HabiChat
WINTER 2012
2012 Year in Review | Building Partnerships Volunteering | ReStore | Changing Lives in 2013
Eddie Mayorga and Zoila Galeano share a laugh during a break from painting at their new home.
2012 Year In Review This has been another year of particular challenges and joys. As we navigate the challenges of finding land, recruiting volunteers, and raising funds, our hearts thrill at the knowledge that 10 more wonderful Elkhart County families own a safe, beautiful, energy efficient home. Here are some highlights from our amazing families of 2012. The Mayorga Family—Seeking a better life. Eddie Mayorga and Zoila Galeano immigrated to the United States 20 years ago. “Maybe you’ve heard of what was going on in Guatemala during that time,” he says sadly. “It was very dangerous. It was a bloodbath.” They arrived, Eddie explains simply, seeking a better life. They decided to make their permanent home in Elkhart County, where Eddie found his job at Goshen College 11 years ago. Zoila has worked at her job, at Benteler Automotive, for 7 years. Their youngest son, Nathan (12), is a student in the Goshen school system. Eddie and Zoila, like many hard-
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working families, had never been able to buy a home. “It’s the American dream!” Eddie exclaims. Knowing he was weary of renting, Eddie’s supervisor at Goshen College sent him to a Habitat information meeting. Through the Habitat program, they have worked on other families’ homes, they are a favorite at Habitat’s ReStore, and have spent class time learning about finances and home ownership. A partnership with Goshen College helped raise money and provide volunteers for the Mayorga’s home: T-shirts were sold, proceeds from the popular on-campus event ‘Kick-Off’ were donated to the cause, students and faculty swung hammers and raised walls for the brand new home. Eddie, Zoila, and Nathan envision many happy years of hosting barbeques and holidays in their new home on 12th St.
The Gipson Family—A journey to a better self For Sally Gipson, Habitat is not only the beginning of a new stage of life, but also the culmination of many years of work and bettering herself. She graduated from Soup of Success, a program through Church Community Services designed to empower local women through education and job training. She took parenting classes with RETA (Reason Enough To Act). Just as her new home on Oakland Estates Avenue was finished, she completed her 2 year commitment to Elkhart’s Transitional Housing Program. Sally enjoys her work with young children at Precious Memories, the daycare where she’s worked for 3 years. She hopes someday to run her own childcare operation, and she’s pursuing a degree in early childhood education from IUSB. She and her daughter, Aaliyah (5), look forward to coming home after a long day and spending time together. They attend the Biblical Church of Acts, and get a lot of support from their church family. Sally makes sacrifices in her budget to send Aaliyah to a Christian Montessori school. Her next goal is to enroll her daughter in piano lessons. Sally says, “I am a very blessed woman, because I will be the first one in my family to own a brand new home. I give the honor to God that made this happen.”
The Fisher Heaberlin Family— Moving forward to a fully accessible home Three years ago, Arlene Fisher Heaberlin and her two children, Kaleb (15) and Breighton (10), moved in with Arlene’s parents. Arlene says, “I was unable to work at the time. I had some health issues that forced me to be on bed rest off and on for over 2 years. My parents…were a huge support to me and my kids.” Her growing kids didn’t have much space, so three years later, it was time to move on. “After several surgeries and a long road to recovery, my health is back on track,” Arlene says. “My life is in full speed.” Good health has allowed her to work a job she enjoys, at Salon J in Goshen. “I absolutely love it here,” she says. “I love serving other people and making them feel good. I run the front desk and schedule appointments among other duties.” She says she especially enjoys working with bridal parties.
Arlene, Kaleb, and Breighton Fisher Heaberlin
Arlene’s Habitat home on 6th St in Goshen is completely wheelchair accessible. Arlene uses her chair full time, after a serious car accident 19 years ago. Her new Habitat home is built around her needs, featuring elements such as stepless entries, a wall oven, and a sink she can roll under. She met with Habitat’s Construction Manager to help design her home— one that is livable and comfortable. Arlene says, “Being selected for Habitat has been such a blessing to me! Single parenting can be tough and financially tight. The Habitat family is a God send and making it possible for me to move forward in my life. Without them it would not have been possible for me to own my beautiful home!”
