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The
Newsletter
for
DuPage Habitat
for Humanity
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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
Sarah
Muench
Youth
Coordinator
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Volunteering |
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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.
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Did you
know? |
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In the last year, the DuPage
County median home sales price has dropped from
nearly $370,000 to
$330,000. |
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top | |
| U.S.
Housing Facts |
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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 |
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More than 200,000 houses
built! |
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One million people now live in
safe, decent Habitat houses. |
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Houses are sold at no profit
with an interest-free mortgage. |
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Homeowners and volunteers
build the houses under trained
supervision. |
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IN THIS
ISSUE:
- Feature: Pioneering Affordable
Homeownership Kick-off
- Feature: Family Selection
Application Session
- Feature:
Landrum Dedication
- Get
Involved!: What's Happening in the Upcoming
Months
- Director's Notes: A Message
from Sarah Brachle
- Spotlight on: New DuPage Habitat Web
Site
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FEATURE: PIONEERING AFFORDABLE
HOMEOWNERSHIP
KICK-OFF |
 On Sept. 23,
DuPage Habitat officially kicked off the Pioneering
Affordable Homeownership Initiative. The event was
well-attended by local officials, neighborhood residents and
Habitat volunteers and donors, according to Eric Patton,
DuPage Habitat board president. Patton said the event
also generated some "very nice press coverage," including a
front-page article in the Chicago Tribune "Local"
section.
DuPage Habitat Executive Director Sarah Brachle
remarked, "We were thrilled to have public partners from the
State of Illinois, DuPage County and the City of West
Chicago, as well as private sector leaders, speak about
their support for the Pioneering Affordable Homeownership
initiative. The most effective way to address our
community's need for affordable housing is to involve
leaders from both sectors in the strategy and implementation
of smart, realistic solutions. Habitat is one of those
solutions." Patton expressed his own excitement about DuPage
Habitat's partnership with the West Chicago Park District:
"We're looking forward to breaking ground on Pioneer
Prairie and bringing the first new homes in 2009," he said,
adding that the partnership would help, not only in reducing
costs, but in enhancing park district
property.
-- Dave Bristol
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FEATURE: FAMILY
SELECTION APPLICATION SESSION
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 The most recent
Homeowner Application Session took place Saturday, Oct. 18,
and the event drew more than 120 potential applicants. Jon
Peterson, business manager at DuPage Habitat, called the
event "a huge success." Once all of the applications are
received in mid-November, each will be reviewed and those
applicants who meet financial qualifications will
participate in face-to-face interviews to determine if they
are a good fit for the program. Those selected will attend
budgeting, financial preparation, home repair and other
classes, as well as beginning to earn "sweat equity." Once
these responsibilities are met, DuPage Habitat
will sell a home at no profit and no interest to a
partner family.
-- Dave Bristol
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FEATURE: LANDRUM DEDICATION
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 September 28 was a
sunny, beautiful day and a bright beginning for the Landrum
family, whose new home was dedicated that afternoon. On hand
at the event were DuPage Habitat board members and
volunteers, donors and community members. Art Roberts, chair
of the construction committee, said, "For me, the
dedication of a Habitat house is payday. It is when we see
the family receive the keys to a new home that they have
been working for and dreaming of for a long time." Of the
new homeowner, he remarked, "Alicia Landrum is a single
parent who works hard to provide the best for her three
children. She is like many single parents,
especially Moms, who want something better for their kids.
She is a hard worker and was very faithful
to her partnership with Dupage Habitat. I enjoyed working
with her!"
Executive Director Sarah Brachle
seconded Roberts' comments. "Alicia has been a wonderful
partner. It's been fun to watch her roll up her sleeves and
tackle her sweat equity commitment. I have heard from
volunteers and donors that they truly enjoyed getting to
know her and her family. We all wish her the best in her new
home."
-- Dave Bristol
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GET INVOLVED!: UPCOMING HABITAT
EVENTS
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Tuesday, Nov.
11: New volunteer
orientation meeting
6:30 p.m., BP Conference Center,
Cantera II, 28301 Ferry Road, Warrenville,
Ill.
Tuesday, Nov. 11: General monthly Habitat
meeting
7 p.m.,
BP Conference Center
Nov. 22:
Expected early completion of Villa Park
home
Nov. 27-28:
DuPage Habitat office closed for
Thanksgiving
Tuesday, Dec.
9:
New volunteer orientation
meeting
6:30 p.m., BP Conference Center,
Cantera II, 28301 Ferry Road, Warrenville,
Ill.
Tuesday, Dec. 9: Monthly Habitat meeting with
holiday party afterward!
7 p.m.,
BP Conference Center
Dec. 24-25:
DuPage Habitat office closed for
Christmas
 DuPage Habitat
Friends,
Of all the issues
clamoring for our attention - the war in Iraq, skyrocketing
health care costs, drugs, gangs, obesity, unemployment -
affordable housing typically ranks low on the nation's
radar. But the current foreclosure crisis has put housing in
the hearts and minds of Americans as never before. Experts
and pundits will outline numerous reasons for the situation,
from the deregulation of the mortgage industry to the
increase in predatory lenders to buyers' lack of
understanding of their own mortgage debt.
As is often the case, with crisis
comes an opportunity for reform and improvement. Nationally,
Congress has turned its long-overdue attention to Fannie,
Freddie and industry reform. Locally, we have an opportunity
as well. DuPage affordable housing leaders have long
stressed that our county is vulnerable without a diversity
of housing stock to support the diversity of our workforce.
Now that we see the high number of foreclosed homes in our
own community, and the tragic number of homeowners who have
overstretched financially to buy homes in DuPage County, we
have a real opportunity to formulate a community housing
solution that addresses this need for diverse housing.
DuPage Habitat is joining with other
community leaders in this discussion. My heart
goes out to the families who have lost or will lose their
homes. It is my hope that we can emerge from
this terrible situation with a better plan for housing the
diversity of
DuPage workers, and with it, a stronger,
healthier DuPage.
In partnership,
Sarah Brachle
Executive Director
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SPOTLIGHT ON: NEW DUPAGE
HABITAT WEB SITE
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 DuPage Habitat for
Humanity has launched its new Web site, thanks to a service
grant from the Taproot Foundation. According to Jon Peterson
of the site development committee, the new site offers
visitors a more intriguing, user-friendly space and a great
deal more functionality. DuPage Habitat hopes that the Web
site will offer "one-stop shopping" for those involved or
interested in the organization. "It's a good place for folks
to go if they have questions," said Peterson. In addition to
offering information to potential homeowners, the site
allows users to sign up to volunteer or to receive the
e-newsletter, and past editions of the newsletter are
archived there. Those interested in making a donation to the
organization can now do so through the Web site using their
PayPal account or credit or debit
card.
-- Dave Bristol
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FINAL THOUGHT FOR THE MONTH
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"Happiness is not a state of mind to arrive at,
but a manner of
traveling."
Margaret Lee
Runback
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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