habitat for humanity.......
For some Lubbock families living in poverty situations or without decent homes, the solution to their housing crisis is the continuing building projects of Habitat for Humanity.
Cathey Colwell, the volunteer coordinator for the Lubbock Habitat for Humanity, said Habitat is a Christian organization whose mission is to build homes for low income families.
Colwell said the current Habitat addition is located on Avenue U and Duke, and the building of a new house will begin on March 3.
Colwell said the main criteria for qualifying to own a Habitat house are to show need and the ability to pay. The family pays $45,000 over a 20-year mortgage, which includes taxes and insurance.
“They have to have a willingness to partner and help build their home for sweat equity hours,” Colwell said.
Colwell said since the start of the Lubbock branch in 1987, Habitat volunteers have built over 100 homes, allowing 200 children to no longer live in poverty.
According to the Habitat for Humanity Web site, Habitat is dedicated to eliminating poverty housing through decent homes for low-income families of Lubbock.
According to www.lubbockhabitat.org, 35,000 adults and 10,558 children in Lubbock live in poverty conditions.
Bertha Lara, the Habitat family services coordinator, said she works with families once they have been approved by a selection committee that processes the application and checks credit history and income.
“They sign a letter of agreement to give 500 hours of sweat equity, which can be fulfilled by work on their house or work in our office,” Lara said.
Lara said Habitat offers classes on insurance, taxes, landscaping and home maintenance, that the families are required to take before and after moving into their home.
Lara said the parent’s and children’s lives improve by having their own home.
“The kids do better in school, the majority of them have their own rooms,” Lara said. “The parents sometimes get better jobs to better themselves.”
According to the Habitat Web site, homeowners gain self-reliance, self-esteem and a sense of pride, as well as a safe and decent environment to live in.
“In a total year we probably have 2,500 to 3,000 volunteers, strictly for building houses,” Colwell said. “We have lots of different volunteers. It can range from second graders to college students, high school students and retirees.”
Colwell said Habitat not only has a huge range of volunteers but also does not have any trouble finding these volunteers.
“I’m so blessed I don’t have to recruit,” Colwell said. “Sometimes we don’t have enough for them to do so I refer them to other organizations.”
Colwell said experience is not needed. People who have never swung a hammer before are taught what they need to know to build a house.
Colwell said volunteers work alongside the family to build their house.
“It’s important for volunteers to bond with the family, to put a face to what they’re doing,” Colwell said. “The community works together to help their own and to better their community.”
