Our Habitat Families

Habitat homeowners come from all walks of life, from two-parent households to grandmothers raising their grandchildren.  One thing they all have in common, though, is that they are in need of safe, decent, affordable housing.

Our families work hard to become homeowners. They must attend classes, create budgets, and volunteer on the construction site or in the Home Store. Once they are in their home, they pay a no-interest mortgage, with monthly payments around $325, depending on income.  For more information on becoming a homeowner, click here.

Planning for Home Improvements

I think all the kids will benefit from seeing their parents working hard to maintain a comfortable dwelling.  For the past couple of years, as we've lived in this house that is inadequate for us in so many ways, all the kids have seen is us making do, putting up with things, searching in vain to find a good home.  I don't want my kids to imitate that kind of quiet, helpless desperation.  I want them to see people tackling their problems, maximizing the material and space they have, developing new skills and abilities to accomplish the tasks that need doing and enjoying the improvements made.  They need to see grownups thinking longterm in a responsible stewardship role so that as they grow, they too will move forward with hope, strength and courage.

Home Security

When my husband and I attended the Hickory Citizen Police Academy, we learned that an involved neighborhood is the first defense against crime and intruders.  The officer told us that, far from being annoyed by neighbors calling in about suspicious activity, they really welcome it, because that is one of the main ways that the police department is able to know what's going on and what certain neighborhoods need to keep safe.  But to know what's suspicious, a person has to familiarize themselves with what is normal, they have to have an incentive to get involved.  I believe owning one's home and expecting longterm residence is a very powerful incentive.  I look forward to participating in a neighborhood of involved community, whose members look out for their own families by looking out for each other's.

Homeownership and Student Loan Debt

I appreciate that Habitat is such a great example of filling in the gap of need among our brothers and sisters in the community who need housing for whatever reason, student loan or otherwise.  The time and effort that Habitat and its staff put in to ensure that the homeowner enjoys manys years in a secure residence is a truly loving way to make important changes in the world.