We are excited about an opportunity that presented itself to us recently and we need assistance from all of our supporters! It is one of those partnerships that is meant to be and shouts, “Get out of the way and let God work.”
In 2009 New Oregon United Methodist Church of Fort Payne, Alabama brought their mission team to Statesville to work on a Habitat home. They arrived fully prepared with shower trucks and meal prep trucks for their stay. The group is made up of 50 - 60 people who are present to work and spread the message of God’s love. Within their week-long stay, the walls were raised and the house was completely ‘dried in’. It was a fantastic week for all concerned. For 22 years this group has traveled out of their area to make a difference in another community. According to the group, “We go where ever God leads us.”
Earlier this month we received a phone call from our friends at New Oregon UMC saying they would like to return to Statesville this July to help another deserving person. Despite the fact their own region was tragically hit by the April tornadoes, they felt their mission work must continue. At the time we, at Habitat Iredell, were not planning on a new build until later in the new fiscal year. Though we told New Oregon UMC we did not think it was possible, they felt strongly about coming back to Iredell County.
After much consideration and a great deal of dialogue between the board and staff, we believe this can be done. We have an incredible group of faithful volunteers who want to Pay It Forward, we have the land in place, and we have a hard-working gentleman who is ready to have a home of his own (Meet Hugh below). We are all answering a call that is much greater than any of us, therefore, we are taking a leap of faith and have a new project.
The Pay It Forward project is about two communities working together. The project does not stop when our friends return to Alabama at the end of July. As a result of the tornadoes, the Fort Payne region continues to face relief challenges. Habitat Iredell is doing something unlike we have ever done before – we are leading a group from Statesville to help with relief efforts in Alabama.
Community Support is vital to this awesome project! YOU can become a part of the Pay It Forward project. Habitat Iredell is committed to seeing this project transform two communities and the lives of all involved. As with any Habitat home we must raise the funds for construction. We are also going to tithe 10% of all money raised for House #68 to the Fort Payne, Alabama area for disaster relief.
We need your assistance in making it all possible. $66,000 is the need for the Pay It Forward project. Your generous corporate, organizational, or individual gift is greatly needed and appreciated. Please contact us if you would like more information. You can make a donation online, or mail your donation to: Habitat for Humanity of Iredell County ~ 1382 A Shelton Avenue ~ Statesville, NC 28677. Download the Pay It Forward flyer here.
Meet Hugh Stone
Hugh Stone, Habitat Partner
A veteran of the Vietnam era, Hugh Stone has always wanted a home of his own. Every day you will find Hugh in the ReStore working on his sweat equity hours. Hugh suffers from emphysema, and is grateful to be partnering with Habitat Iredell to better his living environment. Currently Hugh lives in a drafty, mobile home with holes in the floors.
It was the first of many great days for Hugh recently – he picked out his lot and his floor plan. He is excited to start the next phase with Habitat and the next phase of his life.
Habitat Iredell and the Iredell Arts Council presented the Inaugural Birdhouse Gala – Roots & Wings – in March of 2010. The success and spirit of the event exceeded all expectations. With over 400 people in attendance, and some of the most amazing birdhouses and garden crafts, the event was the most talked about event of the year. Check out the photo gallery from last year here.
We are excited to bring the event back in 2011! Make sure you mark your calendars for March 25th from 6pm to 9pm. The Statesville Civic Center will once again act as host for the event, and help Habitat Iredell and the Iredell Arts Council transform the venue into a spectacular arts explosion. Sally Nix and Jodi Pippin are merging ideas and concepts to raise the bar from last year’s event. If you would like to help with the planning and coordination of the event please contact Sally (Habitat Iredell – sally@habitatiredell.org) or Jodi (Iredell Arts Council – iredellarts@bellsouth.net ).
WE NEED YOUR BIRDHOUSES!!! Painters, carvers, metal workers, sculptors – professional or amateur – we need your pieces of work! You have no limitations on what you submit, or how many you submit. We hope that you will showcase your talent at the arts event of the year! Here are a few FAQ’s about submission:
Will my birdhouse be tax-deductible?
Yes. You will receive an in-kind donation acknowledgement for your birdhouse. The artist assigns the value to the piece and completes the tax deductible form given by the organizations upon submission. The assigned value can be different from what the items sells for in the auction.
Do I have to supply my own birdhouse?
Each artist is required to supply their own house. Some artists are choosing to build their own, or have someone else build to their specification then decorate. Birdhouse kits can be purchased through Lowe’s , various arts and crafts stores, as well as many online sources.* Please note you are not limited to wood houses! Gourds, metal work, and other creative options are welcomed.For questions and examples you may contact Habitat Iredell or the Iredell Arts Council.
