Connie Madole has been waiting for quite some time, but finally, work on the Habitat house for her and her daughter Erica and son Marc has started at 716 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue in Henderson. Joining the partnership between the Madoles and Habitat for Humanity will be the Construction Technology Class of Henderson County High School taught by Brad Moyes. Learning a trade with on the job training, these students will frame, roof, apply vinyl siding, insulate, paint and trim out the three bedroom house in the next several weeks.
The Madoles will join in the effort, performing a minimum of 300 volunteer hours or "sweat equity" in the construction of theirs and someone else's Habitat house. When completed, Habitat will sell the new house for the costs of land acquisition, building materials and title transfer. No profit margin is added. Habitat will finance the mortgage for twenty-five years at zero interest. These no-profit added, no interest charge and sweat equity requirement characteristics of Habitat for Humanity's housing ministry have defined the more than 300,000 world-wide Habitat house partnerships developed since 1976. Each month's homeowner principal-only mortgage payment is "recycled" by Habitat to help build or rehab a house for another family living in substandard, unsafe or overcrowded circumstances whose income is at the lower end of th economic scale.
Building new or rehabilitating houses in partnership with families who cannot otherwise acquire conventional mortgage financing is the focus of Habitat's mission. Improving neighborhoods and bettering the housing stock of entire communities are also key goals of Habitat's efforts as it works in partnerships with individuals, churches, businesses and civic groups to raise a community's awareness of the need to eliminate and replace substandard shelter and provide safe, decent, affordable housing. Habitat's work force is primarily volunteer. Its construction efforts are dictated by voluntary contributions of money, time and people's willingness to help their neighbors. In fact, "willingness" is the only requirement of any Habitat volunteer: willingness to share one's resources, willingness to sweat a little (or in August, a lot!) and willingness to show up to do whatever needs to get done. Habitat staff members gladly welcome anyone, young or old, male or female, skilled or unskilled who's willing to learn and willing to help.
For additional information, visit Henderson Habitat's home page, check out Bob's Blog frequently, or contact us at 459 Klutey Park Plaza or (270) 869-9011.
This is the FIRST posting on Bob's Blog. Henderson Habitat's NEW Executive Director, Bob Hicks, will post regularly and frequently activities, photos, happenings and invitations. Keep in touch! Meanwhile, be happy with Connie, Erica and Marc--they're on their way to moving into a house they can soon call their own and make a home!
