Blogs

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.