A publication of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity
February 2009
It Takes a Community to Build a Home
New homes are beginning to take shape on Sherman Avenue in Monrovia. So who is building these homes? The fast and easy answer is “SGV Habitat for Humanity,” but the hands behind that easy answer are many. It takes an entire community to build a Habitat home. Habitat homes are made possible by donations from people like you. Currently, SGV Habitat has raised over 80% of what is needed to build these homes. You can help reach the 100% goal by placing your gift in the enclosed envelope and mailing it to SGV Habitat today. Habitat homes are built by volunteers—lots of them. At the top of the list are the Habitat families themselves. Habitat families must contribute 500 hours of “sweat equity” as one of the requirements to qualify to purchase their home. Future homeowner Ray Quiroz is on the site in Monrovia on a regular basis. He was excited to share with his fellow volunteers that his employer has given him one
day off—with pay—each week to complete his hours. Recently a group of future civil engineers from California State University-Los Angeles donated their time to work on the site. They like getting “hands on” opportunities that give them some practical experience to help bring their classroom learning to life. Church, business and service club groups are the organizations that provide the bulk of the volunteers, but individuals are welcome. Construction experience is not required, but volunteers are required to attend an orientation session before coming onto the site. If you would like to help build a home and meet some really great people, please call San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity at 626-792-3838 x17 and ask for Brittany, Volunteer Coordinator.
Photo by Chris Bertrand of the Mountain Views-Observer
Giving A Message from Our Executive Director
Sonja Yates Azusa ReStore Grand Opening Support our mission by donating to and shopping at the ReStore. We are always open to the public. The store sells new and used building materials and other intriguing items at very reasonable prices. Merchandise includes, but is not limited to: • Doors • Windows • Appliances • Cabinets and bookcases • Light fixtures • Sinks • Faucets • Tile • Power tools • Furniture We pick up donations within the San Gabriel Valley. Call 626-387-6900 (Azusa ReStore) or 626-792-3838 x22 (Pasadena ReStore) For a donation receipt to be issued, donated items must be in saleable condition and in good working order.
O
ne of our Board members often says, “I love Habitat!” This simple phrase reflects the joy that you, our organizational leaders, and all of our supporters experience as we work together to help deserving, lowincome families become homeowners. Valentine’s Day is a time when we typically think of cupid and romantic love, but it is also a time to think of love for our fellow men and how we can be instrumental in making lives safer and more fulfilling through the work of Habitat for Humanity. Hopefully, you have seen news coverage of our extension of time for the Pasadena ReStore located at 770 N. Fair Oaks Avenue, 91103. This means we will be operating both the new
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ReStore at 410 S. Irwindale Avenue, Azusa, 91702 and the one you know and love on Fair Oaks in Pasadena. I will keep you informed of the City of Pasadena’s revised plans and time lines that impact how long the Pasadena ReStore will be open. Meanwhile, we are pleased to serve both the eastern and western portions of our San Gabriel Valley service area. Shopping at the ReStores will help you make home repairs while staying within your budget. Your donations of building materials and equipment that are in good condition are always welcome. As we embark upon a new year, I want to extend an invitation for you, your family and friends to take a Habitour to see the progress that is being made on the 11 Kenwood homes in Glendale as well as the four newly started homes on Sherman Avenue in Monrovia. Please call or email me to arrange your Habitour: 626-792-3838 x13 or ed@ sgvhabitat.org. Thank you for continuing to include the gifts of your time and your treasure for the local work of Habitat for Humanity. These gifts are making many remarkable life changes possible thanks to your caring and generosity! With sincere gratitude, Sonja L. Yates
New Board Member
Meet Paul McAnnally-Linz to us with a great deal of energy and enthusiasm for Habitat’s mission to provide decent housing for deserving low-income, working families. Paul shared, “I have been captivated by the work Habitat is doing ever since my graduate school days. Helping people become stakeholders in society through home ownership fits firmly in my religious, political and social convictions. I have been blessed with an abundance of opportunity, resources and energy and believe deeply that those blessings come with the responsibility to give back.”