Are there any requirements for artists?
Just a few. All houses must be completed and delivered to Habitat for Humanity or The Iredell Arts Council by March 18th. All age groups and organizations are welcome to be a part of the event. You do not have to be an experienced artist to make a difference. HAVE FUN!
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ~ 1 John 4:7
Come celebrate the dedication of two Habitat for Humanity of Iredell County homes! It is a day of celebration for two wonderful, and deserving partner-families.
Tomeka Stevenson The Dr. Ralph Bentley Home, 1104 Partnership Way
Melissa Jones The 2010 Apostle Build Home, 1108 Partnership Way
Click to visit Camping World of Statesville's website.
Habitat Iredell is fortunate to have the support of Camping World of Statesville. The company is experiencing a record setting pace for 2010 and decided to share in their good fortune.
General Manager, Alan Good explains, “We are excited to hear about Habitat for Humanity’s 25th Anniversary. The Team at Camping World of Statesville wanted to contribute and celebrate this great cause.” Camping World has graciously committed a monetary donation for each unit sold during the July 26 – August 31promotion. Good says, “We are so thankful to provide jobs for so many in the local community. We feel this is our way of showing our appreciation for Statesville.”
“Habitat is very thankful for the partnership we have with Camping World,” says Scott Loudermelt, Executive Director. “We appreciate the efforts of the Camping World staff and customers in helping build a better world for local families.”
Camping World is located at 1220 Morland Avenue in Statesville.
The community-wide launch of the 2010 Women Build project is here!
The evening is open to any and all women who want to help create a path to a better community! Invite the women in your life – family, friends, and co-workers.
We will present the 2010 plan of action and much more. We will also discuss the details of the first Women Build workday set for Saturday, July 10th.
Please take a moment to click on the link for details and to register for the kickoff meeting at the Mitchell Community College Continuing Education Center.
EVENT DETAILS/REGISTER NOW
‘Women Build 2010 Announcement’.
We are excited to unveil the plans for our Women Build project for the coming year. Click on the link to learn more!
Women Build 2010
The 2010 Women Build planning has begun. It is a wonderful way to get involved with Habitat. Here is a little more info regarding this inspiring program. Feel free to contact us to learn more: 704-871-0409. Our chair for Women Build this year is Jill Baker, and she is already bringing a ton of energy to the project.
* Click on the document to enlarge.
Update (9:30 a.m.): We have just learned news about our fellow staff members in Haiti
*ALL HFH HAITI STAFF SAFE*
Miraculously, all 50 or so employees and contractors who had worked with Habitat for Humanity Haiti before last week’s earthquake now have been located. Sadly, not one was personally unaffected by the quake—some having lost family members, some their homes, and some having lost both family members and houses.
The assessment team from Habitat for Humanity International arrived in Port-au-Prince early Thursday evening after a trip that took even longer than expected. But they arrived safely, made contact with a few staffers from Habitat Haiti and have begun getting about the city. The delay in their arrival meant they were unable to do a scheduled interview on CNN’s Larry King Live program; we are hopeful that can be rescheduled. The assessment team is led by Mario Flores, director of field operations for HFHI’s Disaster Response Department. He is joined by HFHI Latin America/Caribbean area office staffers Steve Little, Gerardo Soto and Javier Mayorga. Gerardo Soto is the LAC’s Disaster Response manager; his name was incorrectly listed in Thursday’s update report. The team expects its assessment work to take about a week.
Based on what is known now and Habitat’s past experience with international disasters, our early response to the earthquake is expected to be threefold: 1) mobilizing people to clear the way for shelter construction and home rehabilitation; 2) distributing building materials and tools in shelter kits; 3) construction of transitional housing. The extent of each intervention will depend on the amount of support we are able to mobilize.
The cleanup: To clear the way for home repair and construction, Habitat for Humanity plans to assist in the cleanup by mobilizing people to remove debris and salvage materials that can be recycled in new shelter. Working with other organizations, these activities could include a “cash for work” component that would organize local people in affected neighborhoods and provide them with tools such as shovels, wheelbarrows and crowbars. This involvement in productive activity provides a small influx of cash to those affected by the disaster to help them meet other basic needs and also contributes to their mental health by providing a positive, active opportunity to help with recovery.