Sally and Aaliyah Gipson
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Habitat by the Numbers
10 15 936 12,814
1,179 $140,000
2 193 $504,000
We served 10 families this year and built homes in Bristol, Elkhart, and Goshen.
There are 15 more children who now have a place to call home in Elkhart County. Did you know that children of homeowners are 20% more likely to graduate from high school1 and 116% more likely to graduate from college2? 936 people volunteered with us this year. Volunteers helped on the build sites, in the ReStore, and in the office.
Those volunteers donated 12,814 hours of service to Habitat.
On average it took 1,179 hours to complete one of our energy effiecent homes.
The ReStore netted approximately $140,000 in profit this year. This is the highest profit margin we have ever had. The ReStore profits built two homes this year.
The ReStore diverted 193 tons of reusable materials from the landfill this year.
We have tithed over $504,000 to Habitat for Humanity Dominican Republic over our 26 year history.
1. Boehm, Thomas P. and Alan Schlottmann, “Does Family Ownership by Parents Have an Economic Impact on Their Children?� Department of Finance, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, 1999. 2. Ibid
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A great group of volunteers from the Walmart on old US 20 pose in front of our Women Build banner.
Building Partnerships We are not able to accomplish our mission of building homes, building hope on our own. It is through our many local and national partnerships that we are able to accomplish our goals. 2012 was a fantastic year that saw us strengthen our existing partnerships along with developing many new ones. For the past couple of years we have been blessed to have a great group of volunteers from the Walmart on old us 20 join us one Saturday a month on the build site. Not only do they volunteer their time on the build site, they graciously donate funds and giftsin-kind on a regular basis.
Signtech Sign Services, located in Goshen, has provided signage and consultation over the years. This past year they have been especially helpful in producing our new sold signs for each new Habitat home, vehicle graphics, and signage for the office & ReStore. We are so thankful to all of our great partners for their help in building homes, building hope throughout Elkhart County. Thank You!
For 25 years, HomeCrest Cabinets donated all of the cabinets for our new home constructions. That is 150 houses at a value of over $100,000. That is a lot of cabinets! They have also donated cabinet fronts, drawer boxes, and other items to the ReStore. Since 1999, the Whirlpool Corporation has donated a range and an energy star qualified refrigerator to every Habitat home built in North America. We have built 69 homes in Elkhart County since the partnership began, at a value of over $1,000 a house.
Bill Burton (right), 1st Source Bank Regional President, presents a $10,000 check to Tom McArthur (left), Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, to help us build homes and build hope throughout Elkhart County.
