'To hammer nails and lift boards made me feel good': Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity helps create affordable housing

'To hammer nails and lift boards made me feel good': Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity helps create affordable housing

Neither Kathy Munzinger nor Cindy Beecher had any real construction experience prior to June 5. But on that Saturday morning, the two PFLAG board members donned their Pride t-shirts and work gloves for the first day of Habitat for Humanity of Springfield’s Pride Build.

Alongside other volunteers from PFLAG and the GLO Center, Munzinger and Beecher helped hang plyboard on the frame of a new home being built on Main Avenue.

“For me personally, it was an achievement because I broke both my wrists last year,” Munzinger said. “To be able to hammer nails and lift boards made me feel good.”

“It was really quick on-the-job training. It was a lot of fun,” she continued. “I enjoyed being outdoors and working with other people who are like-minded.”

Beecher agreed.

“I loved it,” Beecher said. “Habitat for Humanity staff were really helpful for those folks who were new to construction. They were really patient with us and reassuring that we don’t have to do everything perfectly. That is what they are there for — to make sure we are doing things properly.”

“We did have to take down a couple of plywood boards that we hung a little bit crooked,” Beecher said. “They were very gracious and helped us get it right since it was our first time to building something like that.”

In just a few short hours, the volunteers felt like they’d made significant progress on the construction project.

“It was really gratifying just to see our progress manifest in front of our eyes,” Beecher said. “A lot of times when you are volunteering, you don’t get to see the hard evidence that what you are doing is making a difference. This is very hands-on, and you can see what you’ve contributed by being there even just for the day.”

With so many in the Ozarks struggling to find safe and affordable housing, volunteering with Habitat for Humanity is one of the most impactful and meaningful ways you can help.

Throughout June, members of the LGBTQ+ community and their allies are participating in Habitat for Humanity of Springfield’s first Pride Build. Volunteers spend a few hours on the weekends helping with the construction of that new home on Main Avenue. That house will soon be home to a family of six.

In July, Habitat for Humanity will kick off its annual Women Build month, which is aimed at getting women and women’s organizations to volunteer. This year they will help with a complete renovation project of a home recently acquired by the nonprofit. That home is slated to go to a single mom and her adult daughter through Habitat’s Home Buying Program.

Beyond the Pride and Women Build projects going on this summer, Habitat for Humanity of Springfield almost always has projects happening where volunteers are needed. 

“You do not have to have a background in construction. You don’t have to have any skills in construction to volunteer with Habitat,” said Daniel Schekorra, brand manager with Habitat for Humanity of Springfield. “There really, truly is a role for everybody that wants to be involved.”

“We have Habitat employees that are construction staff,” Schekorra said. “They will work with you, give you a job that you’ll enjoy and that you will be able to handle. We don’t want people to come in and not make a difference. We will work with everybody, so that everyone who comes in to volunteer are making a difference in the lives of our future homeowners.”

Munzinger, who’s previously served on The Kitchen Foundation’s board of directors, said homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are issues that are very “near and dear” to her heart. That made participating in the Pride Build even more meaningful, she said.

“What I love about Habitat is how they involve the people that are going to get the house and help them with financial training and education, so that once they are in the house, they can stay in their house,” she said.

“Affordable housing is such a problem in Springfield,” Munzinger added. “We don’t have enough of it at all. And it’s just really difficult especially for a lot of LGBTQ people working in lower paying jobs. It makes it harder for them.”

To learn more about volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, visit habitatspringfieldmo.org or call 417-829-4001.

About Habitat for Humanity’s Home Buying Program

Habitat for Humanity’s Home Buying Program is for those who are struggling to find safe, decent, and affordable housing in Springfield or Greene County.

The program provides a unique opportunity for families or individuals to build or renovate and buy a home to be their own. The houses are owned by Habitat and are sold at no profit to partner home buyers with an affordable mortgage. Habitat for Humanity home owner mortgage payments are put into a revolving fund. This fund helps pay for construction of future houses in Greene County.

The approval process for partner home buyers who purchase houses from Habitat for Humanity of Springfield is performed by the Partner Selection Committee and the nonprofit’s qualified loan originators in a way that does not discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or national origin. Habitat does not discriminate if all or part of the applicant’s income is derived from public assistance programs.

“We look for folks that need better housing. That can be a lot of different factors. It could be they are paying too much of their income on rent,” explained Nancy Williams, Habitat’s Program Director. “It could be they are overcrowded. It could be they are in substandard housing with holes in the floors and critters getting in.

“We also look for folks that can make the monthly house payment. We look for folks who are willing to work with us.”

More: The federal eviction moratorium is set to expire June 30. Here’s where to get help

Habitat for Humanity is the “bank,” providing the loan at zero percent interest and zero APR. Habitat makes sure the initial house payment is less than 30 percent of the buyer’s monthly income, including principal and escrow.

Buyers also have to be willing to partner with Habitat for Humanity by completing 250 (one-applicant) or 350 (two applicants) hours of Sweat Equity, participating in the 14-week Tools for Life education series, and post-closing Financial Fitness classes. They must also pledge to maintain and repair the home after purchase, and make house payments on time.

About the Home Preservation and Repair Program

The Home Preservation and Repair Programs help low-income homeowners in Greene County restore and maintain their homes. Habitat partners with homeowners to alleviate critical health and safety issues and complete needed home improvement projects.

“This is my favorite program that we have to really address multiple systems in owner-occupied properties,” Williams said. “We do try to focus on the big issues that really are health and safety issues. If it’s a leaking roof, I will try to get on it as quickly as possible. If it’s a lack of furnace or if it’s raw sewage under the house, we will try to get on those as quickly as possible.”

Though Habitat receives way more applications for home repairs than it could possibly address, Williams said they can spend about $18,000 per household on those that are approved.

More: Affordable housing in Springfield: Ways to volunteer and where to go for assistance

The program is funded through Federal Home Loan Bank grants.

Recent rising construction costs have significantly impacted the amount of repairs Habitat for Humanity can make per household, as $18,000 is about the limit and does not change just because the cost of lumber has increased.

“(The Home Buying and Home Repair programs) are both focused from different directions on getting people into better housing, whether it’s selling them a home that is better than what they are currently living in and may cost them less,” Williams said, “or keeping people in their homes by doing these crucial repairs to keep them safe and healthy.”

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Published at Sun, 20 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000