Dear Habitat Supporter,
Welcome to the April edition of the Habitat Update! The Habitat
Update functions as a way to improve communication about the goings-on
of Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County, and will be sent once
a month. If you have information to send to others as part of
the Update, or would like to make a suggestion in regard to the
content or style of the update, please contact me (m.martin@habitatbucks.org
or 215.348.2204 x306).
The April Habitat Update is also available to view online at
www.habitatbucks.org/update200704.asp.
Read up on previous news at www.habitatbucks.org/update.asp.
If you prefer to have a hard copy version sent to you or would
not like to be included on this distribution list, please respond
stating your preference.
Take Care!
Mikaela
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
APRIL 2007 UPDATE
• CONSTRUCTION VOLUNTEER OF
THE MONTH: Mandy Fetter
• GROUPS ON SITE:
Careerbuilder.com, Cowan & Associates, Inc., Doylestown
United Methodist Church, Women Build, US Navy, Bucks County Intermediate
Unit
• GROUPS PROVIDING LUNCHES:
Groups Providing Lunch: Careerbuilder.com, Deb Alexander,
Blooming Glen Mennonite Church, Ridge Valley United Church or
Christ
• NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS
LOGGED AT EMERALD HOLLOW TO DATE: 90,706
• NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS AT EMERALD
HOLLOW TO DATE: 10,148
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
REACHING OUT…
As you may have heard, Habitat needs your help now, more
than ever. As reported by the Morning Call,
Habitat has experienced a “64 percent plunge” in donations
since 2002 (Habitat scrambles to keep building, Apr.
24). Considering that over 10,000 volunteer hours have been logged
at Emerald Hollow surely this drop in donations is not an indication
of lack of support for Habitat’s work! As you know, volunteer
hours aren’t all Habitat needs to build; our homes also
require funding and the affiliate requires advocacy (we like to
call this Act! Give! Share!). Habitat does not
sustain itself on government grants, but depends strictly
on the generosity and commitment of neighbors and partner families
to provide the necessary resources to make safe, affordable housing
a matter of conscience and action in our community. It relies
on the citizens of Bucks County to take action, give funds
and spread the word about the affordable housing crisis
in our wealthy community. With an estimated 26,000 Bucks County
residents living in substandard housing, we must
rally together the money and action needed to sustain the mission
of Habitat. Please, visit our website today to make a donation
(habitatbucks.org/donate.asp), and
then tell a friend what Habitat means to you. Every dollar
and every conversation helps. Help Habitat keep building!
Volunteers are needed to work at the Habitat office in New Britain
entering information into an Excel database! This is a one-time
data entry project to input donor information into an electronic
formal. Basic keyboarding skills are required, all other training
is provided; very flexible time commitment. For more information,
contact Laura at l.mcclellan@habitatbucks.org
or x302.
We need trees and shrubs! Are you a landscaper? Work at a nursery?
We need your help! As our building project winds down at Emerald
Hollow, we need to start planting to make the outdoor space feel
as good as the indoor space. Contact Trish Schoor for more details
and how you can help at t.schoor@habitatbucks.org
or x303.
WELCOMING…
Stephen Maina and Mary Kamau purchased their Emerald Hollow home
on Mon., Apr. 23. They moved into their new home with their daughter,
Saritah, shortly afterwards from a one-bedroom apartment in Quakertown.
Welcome to the world of homeownership, Stephen and Mary!
ON SITE…
The final home in Cluster 12 settled in late April, and with the
exception of some landscaping the cluster is complete. Framing
is finished on Cluster 11, and drywall installation has begun
in the first home. The second home has been insulated and drywall
installation will begin next month. Roofing is almost complete
on the final two homes.
Cluster 10 footers have been poured, and volunteers have begun
foundation work and laying block for the homes. The storage barn
adjacent to Cluster 10 has been dismantled in preparation to begin
construction of another cluster of homes in its place.
Approximately 20 women participated in the first Women Build
day of 2007 at Emerald Hollow. The enthusiastic participants spent
a beautiful, sunny day installing drywall, framing garage and
second story walls, installing shaft wall, laying block, and preparing
homes for settlement. Partner family Deb Alexander provided coffee
and breakfast to start the day, and Blooming Glen Mennonite Church
provided lunch for the group.
IN PARTNERSHIP…
Fundraising for Women Build 2007 is off to a great start! Four
sponsors have already signed on. Capmark Finance and Jones Apparel
are both returning as sponsors for the third year, while the Genuardi’s
Foundation and the Patricia Kind Foundation are new to the program.
We are overjoyed to have the support of all four organizations,
and we hope to add many more to that list in the coming months!
Linda Arye, founder of Quilts for Kids (www.quiltsforkids.org/)
based in Yardley, has developed a unique partnership with us,
making quilts for newborns in Emerald Hollow. It’s another
way for them to give to the community, and we’re so grateful
for their gift to families in Emerald Hollow. The quilts are designed
to fit the colors or objects in the babies’ rooms and they
are so beautiful! Quilts for Kids uses donated fabric, keeping
it out of landfills. To date, by saving more than one million
pounds of fabric, they have brought a bit of comfort to 40,000
children all over the world.
JOIN US…
Are you ready to Act! Give! Share! in 2007? We hope that your
experience with Habitat Bucks has been nothing but positive. In
fact, we hope that you’ve contracted Habit-itis and now
we want you to spread it around! SHARE Build-a-Thon taking place
on Sat., Jun. 2 is your chance to invite someone – a friend,
neighbor, family member, co-worker, whomever! – to join
you in supporting Habitat. We ask that, as a team, you gather
sponsors to fund your day on site and come out for a fabulous
day of building with Ray and the crew. For more information or
to register, contact Laura at l.mcclellan@habitatbucks.org
or x302.