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Giving the Gift of Hope We want to thank and recognize all of our donors and partners who gave to Habitat over this past year. Businesses & Organizations 1st Source Bank Anco Products, Inc. Atwood Mobile Products Babsco Electric Supply, Elkhart BAEC - Homebuilders Assn. of Elkhart County Borkholder Buildings & Supply Brads-Ko Engineering & Surveying CertainTeed Construction Design by Rodman Cook Heating & Air Conditioning Coravent Crystal Valley Exchange Club Do-It-Best DOW Chemical Dutch Maid Bakery Elkhart Bicycle Shop Elkhart County Community Foundation Elkhart General Hospital Family Bicycle Center, Inc. Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis Federated Media Fidler Family Fund First State Bank, Middlebury Geocel Goshen College Heritage Financial Group, Inc Hochstedler Home Improvements Homan Lumber Mart HomeCrest Cabinets Hunter Douglas Inova Federal Credit Union IU Health Goshen JB Products J & N Stone JR Weber Company Kingman Mobile Storage Kramer Appraisal Services LaSalle Bristol Lefever Plumbing & Heating Lowe’s of Elkhart Lowe’s of Goshen Martin’s Pet & Garden McGladrey Meijer, Inc. Mid-City Supply Company, Inc Momper Installed Building Products Mutual Bank NIBCO Palmer’s Damp-Proofing, Inc. Pizza Depot Old National Bank Foundation OmniSource Corporation Rain Drain Seamless Guttering Real Services Rick’s Landscaping Signtech Sign Services Square D by Schneider Electric Steve Miller Plumbing
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Thorne Grodnik LLP United Way of Elkhart Valspar Verizon Wireless Wakarusa Lions Club Walmart Whirlpool Corporation Woodforest National Bank Yale Yellow Creek Gravel Services Yoder, Ainlay, Ulmer & Buckingham, LLP Church Partners Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship Clinton Frame Mennonite Church Community Church of Waterford Faith United Methodist Church First Mennonite Church of Middlebury First UMC of Elkhart First United Church of Christ Evangelical & Reformed Forks Mennonite Church Goshen City Church of the Brethren Holdeman Mennonite Church Middlebury Church of the Brethren, Inc. New Paris Church of the Brethren St. Johns United Church of Christ St. Mark’s UMC Women St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church Trinity United Methodist Church Wakarusa United Methodist Church Waterford Mennonite Church Yellow Creek Mennonite Church Individuals John E. Alter Jamie Alvarez Anonymous Brian Bailey Diane Banic Stephen & Jean Barton L. Merlin & Eileen Becker-Hoover Laura Benedict Katherine H. Bennett Jay E. Benson Misi Bickel Mary Biddle Allan & Marie Blunt John C. & Tina W. Bohn Elvie O. & Ruby Joan Bontrager Galen & Gladys Bontrager Marion L. Bontrager Larry & Marjorie Brandeberry Kristin Brandon Chad Brich John & Barbara Brumbaugh Gretchen Brunett Rebecca Burger Germaine Burns
Tony Burns Jeff & Jill Byrket Jim & Pamela Byron Ted M. & Beverly H. Cafferty Ryan Carlson Elizabeth Guedea Carreno Hermilo & Elizabeth Guedea Carreno James & Janice Carrico William E. & Ida M. Cavanaugh James & Anke Chandler Karen Church Mark Clark Donald G. & Marie G. Clemens Deborah Coch Steven Cooper Frances Copeland Lori Copsey Pam Creed Gerald Croop Richard & Mary Davis Esther Deal Leon A. & Janice E. Dean Margaret Delucenay Rhonda DeVreis Manuel & Sylvia Rocio Diaz Mark & Barbara Dicken Kristen & Nathan Dinges Joseph Dits Mary Ellyn & Thomas Donnell Amy Dresser BJ Eaglesfield Audrey Eash Brent A. & Heidi Eash Roger & Miriam Eberly Tom & Sara Elkin Jan O. Emswiler & Kajungu S. Mturi Ed Erickson & Martha Randall Barbara & Brad Ernsberger Retha Jane Swihart Farrell Dawn & Rob Fisher Michael & Debra Flowers Robert E. & Sara R. Frey Gene & Luetta Friesen Douglas M. & Sandra S. Friesen Paul W. & Rosemary Fry Kathy Gangwer John Gardner James L. & Lila Gascho Ned Anthony Geiser & Marie Harnish Michael Gerndt Karen Geswein Sandy Gettle Heather R. & Wesley Goertzen Walter & Jane Golden Adeline & Samuel Graber Daniel J. & Mary Graber Danny S. Graber & Rhonda Lou Yoder Deborah Gravender Elizabeth Griffinski
