|
The
Newsletter
for
DuPage Habitat
for Humanity
|
|
It's all about the
families we help!
DuPage Habitat for Humanity
213
S. Wheaton Ave.
Wheaton IL
60187
630.510.3737
www.dupagehabitat.org
Sarah
Brachle
Executive Director
Jon
Peterson
Business
Manager
Brian
Harris
Construction
Manager
|
Volunteering |
|
Call the Habitat office
at
630.510.3737 or e-mail dhfh@dupagehabitat.org
There
is more to Habitat for Humanity than just
building. DuPage Habitat for Humanity now
needs volunteers with fresh ideas for
"behind the scenes" work as
well! Come to the next general meeting on
the second Tuesday of the month and join a
committee like
-
Construction
-
Faith Relations
-
Marketing and PR
and more!
Especially now, we need help on
our plans for our new
builds!
We
have a new volunteer
orientation at each month's general
meeting at 6:30 p.m. right
before the general meeting at 7
p.m. the second Tuesday of each
month at BP
America Inc., Cantera II, 28301 Ferry Road,
Warrenville (just north of I-88 and
west of Winfield Road). All are welcome! Bring a
friend.
|
Back to
top | |
|
|
|
|
Did you
know? |
|
DuPage County is facing an
affordable housing crisis.
Housing prices soar: In
2006, the median sales price for a single-family
home in DuPage County was the highest in the
state. The median value for a single-family home
in DuPage County rose to $340,000 in 2006.
Housing prices outpace
incomes: Median home values rose about 59%
between 2000 and 2006. However, median incomes
rose only 8.5% between 2000 and
2006.
Two-wage earner families
struggle: The combined salary of a firefighter
and an elementary school teacher would still not
be enough to afford the median home value in
DuPage County.
|
Back to
top | |
| U.S.
Housing Facts |
| |
10.9 million individuals live
in housing with severe physical deficiencies such
as having no hot water, no electricity, no toilet
or neither a bathtub nor
shower. |
| Habitat Quick
Facts |
| * |
More than 200,000 houses
built! |
| * |
One million people now live in
safe, decent Habitat houses. |
| * |
Houses are sold at no profit
with an interest-free mortgage. |
| * |
Homeowners and volunteers
build the houses under trained
supervision. |
| |
|
|
|
IN THIS
ISSUE:
- Homeowner profile: The Becker
family
- Director's notes: A message
from Sarah Brachle
- Feature: Camacho home
dedication
- Preview: Youth volleyball
tournament
- Spotlight: Special events committee
- A Look
Ahead: What's happening in the upcoming
months
|
|
HOMEOWNER
PROFILE:
THE BECKERS |
Allen Becker sat cross-legged on the
floor, while his wife, Cheryl, sat in a chair she had pulled
from across the room. "We've been renting furniture, but
that's gotten a little expensive," Cheryl said. The couple
and their two daughters were recently selected as a DuPage
Habitat for Humanity partner family and are slated to move
in to their new home in May 2008. The day cannot arrive soon
enough for the family, who is ready to make a home of their
own. The Becker girls played with stuffed dogs while their
parents shared their hopes for the future. "The girls are
excited to get a real dog," said Allen, "and we're looking
forward to being able to have friends and family over." The
Beckers' oldest daughter, age nine, exclaimed, "I'm going to
have my own room, finally!"
After switching apartments several
times, and even facing homelessness, the Beckers began to
look into the option of owning a home. "It's important to
keep a family stable," said Cheryl, adding that her daughter
has switched schools when the family has been forced to
move. It was this impulse for stability that ultimately led
the family to a DuPage Habitat application session. Four
months after that session, the Beckers received a call from
DuPage Habitat. "I didn't want to hear another 'no,'" said
Allen. And he wouldn't. That day, the Beckers were told that
they had been selected as a Habitat partner family.
Since that call, Allen and Cheryl have
begun their partnership with DuPage Habitat by working on
two other Habitat houses. "It's a natural thing to want to
help," said Cheryl, who said she is excited about giving
back. "I'm really learning a lot," said Allen, "and the
people make it fun." Both are grateful for the support of
Habitat volunteers. "I don't know what makes a kid want to
come work on somebody's house when he could be out playing
basketball, or why an older guy wouldn't want to relax and
enjoy his retirement," Allen commented, "But I just want to
thank everyone. It's really amazing what they
do."
-- Dave Bristol
Friends,
 Though the weather outside is
frightful, good things are happening indoors at DuPage
Habitat! Our staff, board of directors and committee chairs
have been engaged in an extensive planning process to
prepare for growth in the months and years ahead.
Together we
have:
1) Built and trained a
full team - 2.5 staff, 11 board members and 14
committee chairs are leading our efforts.
2) Set goals for all
areas of our work - from the number of homes we will
build this year and next year to the amount of funds we will
raise.
3) Finalized an
affiliate-wide calendar of events - we have locked in
key dates for all of 2008.
4) Launched a market
research study with an independent consultant to determine
the level of community awareness about, and interest in, our
work.
