3 minute read
Habitat for Humanity: Ending the Cycle of Poverty in Our Community, One Home at a Time
Everyone deserves a “decent place to live.”
This Habitat for Humanity slogan may be a simple one, but it’s the basis on which volunteers construct homes for those in need. However, the organization doesn’t just work to build houses. As parishioner and longtime volunteer Steve Titzer notes, Habitat for Humanity aims to break the cycle of poverty for future generations.
Advertisement
“We allow families to have a way to be selfsufficient,” he says. “This helps families model the importance of family, commitment and desire for improvement in life.”
The first guiding principle of Habitat for Humanity is to “demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ.” The organization is an ecumenical Christian organization, but anyone of any faith is welcome to get involved.
“Churches, and particularly Catholic churches, in Evansville, have been very supportive throughout our 36-year history, locally,” says Sister Jane Michele McClure, OSB, who serves as Major Gifts Officer for Habitat for Humanity.
One local group, Catholics for Habitat, consists of representatives from every Catholic parish in the Evansville area. Together, they raise funds and provide volunteer support to build a Habitat house every year. They also have a yearly barbecue fundraiser.
One of the common misconceptions about Habitat for Humanity is that families are simply “given” a house for free, no questions asked. However, families chosen by the organization must qualify, based on an income above and below a certain level. They then purchase the home over a 25-year period with no interest, and commit 300 hours of “sweat equity” toward the build. Families also take a variety of classes, from home maintenance to financial planning.
Families’ payments are around $400 per month, so it’s usually cheaper than what they were paying for rent. Since the initial home cost is largely paid for by donations, the mortgage payment stream from Habitat houses pays for administration costs.
“Every dollar donated to Habitat goes to building a house,” Steve says. “This is a great economic model that is very effective.
“Most importantly, a home builds family strength,” he adds. “What we have found through the years is that children perform better in school after moving into a Habitat home. There is a dramatic improvement in school performance.”
Having been involved with Habitat since the 1990s, Steve first got involved as treasurer of the board, since it was a nice fit with his skill-set as an accountant. He believes strongly in the mission of Habitat, having seen how a home can truly change lives, and he wants to invite more parishioners to get involved.
“Most people think all that is needed for Habitat is to work at a job site, but there are many other volunteer needs,” Steve says. “There’s a need for office help, and a number of committees that need volunteers.”
Other volunteer opportunities include working in the warehouse, taking care of yard work, landscaping, and building gardens. There are also various groups that work on a home, including Women Build and Millennial Build.
The Evansville Habitat chapter is one of the smallest affiliates in the country to have built 500 homes since it was established — the current goal is to build 20 homes per year. The chapter is currently embarking on a large project at the former site of St. Theresa Catholic Church, which encompassed two city blocks. The parish buildings were taken down in 2019, and will be the site for 14 Habitat homes, to be called St. Theresa’s Place.
“I think anyone who volunteers for Habitat will walk away knowing they made a difference,” Steve says. “The home recipients are so thankful to be getting a house and that you are there. You leave feeling really good about what you are doing and what Habitat is doing.”