Kyle Hannon Dan Hanson Leonard & Loanne Harms Laurene Harneck Rachel M. Hartzler Cheryl Hastings Mervin R. & Sharon L. Helmuth Carole R. Herbon Rebecca Hernandez Joe Hettle Gary Hochstedler DeVon Hoffman James E. & Judianne Hollinger Robert & Edna Homan James D. & Sandra J. Hostetler Richard & Judy Houston Eugene & Barbara Hungate Dean & Ruth Hupp Gerald R. & Glenda G. Hurst Beth & Don Huss Donald Impey David & Cynthia Janzen Marlin Jeschke Allan J. Kauffman & Carol J. Miller Armon & Bernie Kauffman Jordan A. & Christa Graber Kauffman Mike & Laramie Keim Chad Kelley & Lisa Kauffman Dennis & Patricia Kelly Tanya Kempton John R. & Evelyn B. King Claramae L. Klink Megan Kolaczyk Don L. & Jurate Krabill Christine Kralovansky Debra Kreighbaum George A. & Marilyn Krueger Mark Kruszynski Bill & Kathy Kuehne Mary Lackore Jane M. Lehman Merritt & Dierra Lehman Sanford & Gay Lehman Emily Leinbach L. Glenn & Vera Leinbach Russel A. & Marjorie Liechty Diana Likely Gary M. & Ann A. O. Linley R. Scott Litwiller Melvin J. & Elfrieda R. Loewen Marty Long Rosealene Long Alton K. & Lois M. Longenecker Benito Lopez Mike Lureman Steve & Jean Lynn Kathy Mack Arlene & George Mark Bob Marshall Cynthia Marshall Kathleen Marshall Armand & Virginia Martin Lois Martin Tom & Deb McArthur Maurice & Sandra McCally Anita McClain
Daniel McConnell Mark Melnick Ric & Joyce A. Menchinger Dan Metzger Kathryn & Paul Meyer Reimer Jim Meyers Kevin & Linda Michaelis Dennis & Diane Miller Galen & Pauline Miller Jeffrey L. & Kaylene L. Miller Lynn J. & Darlene K. Miller Steven & Janell Miller William F. & Phyllis J. Miller Jeremy Montgomery G. Lynn & Linda S. Morris Lewis Naylor Jeff & Linda Niespodziany Eldon Nifong Kenneth Nifong John M. & Lisa J. Nussbaum Cheryl M. Owens Richard & Margaret Oyer Jim Pankow Chester R. & Ruth A. Peachey Sharon & John Pillow Jeremy & Christin Pinckert Julio & Julian Pinilla William D & Rosemary Pletcher David W. & Karen Powell James Powell Molly Prime Irene Rakochy Phillip & Rebecca Ramer Jim & Mary Rasp Rodney & Rosemary Reschly E. Dean & Becky Rhodes Richard A. Rice, Jr. Richard Rice Terri E. & Bob Rickel James & Sydney Rieckhoff Duane & Ellen Riegsecker Dennis W. & Alice A. Risser Tammy & Steve Robison Tom & Anne Rogers Tracy Rolle Willard E. & Alice M. Roth Michael Rozelle Michael D. & Carolyn J. Schaffer Andrew & Karen Scheidel Kyle Schlabach & Jessica Baldanzi Vyron & Elvina Schmidt Rhoda M. Schrag Philip & Laura Schwartz Konrad A. & Brenda Seifert Gerald H. Shaffer Steven & Kathryn M. Shantz Jay & Kristina Slabach Delwyn & Karissa Shrock Brian J. & Lauri J. Smith Craig & Joan Smith Vaughn Smith Warren Smock Robert & Ada Souder Wayne Sousley Joseph A. Springer & Joann Brant Talmage H. St Clair
Loren & Miriam Stauffer Josephine Steele Roy L. & Phyllis Stern Jeff & Tonja Stern-Gilbert Jill Stitt Ellen Stoltzfus Timothy & Donna B. Stoltzfus Floie Stouder James & Margaret Stover Richard Sullivan Lela Sutter William A. Thorne Nancy Tibbett Cosette Torrance Diane & Bill Trethewey Angela Troyer Ora S. & Mary L. Troyer Randall Troyer Irene & Ron Twedt Michael & Laura Vance Michael L. & Patricia A. Vanderveer Charles H. & Vivian J. Vetter Dr. Thomas M. & Joan Vidic Gary Vincent Pam Warner & Cathleen Heator Susan & Ian Wells Karen R. Wesdorp David Wieand Jonathan & Mary Ann Wieand Brian & Brenda Wiebe Lynn Wigley Terry Wiley Mark Willard Kristina Williams Jerry & Ruth Ann Wittrig Candi Wright John Wu Michael Yeakey Delvon Yoder Doug & Vicki Yoder Gordon R. & Esther A. Yoder Harold L. & Eileen Yoder Ken R. & Ferne Yoder Kenneth E. & Anna Mary Yoder L. Douglas & Janette Yoder Mildred Yoder Richard & Diane C. Yoder Richard L. & Marilyn S. Yoder
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IU Health Goshen staff built walls with the Romero Family in their parking lot this summer.
