Blog 3: Inspire by Example

For some, the word evangelism conjures images of going door to door to share your faith or traveling to the inner city to share your testimony, all of which is outside of most comfort zones. In reality, evangelism takes place everyday at every Habitat build site. It's called "servant evangelism," and its people from all walks of life coming together to give a part of themselves—their time and talent—to someone they hardly know.

It's the construction volunteer who shows up Saturday after Saturday, year after year, helping family after family realize their personal dreams of owning a home, all for no pay, no recognition, and for no other reason than to help others in need.

It's the ladies at the local church group who provide hundreds of lunches per year to feed the Habitat volunteers that work tirelessly in the heat, cold, rain and snow, again, for no other reason than to help strangers accomplish a life goal.

Quiet evangelists are doing Habitat's work on construction sites around the world every day. And those who witness it are compelled to ask "what's different about these individuals that motivate them to act, lead and inspire by example?" It's true that you may never know the power or impact that your good deeds will ultimately have on others or even how many people will be affected by your example, but I've come to know that each of us can be "an evangelist" by expressing our faith in action. Saint Francis of Assisi said, "Preach the gospel always, and use words when necessary."

To some, this quote's meaning relates to the age-old saying, "lead by example."  I've learned that sharing with others the same opportunities and blessings that each of us have received gives us the power to not only lead by example but to "inspire by example."

"Leave an impression on this earth with your heart, not your name." –Anonymous 

Tom Salzbrun, Habitat For Humanity
Blog 2: Perfect Strangers

One of the best things about my position with Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity is participating in building "Kick-Offs" and home "Dedication Ceremonies." The Dedication Ceremony is a time to share hopes and dreams realized through home ownership, it's also a time to recognize the many contributions and volunteers it takes to build just one Habitat home.

Now envision this: over 40 people from all walks of life, of all ages and races are packed into a living room. It had been raining outside and the threat of mud on the home's brand new carpet was easily checked with shoes being removed upon entry.

You can see the daughter of a carpenter who helped put up the house's frame, and the wife of the plumber who put in the pipes. Volunteers are everywhere; donors and sponsors all joined together, celebrating and laughing. Where at the start of the build, all were perfect strangers; today, everyone is friend and everyone is family. Everyone who worked so hard to bring something beautiful together. And you see the family experiencing the thrill of their new home; hearts filled with happiness and eyes filled with tears.

There is a strong feeling of support and hope in the air. We (everyone who participated in any way) know that with the dedication of this home, lives will be changed for generations to come. These occasions help us understand why it is so important to help deserving families realize the dream of home ownership.

Habitat for Humanity is not a give-away program. Families invest 500 hours of sweat equity into the building of their home, attend homeownership classes and budget/credit counseling seminars. These families purchase the home at cost, and in turn are provided with 0% interest mortgage held by Habitat for Humanity for a period of 20-30 years. Just like you or me, our families earn wages, work hard and pay for their homes.

Since Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity was created 23 years ago, we've built or renovated over 150 houses in Cincinnati. Out of these 150 homes, we have only had to foreclose on three. We've changed many lives and we've also changed the community. Studies undeniably show us the benefits of homeownership: increased household wealth, improved physical and mental health, better cognitive achievement in children and increased involvement in their community, lower teenage pregnancy rates and decreased crime statistics. Currently, Cincinnati's homeownership rate stands at approximately 42%, as compared to the national average of 67%.

There are still approximately 20,000 families in Cincinnati living in substandard housing that need our help. For that reason, Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity is planning for a strong and solid 2009 and beyond. We will have many more Dedication Ceremonies and believe that our efforts do not merely benefit the family who purchases the home, but also positively impacts the volunteers, financial supporters, and the entire Cincinnati community.

Tom Salzbrun, Habitat For Humanity
Blog 1: Donating in a Down Economy

So, we can officially use the "R" word since CNN now feels comfortable with the term: "Recession." We're in one. And it's predicted to be a lengthy one at that – forcing us all to reassess where our increasingly limited funds will go. For locally based nonprofits, especially those depending predominantly on charitable contributions like Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity, we are questioning what's next.

Will people stop giving?
I don't believe that the changes in our economy will completely prevent people from giving. Charitable giving, volunteerism and altruism make us (emotional human beings) feel good in ways that can actually be measured scientifically. When we give to others, it makes us feel good physically. If you haven't heard this before, giving is "good for the soul"! A "warm glow effect" of giving, as reported by the New York Times, can be traced to a particular section of the brain that is measurable with brain scans. This is the same part of the brain affected by sex, drugs and money, according to the National Institute of Health.

How will Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity hold up?
The holidays have just passed and they fall within the second quarter of Cincinnati Habitat's fiscal cycle. Thirty days into the quarter, our Development Director reported that individual giving was down 57% as compared to the same quarter in 2007. With this harsh reality staring us plainly in the face, we made modifications to our fundraising plans but quite frankly, were surprised that we ended the quarter with an 11% increase over the previous year's totals. In fact, we received a greater number of gifts than we had in years past, however many repeat donations were for less than previous giving amounts. This recent experience suggests that philanthropy may take on new and different forms in the lean years ahead of us.

Yes, monetary giving has the potential to decrease, but with altruism "hard-wired" into the brain, I have faith that people will continue to support the work of Habitat and many other worthy causes in Cincinnati and around the country in any way they can.

It may mean a smaller donation to your favorite cause, however you may decide to volunteer some of your time or offer your expertise to charities like Habitat in lieu of a monetary gift. You would be amazed at how much each of us has to offer a charity other than money, and I'm not just talking about swinging a hammer either. Habitat is in need of services from attorneys, architects, real estate agents, engineers, construction managers, office workers; and the list goes on. These services are vitally important for a non-profit organization like Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity.

The bottom line is that these tough economic times may mean that for a while we are not able to give as we have given in the past. Giving in a tighter economy forces us to make conscious choices about how and to whom we want to share our time, talent and treasure. Regardless of how you choose to give, the return on your investment will be immeasurable.