Grant Highlight: Habitat for Humanity
February 28, 2022
 | By Jamie Schloegel, Chief Executive Officer |
A safe place to call home
Over the past almost two years the “safer at home” tagline has become such a prominent message. It’s brought to light the very importance of creating safe and affordable places for families to call home.
This is why the mission of Habitat for Humanity is so important; “Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity-La Crosse Area brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.”
When Habitat for Humanity requested support to create a home for a local woman named Tina and her two children, Alyria (age 15) and Brayden (age 11), we were honored to help provide this family with a safe, permanent space. As Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, Kahya Fox, puts it, “this story might not have been told if it was not for the La Crosse Community Foundation.”
Understanding the need
To think about the impact that a Habitat for Humanity house has for a family is to understand the situation that a family is coming from. Tina and her children are currently living in an old mobile home with cracked windows that leak cold air, bowed floors, a leaky roof, and a sewer that keeps backing up. They’ve had a broken water heater spill deadly fumes into the home through the vents. Tina reflects, “We were very lucky to have a carbon monoxide detector that saved our lives.” Tina continues, “This has been our home for almost 5 years, and I have worked very hard to make it as efficient and comfortable as possible for my kids, but the cost has gotten overwhelming with the seemingly endless repair costs and exhausting utility bills.”
After applying for the Humanity Homeownership Program in 2021 and being selected Tina says, “The idea of owning a home that is safe and not in need of constant repairs feels like a giant weight will be lifted off my shoulders, I will be able to enjoy day to day life without worrying when the next time something will break or how much it will cost. Plus having a mortgage that is affordable to my single income is a dream come true in every sense.”
As part of this program Tina and her family will complete 350 sweat equity hours working alongside Habitat staff and volunteers to remodel her home. When the home is complete, she will purchase the home from Habitat for the full appraised value utilizing a 0% interest loan. Tina will pay full property taxes and homeowner’s insurance on the home.
The everyday impact of a safe home
A Habitat for Humanity house isn’t simply finished when the keys are turned over to the new homeowners. It’s a gift that keeps on giving every single day for the entire time the family resides in that home. Each day is a constant reminder of the generosity of the community that surrounds them. To measure the true community and individual impact a safe home can provide is nearly impossible.
Grants from organizations like La Crosse Community Foundation and donations given directly to Habitat for Humanity help to bridge the gap of the increased cost of home construction materials, impacts from the pandemic and an increased need for more dependable and safe housing in our community. You can help by donating to our Community Giving Fund here.