Shelter kits: Shelter kits include building materials and tools and are designed to help families and neighborhoods make immediate repairs. Typically, the kits include items such as wall panels, roofing sheets, hurricane straps, and hammer and nails. For the past three years, Habitat for Humanity has offered vocational education programs in Haiti, meaning that it now has a cadre of certified masons and carpenters to assist families in Port-au-Prince.
Transitional shelter: Habitat for Humanity also plans to repair and rebuild housing, using a transitional-shelter model. Small transitional shelters can be built quickly and provide permanent base structures that can be expanded over time. The initial transitional shelter will meet Sphere humanitarian standards of adequate living space and provision of water and sanitation. Given Haiti’s history of being affected by natural disasters, the structures will be designed with hurricane- and earthquake-resistant features.
In addition to these interventions, immediate response will include working with Habitat Haiti to restore its capacity to fully participate in the recovery efforts. Through all aspects of the work, Habitat will cultivate partnerships with local residents and other humanitarian organizations that can multiply the effectiveness of the response.
More updates will be posted as we receive more information throughout the week.
Photo courtesy of MSNBC
Habitat Iredell received news this morning from Habitat for Humanity International regarding the situation in Haiti. Only 10 of the 50 staffers have been accounted for at this time. Continue to pray for the people of Haiti and for Habitat for Humanity International’s efforts. The complete message is below:
HFHI TEAM IS ON THE GROUND: An assessment team from Habitat for Humanity International currently is making its way to Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti and the epicenter of the quake destruction. They are driving from Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti. If all goes well, the team was expected to arrive in Port-au-Prince by late afternoon. However, travel is difficult and it is unclear if the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti will be open. The assessment team is being led by Mario Flores, director of field operations for HFHI’s Disaster Response department. Joining him are Steve Little, communications director for the Latin America/Caribbean area office; and LAC staffers Javier Mayorga and Gerardo Morales. Upon arrival, they will make contact with staff from Habitat’s National Organization in Port-au-Prince and begin an assessment of the quake’s impact on low-income housing. They also will connect with peer organizations such as World Vision, World Concern and CARE that we typically work with in disaster situations. In addition, they will have regular meetings with the United Nations-sponsored shelter cluster, of which HFHI serves as one of just a handful of permanent members. NATIONAL ORGANIZATION STATUS: To date, we have had contact with one N.O. staff member, who is based at a Habitat training center about eight hours from Port-au-Prince. He was able to report that at least 10 of the N.O.’s approximately 50 staff members had been accounted for. There is no word yet on the remaining staffers, and no word on whether the 10 staffers who were accounted for lost homes or family members. Late word this morning is that the N.O. office was destroyed by the quake; no assessment has been possible yet of the approximately 2,000 Habitat homes built in Haiti, nor of the status of those homeowners. A PIECE OF GOOD NEWS: Chantal Hudicourt-Ewald, a former member of Habitat’s International Board of Directors, lives in Port-au-Prince and was able to e-mail Wednesday that she and her family are safe. While we rejoice in their safety, the rest of Chantal’s note provides a grim picture. She wrote: “God has been kind to my family. We are safe. We are the exception. The list of friends and neighbors who were killed is getting longer. There are bodies everywhere. It is a nightmare.”
RAISING RESOURCES FOR OUR RESPONSE: HFHI launched a donation appeal on www.habitat.org Tuesday night, just hours after the quake. In addition, e-mail appeals were sent Wednesday; more today. Public service announcements featuring President Carter were filmed today with hopes that they can begin airing nationally this weekend. A satellite media tour will be conducted Friday from in front of the Haiti house at HFHI’s Global Village & Discovery Center in Americus. Kip Scheidler, senior director of Global Disaster Response for HFHI, will be doing interviews with more than 40 national and local television outlets, including several Spanish-language stations. In addition, an HFHI representative is scheduled to be among guests on tonight’s Larry King CNN broadcast at 9 p.m. EST.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: First of all, pray—for the people of Haiti, for our teams there, for all of the humanitarian outreach efforts. If you can, please donate to support the response efforts. And, please, reach out to your friends, family, neighbors and church communities to tell them that Habitat is mobilizing all available resources to help in Haiti, and that their support is urgently needed, would be much appreciated and would be put to efficient, effective use by Habitat. Many have asked about the need for volunteers. Volunteers are not being recruited or deployed at this time and will not be until more stability can be returned to the country and we can be more certain that volunteers would be safe. We did learn on Wednesday that a delegation from the Habitat affiliate in Lafayette, Ind., that was in Haiti working with a sister affiliate was safe. We will provide more details about needs as the situation unfolds.