The Faith Relations Committee is on fire! This small but lively
group has set some significant goals for strengthening relationships
within the local faith community in 2007 and we need your help!
The committee will next meet on Tue., May 8 at the Habitat office
at 6:30pm. We’d love to see you there! For more information,
contact Laura at l.mcclellan@habitatbucks.org or x302.
The next Women Build steering committee meeting will be held
on Thur., May 10 at 6pm at our office. This amazing group of women
truly makes Women Build possible. This program is largely volunteer-driven
and there is much behind-the-scenes work being done by Women Build-ers.
This lively group could definitely use your help! For more information,
contact Laura at l.mcclellan@habitatbucks.org
or x302.
Spend your bucks and benefit Habitat Bucks! It’s spring,
and spring means the ReSale is here once again! It’s time
to come out to the big red barn (1733 Creamery Road in Trumbauersville)
and check out our extensive selection of doors, windows, flooring,
cabinets, and more to meet your remodeling needs. We will be open
every Saturday until June 9 from 8am until noon. For more information,
call Trish at t.schoor@habitatbucks.org
or x303. ***Come visit us soon for a special deal: Ten gorgeous
dining room tables from a premier name brand furniture retailer
were just delivered to the ReSale. The tables are large; most
measure 74” in length and have two leaves. They are all
brand new from the showroom floor and priced at around $500 each,
they are still a quarter of their retail value! They will not
be at the ReSale long, so get there soon! ***
GIVING THANKS…
The Family Program Department sends gargantuan thanks to Peter
Thompson, attorney, and Stan Reinford, mortgage-guy extraordinaire,
for their careful and dedicated attention to some unforeseen obstacles
that arose in March and April. You are our heroes!
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a…Women
Build-er?! Women Build-ers reign supreme at seeing opportunities
to help and simply acting on them. We *love* Alicia Wilhelm for
many reasons, the most recent of which is the new set of aerial
photos of Emerald Hollow she provided us. After seeing them at
numerous events she attended on our behalf, Alicia decided it
was time to update the photos taken by air by a previous volunteer.
So she got herself over to the airport in Trumbauersville and
up in a plane to do some shooting. The results are fantastic and
we can’t wait to start using them! Thanks Alicia!
The Bux-Mont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Warrington
chose Habitat Bucks as the beneficiary of their March half-plate
offering. Habitat Bucks Board V.P. and Faith Relations Committee
member, Paul Payton, spoke to the congregation on the chosen Sunday.
When all was said and done, Bux-Mont UU sent Habitat a check for
nearly $1300! Thanks to this congregation for getting a new partnership
off to a great start!
Thank you to day sponsors Careerbuilder.com and Cowan & Associates,
Inc.! Employees from these companies scheduled build days at Emerald
Hollow where they installed insulation, framed walls, worked on
foundations, and assisted with grading. They also contributed
financially to help fund the mission of Habitat Bucks. Their partnership
is truly appreciated! For more information on how your group can
become a day sponsor, please contact Trish at t.schoor@habitatbucks.org
or x303.
MAKING NOTE…
Due to rising costs and decreasing funding, Habitat Bucks has
had to raise the purchase prices of its homes. Mid-units, previously
sold for $107,750, will now be sold for $115,000. End units, previously
$125,000, are now $132,250. Prices will be in effect for any incoming
families.
A customer satisfaction survey, created and facilitated by volunteer,
Lisa Fish, is being sent to all homeowner and partner families.
Feedback is vitally important, and we are truly looking forward
to a large number of responses. So, if you are a homeowner or
partner family: look for it in the mail and please respond! Thank
you!
In April, we said farewell to AmeriCorps volunteer Jessica Robinson.
Jessica put in a dedicated eight months under Ray’s tutelage
on the construction site. Jessica, whose devotion to the Habitat
mission runs deep, will continue putting her skills to use with
the Chesapeake affiliate. We are thankful for all the hard work
Jessica contributed to Emerald Hollow and we wish her much luck!
OUT AND ABOUT…
The Family Support Committee is alive and well! Nancy and Stefanie
had a great kick-off training with at least 10 new members in
attendance. The training session was held in conjunction with
the Faith Relations Committee. The Support Committee will be hosting
a four-part workshop series in the fall featuring financial planning
information from the Society of Financial Service Professionals.
Keep your eye out for updates!
Members of our Faith Relations Committee will speak on Sun.,
May 6, at St. Matthew’s Church of Perkasie.
Students of Buckingham Friends School will provide lunch for
our construction crew and volunteers followed by a tour of our
construction site on Wed., May 9. This visit is part of an ongoing
partnership that began when BFS hosted a MLK Day volunteer event
that resulted in a tremendous amount of thank you bags for our
volunteers and welcome home baskets for our families.
On May 12 and 13, the Neshaminy mall will be holding an event
to kick off a year-long partnership with Habitat Bucks. Visitors
to the mall can check out a specially built Habitat display, make
a donation and learn about the work of Habitat in Bucks County.
From May 19 – 26, Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps volunteers
from across the country, including Bucks County’s Connie
Yung, will travel to Mississippi to spend a week building homes
in an area devastated by Hurricane Katrina.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mikaela D. Martin
Marketing + Public Relations
Director
Habitat for Humanity of Bucks County
215 Matthews Avenue
New Britain, PA 18901
215.348.2204 x306
fax: 215.348.7988
www.habitatbucks.org
From 2005-2008, Habitat for Humanity will
build 36 affordable homes in Bucks County. Each home will require
a commitment of 2000 volunteer hours and financial contributions
averaging $4,250 per day. Habitat relies strictly on the generosity
and commitment of our neighbors and partner families to provide
these resources, and to make safe, affordable housing a matter
of conscience and action in our community.
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