A publication of San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity
April/May 2009
A Place Called Home Azat Ter-Matevosyan cannot squeeze into the kitchen to get a soda from the refrigerator when his wife, Lusine, is washing dishes. The kitchen is so narrow that he and she are “cheek to cheek.” They live in Glendale in a one-bedroom, one-bath studio apartment with their two children. Art, is three years old, and Christine, is six. The children have slept in bunk beds in the only bedroom for the last three years. Azat and Lusine sleep on the lumpy, uncomfortable hide-abed in the living room. All four of them share the only closet in the bedroom, and when it is opened, there is apprehension because things have to be piled on top of each other and come tumbling out. In 2005, Azat and Lusine saw an ad on television about applying for a Habitat home. They applied for one of the Palmer homes, but were denied. Giving up was
not an option. In 2007 they tried again having more understanding of the terms and the process. On January 8, 2008, there was a note on the door for some papers to be signed. At the appointed time, the door was open because they were expecting one person. Soon, they could hear the shuffling of many steps. Azat thought, “Why are so many people coming for one signature?” At the door stood the entire selection team from Habitat with a beautiful bouquet of flowers telling them they had been selected to purchase a home of their own. Azat stood speechless and frozen from shock. Lusine exclaimed, “Say something! She’s holding the flowers!” Azat rarely has no words, but on this day he was mute and in a daze. He thought he was in a dream and just sat in silence. In his mind he thought, “With all the hundreds of
families applying I feel that I’ve found a treasure and don’t want to let it go. I just want to squeeze it to my chest.” That night they could not sleep and kept saying to each other, “Did you realize what just happened today?” They knew in that brief moment their lives would forever be changed. Now, they will own this very precious treasure. Lusine kept a single red flower from the bouquet to remind her of this unforgettable, most memorable day in their lives. They believe that owning a home will create a strong foundation for their young family. Azat strongly feels that you earn it and then want to protect it. “Every night when you come home from work, you can rest and relax knowing that you and your family have a secure future. The children will absorb that feeling of Continued on page 3 1
Board of Directors Claus Agger-Nielsen Jan C. Berensten Michael T. Davitt Tom Doud Geroge Garfield Donald W. Goodman Jay Harvill Cindy Heydt
Staff
Daric Lee Paul McAnnally-Linz Deborah A. Loveland John Mac Lean Judd Read Janelle Williams Howard Woo
Executive Director Sonja L. Yates
Accountant Sayaka Ota
Volunteer Coordinator Brittany Klaassen
Office Manager Catalina Velez
Special Projects Coordinator Linda Hammes
Ecumenical Outreach VISTA Amy Borton
ReStore Staff
Manager Bill Anderson Assistant Manager Michael Krecker Drivers Ricky Brownlee Jose Gonzalez
A Message From Our Board President
Sales Craig Chew David Hill Cashiers Megan Marotta Micah Hillis Paula Vargas
Newsletter Editor: Michael Schutz Reporter: Linda Magarian
San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity 400 South Irwindale, Azusa CA 91702 Tel: 626-387-6899 Fax: 626-387-6890 www.sgvhabitat.org
Spring is upon us—the season of new life and growth. SGV Habitat for Humanity celebrates the season in many ways. We are currently building 15 new, affordable homes for 15 hard-working, low income and deserving families. Drywall is going up at the Kenwood site in Glendale and framing is in place on Sherman Avenue in Monrovia. Recently, SGV Habitat for Humanity Board members volunteered at both sites. It was a great opportunity to meet other volunteers, including members of the families who will be living in the homes. We celebrate, too, the dedicated volunteers, Ann Dougherty and Carol Martin, who have just completed
service on our Board of Directors. Does that mean they have completed their volunteering days for SGV Habitat for Humanity? Oh, no! Ann gives her time in many ways, including conducting orientation for new Board members and assisting in the ReStore. Carol heads up our Volunteer Committee and helps organize special events. We will celebrate the many ways in which people give of themselves and their time with our annual Volunteer Recognition event on Sunday, May 3. Outstanding volunteers—construction workers, Board members, committee members, home buyers. This is the time we celebrate the recipient of the Ace Cain Humanitarian Award, which honors the memory of John ”Ace” Cain, a founder of SGV Habitat for Humanity, and the prime moving force that set us on the path we follow today. You can join this wonderful group of Habitat volunteers. Use your heart and hands to build affordable homes by calling our Volunteer Coordinator, Brittany Klaassen, at 626-387-6899 x17, or by signing up on our website: www.sgvhabitat.org. Jan Berentsen
SGV Habitat ReStores–Donate! Save! The opening of the new ReStore in Azusa is off to a great start. The ribbon cutting ceremony in March was a terrific event for the new location of both our office and ReStore. Word of the new location is getting out. Local customers are finding the value of what we offer, and more volunteers are dedicating their time to help the new ReStore continue its growth. It has been exciting thus far, and both ReStores are experiencing brisk sales. We continue to celebrate the ReStores’ contributions to Habitat’s mission. Another significant change for SGV Habitat’s Pasadena ReStore is that 2
it is now open on Mondays! That means both the Azusa and Pasadena ReStores are open Monday-Friday from 9-5. We believe this new convenience will benefit our customers as well as Habitat. Thanks for supporting Habitat through the ReStores. If you haven’t had a chance to come check us out, we hope to see you soon. Our Restore Locations: Azusa ReStore 410 S. Irwindale Ave, Azusa CA 91702 626-387-6900 Pasadena ReStore 770 N. Fair Oaks, Pasadena CA 91106 626-792-3838 x22
Continued from page 1 security, and this can give the entire family memories to cherish.” Azat has been the sales manager for Just Tires for the past six years. His wife, Lusine, is a food server for Windsor Manor, a retirement home in Glendale. Both Azat and Lusine immigrated to the U.S. from Yeravan, Armenia. Azat came in 1990. Lusine was visiting a friend here in 1998 when she met Azat, and eventually they married. In Armenia music is emphasized for all children. Azat is able to play the accordion and Lusine plays the piano. For Azat, music is calming and makes his heart brighter. “Your mind is cleansed and problems can be solved,” he says. Even though they value music, they want their children to have the freedom to choose their hobbies and develop their own interests. Christine is excited to have her very own pink bedroom. She wants to know how big the house will be and keeps asking about the progress. Art hopes to have a Spiderman bed in his bedroom. When Azat works to help fulfill his
family’s required 500 Sweat Equity hours, he feels energized because he is learning so much about construction. As he works side-by-side with the volunteers, he feels grateful and appreciates their dedication because they are giving from their hearts. When his house is finished, he will help build a home for another family. He feels that when your children see your example, it will teach them to give back. All the families at Kenwood will have affordable, interest-free mortgages. Azat feels there will be a community of people who have worked together and will have respect for each other. This will create a solid neighborhood for the families. He states, “Building my own home feels powerful. It makes you feel that you want to come home. I have a place for my family we can now call OUR HOME.”