Volunteering Volunteers are the backbone of Habitat for Humanity We rely on financial donations, and grants to help supplement some of the cost of building a home. But it is our volunteers’ many donated hours of labor that completes the job of building homes for those who could not otherwise afford a permanent home. Did you know that Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County has only two staff members dedicated to construction? Two staffers along with 100 volunteers donating 1,000 hours build a new house in Elkhart County every five weeks! Goshen College students and staff have put in almost 800 hours this year, and the year is not done yet. They have come out to build at various times
throughout the year, whether it was for one of their own, the Mayorga family, or several other families deserving of their time and talent. We laud the students and staff from Goshen College for their giving spirit. Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County has many ways to volunteer: construction sites, in our ReStore, in the office, making a meal for volunteers on construction sites on a Saturday. It is so easy and fulfilling to volunteer. No experience is necessary. Our construction staff will teach you building skills. Our ReStore staff will guide you to what needs to be done in the store. Once you volunteer you will love the experience, and go home feeling, “I accomplished something great today.” For upcoming volunteer opportunities, call our Community Volunteer Coodinator, Molly Prime, 574-533-6109, or email her at molly@habitatec.com. Volunteering will change your life in a positive way! It is a gift that keeps on giving!
Students and staff from The Crossing work with us two days a week learning construction skills and life skills in helping others.
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Annette Webb, a regular ReStore customer, created a beautiful tile mosaic on an old claw foot tub with materials from the ReStore.
ReStore It has been a year full of donations, 50% off sales, in-store improvements, and RePurposing Thanks to the hard work of our ReStore staff led by Carol Walker, ReStore manager, we have increased donations and sales to record levels. Donations of furniture, tile, flooring, and garden materials have steadily gone up this year. With an increase in corporate and individual donations we are now building two homes a year with the sales proceeds. Along with our normal quarterly 50% off sales we added six 50% off sales to our Fall period. If you haven’t been to a 50% off sale you should come on out to our next one. It is truly a unique experience. Don’t know when we are having our sales? Check out this link to sign up for our monthly e-newsletter (http://eepurl.com/jnGH1). We have also stepped up our marketing efforts so our donors, customers, volunteers, and the community at large are informed of what is going on here. We are actively posting photos of our latest and unique donations that come in to our Facebook page on a regular basis. We have been inspired by the unbelievable creativity that our customers have been sharing with us through their repurposing projects. We love seeing
people reusing and repurposing materials instead of throwing them into the waste streams. Pinterest has become a great place for repurposing inspiration for lots of customers. Take a look at our growing feast of repurposing ideas at our Pinterest page (www.pinterest.com/ habitatec). We have come to realize that we need more help to continue to grow our ReStore. We are looking for people willing to be cashiers, repurposers, donation intake specialists, and customer service specialists. If you have any interest please contact Molly Prime, volunteer coordinator, at 533-6109.
Our building facade received a much needed face lift with some blue and green paint and a new sign.
