of the Bethany Trinity Lutheran Church in Waynesboro – whose membership played a big part in building the 1st Habitat home in Waynesboro in 1995. Most of the Lutherans working together with the family and Habitat to build this home and support it financially are from the Natural Bridge Chapter of Thrivent Financial. In fact – to date, 98% of the volunteers on the construction site have been a member of a Lutheran church in the Natural Bridge chapter. The chapter includes members from Augusta and Rockbridge counties, plus areas of West Virginia, Rockingham and Nelson counties. Approximately 1,200 Lutherans worship every Sunday in the Natural Bridge Chapter area. “Local Lutherans and Thrivent members are a key ingredient in this project because without them it could not be completed,” said Dean Stenzel, Thrivent Builds Specialist for the Natural Bridge Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. “We need experienced builders, carpenters, laypersons, and people without skills but with an open heart to sign up through their Lutheran churches to assist with the Thrivent Build. All kinds of skills are needed.” Work will continue on Saturdays and on Thursdays until the home is complete. Persons or businesses who want to help on this project that are not involved with a Lutheran church team should contact Ron Blake who is coordinating those volunteers at 540-885-9806 or by e-mail at ron.blake@thrivent.com. # # #
THRIVENT BUILDS 2009 - This home will be built by area volunteers, of whom at least one-half will be Lutheran and one-fourth will be Thrivent Financial members. The Habitat partner family will also invest 500 hours of “sweat equity” helping to build their home. Construction will begin this spring and is expected to continue for four months. “Adequate housing is a basic human need and I am excited to be a part of the national effort that recognizes that need,” said Rhonda Howdyshell, executive director of Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Habitat for Humanity. “Local Lutherans are the key ingredient in this project, without them it can not be completed. We need experienced builders, carpenters, and laypersons to sign up through their Lutheran churches to assist with the Thrivent Build.” Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity brings together two national nonprofit networks of more than 1,600 Habitat affiliates and 1,362 Thrivent volunteer chapters. The need for an effort of this magnitude is great: · ► According to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing in 2007, nearly half of low-income U.S. households—more than 13 million families—pay more than 50 percent of their income on housing. · ► Millions more live in overcrowded conditions or housing with severe physical deficiencies, such as having no hot water, electricity or toilet.
“This chapter project,” said Dean Stenzel, Thrivent Builds
Specialist of Natural Bridge Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans,
“which includes the area of all of Augusta and Rockbridge counties plus
bordering areas of West Virginia and Rockingham and Nelson counties.
Approximately 1200 Lutherans worship every Sunday in the Natural Bridge
Chapter area.
Your
Monthly Gift could help buy:
Read the FALL Newsletter! Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4(Patience... .PDFs take time to load)
HELP WANTED: ReStore Volunteers Need strong volunteers to help pick-up donations on Tuesday or Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Contact us at: Dana@habitatsaw.org
“We build homes, lives, and communities through Faith.” The Staunton-Augusta-Waynesboro Habitat for Humanity is an ecumenically inclusive Christian ministry serving God by bringing people together to build basic, quality, affordable homes with and for God’s people in need. We create partnerships between Habitat homeowners, applicants, committed individuals and groups in our communities, which enable us to build and sell houses at cost through interest free mortgages. We believe that home ownership is life affirming, provides hope, promotes family growth and development, and strengthens communities. Your Work at the ReStore
Sponsor a Habitat Building/Mission Day! (see becoming a volunteer at left!) |
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