HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF DELAWARE AND UNION COUNTIES

HOMEOWNERSHIP PROGRAM: FAMILIES IN NEED OF A DECENT PLACE TO LIVE BUILD SAFE AND AFFORDABLE HOMES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH US. HABITAT HOUSES ARE MODESTLY SIZED. THEY ARE LARGE ENOUGH FOR THE HOMEOWNER FAMILY'S NEEDS, BUT SMALL ENOUGH TO KEEP CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE COSTS AFFORDABLE. BY USING THE LABOR OF VOLUNTEERS AND PROSPECTIVE HOMEOWNERS, EMPLOYING EFFICIENT BUILDING METHODS, KEEPING HOUSE SIZES MODEST, USING DONATED CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND APPLIANCES, AND ISSUING NO-PROFIT LOANS, HABITAT MAKES ITS HOUSES AFFORDABLE FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES TO PURCHASE. AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP HELPS CREATE THE CONDITIONS THAT FREES FAMILIES FROM INSTABILITY, STRESS AND FEAR AND ENCOURAGES SELF-RELIANCE AND CONFIDENCE. STUDIES SHOW THAT STRONG AND STABLE HOUSEHOLDS ARE FOUNDATIONAL TO CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. WHEN A HOME FOSTERS -INSTEAD OF HINDERS- HEALTH AND SAFETY, FAMILIES CAN FLOURISH. OWNING AN AFFORDABLE HOME ALSO ALLOWS HOMEOWNERS TO LIFT UP THEIR ENTIRE FAMILY BY SAVING FOR THEIR FUTURES AND INVESTING IN EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, BOLSTERING JOB OPPORTUNITIES AND CAREER GROWTH.

NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION PROGRAM: THROUGH OUR NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION WORK, WE TAILOR OUR EFFORTS BY PARTNERING LOCALLY WITH RESIDENTS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS TO BEST ADDRESS THE REAL CONCERNS OF THE COMMUNITY AND IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE THERE. USING A DATA-DRIVEN AND CUSTOMIZABLE APPROACH, WE FOCUS ON FIRST UNDERSTANDING THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS AND THEN EMPOWERING THESE RESIDENTS TO LEAD THE PROJECTS THEY WANT TO SEE. ALONGSIDE HABITAT, RESIDENTS WORK WITH CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, NEW AND LONGSTANDING NEIGHBORHOOD COALITIONS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS. BECAUSE EACH NEIGHBORHOOD'S CHALLENGES AND ASPIRATIONS ARE DIFFERENT, THE FRAMEWORK ACTS AS A GUIDE THAT CAN BE TAILORED TO THE GOALS OF EACH COMMUNITY. THAT'S WHY NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION CAN LOOK LIKE ANYTHING FROM DEVELOPING PUBLIC PARKS TO ORGANIZE SAFETY MEETINGS WITH THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT TO REHABBING AND REOPENING SCHOOLS, STORES, AND HOME.