5) Identified and
implemented five strategic task groups to review challenges,
research best practices, propose and implement solutions in
critical areas - core process efficiency, strategic
partnerships, information technology, the volunteer
experience and processes/procedures.
While this
type of capacity building lacks the glam and visual appeal
of our homebuilding efforts, we know that these investments
will make DuPage Habitat stronger and enable us to serve
more families and the DuPage community better in the years
to come.
In partnership,
Sarah Brachle
Executive Director
|
|
FEATURE: CAMACHO HOME DEDICATION
ON |
 In spite of the wet weather,
the Camacho family home dedication drew a healthy crowd
Sunday, Feb. 17. Many DuPage Habitat volunteers were on hand
to witness the fruit of their efforts: the presentation of a
new home to a deserving family. Also present were
representatives from DuPage Habitat supporters Gleaner Life
Insurance and ComEd, whose generous donations went into
the Camacho home. "The dedication is the time where it all
comes together," said Christina Darnell, chair of the DuPage
Habitat special events committee. "And for the family, this
really is the main event. I think it's
wonderful."
Friends and family of Patricia Camacho
were in attendance as well, including her parents, Patricia
Petrus and Roberto Camacho. Roberto, when asked about the
day, replied, "I think I'm more excited than she is!" Both
had glowing things to say about DuPage Habitat volunteers
and expressed a great deal of gratitude for all the work and
effort that was put into completing the project. "I thank
everyone who volunteered. God sent them," said Ms. Petrus.
As for the Camacho family, its members
were swept up in flurry of activity that day. "We're happy
to have everyone here," said Patricia, "and we feel so
blessed today. The opportunity to provide a home for my
family is overwhelming. It feels great." The Camacho
children are looking ahead, picking out colors for their
rooms and hoping to get a dog for their new backyard.
Overall, the day can be summed up in the words of Patricia
Camacho's daughter: "We're officially home."
-- Dave
Bristol
|
|
PREVIEW: YOUTH VOLLEYBALL
TOURNAMENT |
 On April 20, DuPage Habitat
for Humanity will host its 11th Annual Volleyball Tournament
at Benedictine University. The event, a coed youth
recreational tournament, begins at 11 a.m. with a round
robin, which leads into two bracketed rounds to determine a
winner. Prizes and trophies will be awarded to the winning
team. Each team entering the tournament will aim to raise
$1,000 for the youth fund at DuPage Habitat, which will
eventually be large enough to sponsor its own Habitat
home!
Traditionally, students from schools
like Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central have taken a great
deal of pride in participating in this event, but all are
welcome, and there is no minimum donation required to enter.
For more details, contact DuPage Habitat for
Humanity.
-- Dave Bristol
|
|
SPOTLIGHT: SPECIAL
EVENTS COMMITTEE
|
Committee:
Special Events
Chair:
Christina Darnell
What We Do:
The special
events committee organizes and host events designed to raise
awareness, educate, engage volunteers, and raise funds
related to and for the DHFH mission.
 How You Can Help:
Do you like parties and events? Are you
creative and detail-oriented? Are you looking for a way to
volunteer for a finite number of hours? We need you! In
2008, the special events committee will host three major
fundraising events for DuPage Habitat, including a youth
volleyball tournament, a golf outing and a 5K run/walk. The
committee also will host five home dedications, where DuPage
Habitat partner families receive the keys to their new home.
We are looking for people interested in
helping coordinate these events over the coming months AND
we are looking for volunteers to help on the day of these
events. For information on the committee, e-mail dhfh@dupagehabitat.org or come to the next volunteer meeting Tuesday, March
11, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March
11: New volunteer
orientation meeting
6:30 p.m., BP Conference Center, Cantera II,
28301 Ferry Road, Warrenville,
IL
Tuesday,
March 11: General monthly Habitat
meeting
7 p.m., BP Conference
Center
Tuesday,
April 8: New
volunteer orientation meeting
6:30 p.m., BP Conference
Center
Tuesday, April 8: General
monthly Habitat meeting
7 p.m., BP Conference
Center
 Sunday, April 13: Aurora
home
groundbreaking
2 p.m., 930 Oakland Lane, Aurora,
IL
Sunday, April 20: Youth
volleyball tournament
11 a.m., Benedictine University,
Lisle, IL
Aug. 11: Golf outing
fundraiser at Klein Creek Golf Club
Saturday, Sept. 13:
Annual Walk
|
|
FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE
MONTH |
"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement.
Nothing can be done without hope and
confidence."
Helen
Keller
Back to
top
DuPage Habitat for
Humanity is a Christian housing ministry affiliated with
Habitat for Humanity International. We welcome all people
dedicated to building decent, affordable housing for families
in need, while empowering families to help themselves.
DuPage
Habitat for Humanity
213 S. Wheaton Ave., Wheaton, IL
60187
Phone: 630.510.3737 Fax:
630.682.4881
www.dupagehabitat.org
dhfh@dupagehabitat.org |
DuPage Habitat for
Humanity