If this story moved you, please consider helping other very qualified, working, but low-income families to achieve the dream of home ownership by donating money, time, or materials to SGV Habitat for Humanity. Donate online at www.sgvhabitat.org or use the enclosed envelope.
Name San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity as a Beneficiary Several years ago a woman established a charitable trust and named San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity as its beneficiary. When she died, we were given over $200,000! Her legacy gift made construction of two more Habitat homes a reality—one in Glendale and one in Monrovia. So if you want to continue supporting SGV Habitat for Humanity after your death, please consider making it a beneficiary of your will or trust. We can assist you in writing the appropriate documents. Be sure to keep the originals of all your necessary estate planning paperwork in a safe deposit box with copies at home. In addition to your will or trust and will, be sure the following are included: Documents to help beneficiaries locate all assets passing to them, such as deeds for real property, life insurance
policies, IRA’s and annuities, where you have bank accounts, and copies of account statements; The names and addresses of: your executor and trustee; financial advisor; tax preparer; the individual(s) named as the attorney(s)-in-fact on your medical and financial powers of attorney; the law firm and attorney who drafted your will or trust and will; Beneficiary designation forms for your retirement accounts, along with year- end statements, and a listing of where you have accounts and what types.
Find SGV Habitat Online! Facebook: search for “San Gabriel Valley Habitat” Myspace: add us at www.myspace.com/SGVHabitat Flickr: find us at www.flickr.com/photos/sgvhabitat
Meet our Volunteer Coordinator
Brittany Klaassen, our new Volunteer Coordinator, recently started working at San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. She is a talented and enthusiastic graduate of Azusa Pacific University, who is also a graphic designer. Brittany enjoys using her exceptional organizational skills to engage volunteers in all aspects of Habitat for Humanity work. She recruits, orients and schedules volunteers for the construction sites, the two ReStores, and other needs and venues requiring volunteers. She is excited about matching the right volunteer with the right opportunity. Brittany has been volunteering most of her life, beginning at age three when she and her family picked up highway trash with the Optimist Club. Her volunteer activities grew since that early start, so becoming the Volunteer Coordinator at SGV Habitat for Humanity is a perfect fit for her and for our affiliate. If you would like to become a volunteer for SGV Habitat for Humanity, please contact Brittany at 626-387-6899 x17 or volunteernow@sgvhabitat.org.
Blogspot: follow us at SanGabrielValleyHabitat blogspot.com Twitter: read our tweets at twitter.com/sgvhabitat Bookmark our website: www.sgvhabitat.org 3
Forklift Use Donation buying or leasing another forklift was too costly for a start-up operation. ToyotaLift of Los Angeles located in Santa Fe Springs, came to our rescue by donating use of a forklift for three months, including free delivery at the Azusa ReStore and pickup. The value of the donation was about $3,200. Bill Anderson, Restore Manager declared, “Having this forklift made the job so much easier and quicker. And it was a pleasure to use such a high quality machine with easy maneuverability.” We gratefully thank Toyota-Lift of Los Angeles for this very generous donation. To set up the new Azusa ReStore, we had to move a huge amount of merchandise from our Pasadena Restore along with receiving large direct donations in Azusa. We could load the
things on a truck at the Pasadena Restore using our existing forklift, acquired through a grant in 2004, but we needed another forklift in Azusa to unload and place things in the new store. Renting,
“Having the use of this forklift made it possible to open a fully stocked ReStore in Azusa.” Bill Anderson ReStore Manager
Please e-mail us so we can update our e-mail address mailing list: info@sgvhabitat.org 4
Thanks to Toyota-Lift
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Legacy Giving
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Volunteer Coordinator Brittany Klaassen
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Habitat ReStores
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Board President’s Message
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A Place Called Home
Inside: San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity 400 South Irwindale Azusa, CA 91702
NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID PASADENA, CA PERMIT NO. 224