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Beardsley Bulldog Crossing 900 volunteers will build 9 homes worth $1,000,000 in Elkhart in 2013. 900 volunteers will build 9 homes worth $1,000,000 in Elkhart in 2013. Most importantly, 9 new families will have a place to call home. Homes that they will help to build; homes with mortgages paying property taxes into the community; and homes offering the safety and security that we all seek in our neighborhoods. Beardsley Bulldog Crossing is the site of our new 9-house development, across the street from Beardsley Elementary School in Elkhart. The neighborhood’s old, abandoned parking lot will soon become a bustling development with
Beardsley Elementary School is located acrossed the intersection of Beardsley Bulldog Crossing.
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nine (9) new homeowner families in nine (9) new houses. Beardsley Elementary, home of the “Beardsley Bulldogs”, provides a large open playground for all of the neighborhood children. We love this location for our families – not only is the school across the street, but bike paths, High Dive Park, Kroger’s & Martin’s grocery stores, the Riverwalk, fishing on the upper St. Joe river and the Trolley bus line are all within easy walks of the neighborhood. Join us in our drive to eliminate poverty housing. We need church groups, large and small sponsors, companies donating labor for a day, women for the “Women Build” house and everyone wanting to be part of building the Beardsley Bulldog community. For more information, call Tom McArthur, Executive Director at (574) 533-6109.
Larinda Davis and her two children, Adoniss and Amyia, outside their new home in June.
Changing Lives in 2013 More families are in need of a hand up and not a hand out. Help. While Beardsley Bulldog Crossing is a major initiative of ours in 2013, we have other families in need of healthy, affordable housing. For example, we have a family of 10 (mom, dad, grandmother and 7 children) renting a 4 bedroom house with lead-based paint throughout the house and mold in the bathrooms, kitchen and basement. We have to get them out of that situation. The parents have already earned nearly 300 hours of sweat equity in our program by attending Financial Peace University and by helping to build several homes with other Habitat families. But their house will cost around $75,000 to build and we only have $25,000 saved for it. The good news is that a building lot is about to be donated to us but we’re too short on cash to get started. Calling all Guardian Angels. A $50,000 check would obviously make life a lot easier for us but we also like matching or challenge grants whereby the donor promises an amount if we can raise an equivalent amount from other donors. Can you help? A family of 10 living
in deplorable conditions is anxious to build a healthy home of their own. And they are only one of our 15 families who are earning their sweat equity hours and hoping to build in the near future. We are continuing our march toward eliminating poverty housing in our communities. Enclosed is a donation envelope and please call me if you would like to discuss other ways to help. Wishing you continued blessings, Tom McArthur, Executive Director (533-6109) P.S. Please remember that our families earn their way into their homes with their sweat equity hours and a 1% down payment and then pay for their homes with a 20-year, 0% interest mortgage.
“Our families earn their way into their homes with sweat equity hours, a 1% down payment, and then pay of their homes with a 20-year, 0% interest mortgage.” 11
Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County, Inc. 2526 Peddlers Village Rd, P.O. Box 950 Goshen, IN 46527
NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
PAID GOSHEN, IN PERMIT #81
Return Service Requested
Habitat Staff Tom McArthur Executive Director
Betty Hochstedler Accounting & Construction Services
Edna Homan Office Manager
Audrey Eash Family Services Director
Becky Bateman Grants & Mortgage Documents Admin.
Molly Prime Community Volunteer Coordinator/Faith Relations
Jordan Kauffman Marketing & Community Outreach Coordinator (AmeriCorps)
Carol Walker ReStore Manager
Debra Marks ReStore Assistant Manager
Jay Stahly ReStore Driver & Associate
Merritt Baxter ReStore Associate
Aaron Lehman Constructrion Manager
Duffy Sherman Construction Supervisor
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(574) 533-6109 www.habitatec.com
Front cover: Bill Born, VP of Student Life at Goshen College, and Mohammad Rassoulipour, Goshen College student, setting a truss on the Mayorga’s home.
IA N A H A BIC
Designed by an AmeriCorps member
Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County, Inc. is a non–profit organization working in parternership with God and people from all walks of life to build quality, sustainable, and affordable homes in which people can live and grow into all God intends.