The newest member on the SGV Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors is Paul McAnnally-Linz, manager of Channel Operations for Xerox Special Information Systems. Paul comes
Paul has put his energy to work at the Sherman site in Monrovia, the community in which he lives. His enthusiasm is infectious, and his willingness to work is inspiring. Welcome, Paul!
New Ecumenical Outreach Coordinator
Meet Amy Amanda Hope Borton, better known as Amy, is the most recent addition to the SGV Habitat for Humanity family, serving as the new Ecumenical Outreach VISTA. She was born and raised in Bakersfield and moved to Azusa in 2004. Amy is a recent graduate of Azusa Pacific University where she received a double B.A. in History and Political Science. After living in the area for four years and becoming familiar with the various religious traditions through church attendance as well as academic study, she is excited about her work for Habitat. To coincide with the opening of our new store, Amy plans to enlarge our partnerships in the eastern valley, especially in Azusa, Monrovia, and Arcadia.
Albertsons Community Partners In order for our affiliate to continue earning funds through this program, our supporters must link or re-link their Albertsons Preferred Savings card to SGV Habitat for Humanity now at: www.albertsonscp.com Please make sure that you have your Preferred Savings card number and our Organization I.D. (49000113440). If you do not know your Preferred Savings Card number, please call 1-877-932-7948.
Deadline
February 28, 2009 Thanks for supporting SGV Habitat for Humanity through Albertsons! Board of Directors Claus Agger-Nielsen Jan C. Berentsen Michael T. Davitt Tom Doud George Garfield Donald W. Goodman Jay Harvill Cindy Heydt
Daric Lee Paul McAnnally-Linz Deborah A. Loveland John Mac Lean Judd Reas Janelle Williams Howard Woo
Staff Executive Director Sonja L. Yates Accountant Sayaka Ota Office Manager Catalina Velez
Special Projects Coordinator Linda Hammes Ecumenical Outreach VISTA Amy Borton
Volunteer Coordinator Brittany Klaassen
ReStore Staff
Aside from her work at Habitat, Amy enjoys reading, spending time with friends, good food, and traveling. She has had a lifelong love for all things Russian, and, in addition to learning the language, she recently spent a month working in neighboring Ukraine and cannot wait to return.
Manager Bill Anderson
Sales David Hill
Assistant Manager Michael Krecker
Cashiers Megan Marotta Micah Hillis Paula Vargas
Driver Ricky Brownlee
Newsletter Editor Michael Schutz San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity 770 N. Fair Oaks Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103 Phone: (626) 792-3838 Fax: (626) 792-7006 400-410 S. Irwindale Avenue, Azusa, CA 91702 ReStore 626-387-6900 www.sgvhabitat.org
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Habitat Youth Are Winners! Two Glendale Habitat home residents, Monserrat Diaz (18) and Silva Hayrikyan (11), recently took top honors in a nationwide art contest sponsored by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). Monserrat and Silva will have their prize-winning depictions of “What Home Means to Me” featured in the NAHRO 2009 calendar. Monserrat shared that her drawing represents “The feeling of peace always in my home, no matter how annoying a house full of teenagers can be.” Silva’s piece is filled with symbolism, and, she notes, “Home means to me more than one can imagine.”
To read more about these talented young women and the contest, please visit our web site at www.sgvhabitat.org. Silva Hayrikyan
Monserrat Diaz
address mailing list: Please e-mail us so we can update our e-mailaddress mailing list: Please e-mail us so we can update our e-mail info@sgvhabitat.org info@sgvhabitat.org Habitat Youth Are Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Ecumenical Outreach VISTA Amy Borton. . . . . . . . 3 Board Member Paul McAnnally-Linz . . . . . . 3 Executive Director’s Message. . . . . . . 2 It Takes a Community to Build a Home. . . . . . . . . . 1
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San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity 770 North Fair Oaks Avenue Pasadena, California 91103
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