Home / News & Publications / Michigan Catholic News / 2009 / Parish members help give a hand up to homeownership in Habitat for Humanity build
Parish members help give a hand up to homeownership in Habitat for Humanity build
by Krisitin Lukowksi of The Michigan Catholic
Published June 26, 2009
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Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic
St. Priscilla Parish, Livonia members Pam Shepley, Ray Strugala and Tom Posner were among hundreds of volunteers working on Habitat for Humanity houses in Detroit and Pontiac. |
Detroit - Through Habitat for Humanity, a person in need gets a hand up to home ownership. But that's only one of the program's many benefits.
Bob Layne, public relations for Habitat for Humanity Detroit, explained that Habitat focuses on geographical areas, so in the process of building homes they also revitalize the neighborhood. "Habitat neighbors know each other and look out for each other," he said. "The concept at Habitat is we're helping individuals, but building a community."
That sense of community was evident last week at this year's Habitat Blitz Build Detroit houses, in the Morningside Commons neighborhood on the east side. People of all faiths gathered to hammer, insulate, install a bathtub, and roof, all for the sake of helping others.
St. Priscilla Parish, Livonia, had a strong presence at one of the houses. A group had recently gone to Biloxi, Miss., to work on Habitat houses, and were grateful for the chance to volunteer closer to home.
"It's extremely rewarding," said Pam Shepley. "We like pounding nails."
Mary Guyette, also a St. Priscilla parishioner, said she appreciated how everyone benefited, whether it's in the form of a new home or meeting people and learning construction skills. "It's just incredibly rewarding," she said. "What I like the most is the chance to meet the people you're actually helping - working side by side with them."
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Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic
Kenyatta Lewis, who soon will be owning a home through Habitat for Humanity, works alongside volunteer Mary Guyette, of St. Priscilla Parish, Livonia. |
In fact, Kenyatta Lewis, a soon-to-be Habitat homeowner putting in her required "sweat equity" hours on the Detroit houses, has been making a point to thank the volunteers for coming out, although she doesn't have a particular house assigned to her yet. She's worked on at least four houses for her hours, with the help of her cousin and proxy, Tamika Simmons, earning hours for Lewis so she and her three daughters can have a place of their own.
"That means a lot to me," Lewis said.
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Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic
Ray Strugala, of St. Priscilla Parish, Livonia, drills in a shower wall in a Habitat for Humanity house in Detroit. |
Layne explained that because Habitat is a Christian-based organization, it draws together people of all races, faiths and creeds, who come together to give low-income, working families not a hand out, but a hand up. This build is part of the Building on Faith campaign, and was expected to include nearly 1,000 volunteers from more than 85 faith communities. Houses in the Ferry Farms neighborhood in Pontiac were also under construction.
In addition to the "sweat equity" hours, some of the 250 hours required for a single parent and 400 for a couple is devoted to becoming educated financially, learning how to do minor home repair, and other classes. The homeowner then purchases the home from Habitat through an interest-free mortgage, and they make a monthly payment to Habitat that includes tax and insurance, in the range of about $600-650 per month - around the same price that many renters pay.
All the homes they build are Energy Star and Michigan Green Build certified, which gives Habitat the opportunity to take advantage of grants for doing so, also helping to keep costs low. A Habitat house can be ready in a few weeks during a blitz build, like this one.
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Kristin Lukowski | The Michigan Catholic
Still working even though already spattered with rain, one volunteer's shirt says it all: "I (heart) volunteering at Habitat for Humanity." |
Sandra Cobb, Habitat's director of volunteer programs and faith relations outreach, said a Habitat home can have anywhere from two to more than a dozen churches working together. "Churches, they get Habitat," she said. "They get that it's important to come outside of the sanctuary."
Even children host penny drives or bring in returnable cans to support Habitat - "They're too young to swing a hammer, but they want to help," she said - and if a church can't donate money, they could donate breakfast and lunch, paper plates, snacks, and other items needed on site. "There's something for everyone to do in a church congregation," she said.
And although people working on the homes may have leadership positions in the Church, they still work alongside the other volunteers, Cobb said. "Once you get started with Habitat, you don't stop," she said.
For more information or to volunteer, visit http://www.habitatoakland.org or www.habitatoakland.org.
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