Yesterday, more than 1600 staff, AmeriCorps, volunteers, Board members, and supporters gathered to celebrate Habitat SKKC’s 40 years of impact at the annual Beyond the Build Luncheon. The event featured heartfelt speeches, videos of Habitat homeowners and repair clients, recognition of the volunteers who make our work possible, and an inspiring conversation with Seattle Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald.
Event emcee Steve Raible, the “Voice of the Seahawks,” kicked off the program with a call to action: “During our time together today, and through your generosity, we will draft the next big play for affordable housing as we lay the groundwork for the next 40 years.”
The event was a perfect mix of looking back and looking forward. We wouldn’t have made it to our 40th year if it weren’t for the volunteers and supporters who believed in our mission, and we turn to them as we begin to plan for the next 40.
When Pastor Kristin Joyner from Bothell United Methodist Church took the stage for the traditional convocation, she remarked upon the work Habitat SKKC has done building homes and shining light into communities along the way. “Shining lights are symbols of hope, and that hope is brought to families in their kitchen lights, their family room lights, dining room lights, and porch lights,” she said.
She led the room in a symbolic moment where every guest lit a candle to represent the thousands of lives Habitat SKKC has lit up through homeownership. It was a powerful visual to see a darkened ballroom come to life with small beacons of light. Later, when Coach Macdonald took the stage for a Q&A, he referred to the Seahawks as “beacons of light” in his quest to ensure that the team becomes even more connected to its local community. His desire to lead through service made him a fitting keynote speaker for this year’s luncheon.
Following an inspiring compilation video highlighting Habitat SKKC’s history, CEO Brett D’Antonio took the stage and looked back on the past 40 years of Habitat SKKC’s work, starting with the organization’s first house: “In 1988, our affiliate dedicated its first home, two years after our founding. At that time, they looked at the future and made the goal to finish another 40 houses in 20 years. This was a bold number. But you can’t serve more people if you don’t push and grow—these are words we continue to live by.”
Looking to the future, D’Antonio continued, “We’ve had 40 years to mature as an organization, and that means we are more dynamic than we have ever been before. Look to our home production for the best example of this: It’s growing towards 70+ homes completed every year with hundreds more under construction. We have more than tripled our annual home builds and home repairs in the last five years.”
“But it’s not only our production that is scaling; our operations are as well,” D’Antonio continued. “We’ve refined our model and are deploying more capital to acquire and develop projects at a greater speed than ever before. When we talk about a pipeline of more than 300 homes, we’re really talking about the more than 1,000 individuals and families across King and Kittitas Counties—people whose futures will improve because they had access to affordable homeownership and the long-term stability it provides.”
Our efforts are part of a broad coalition of nonprofits, associations, and government agencies who are working together to tackle the biggest crisis our region is facing. When he spoke, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay recognized Habitat SKKC for “continuing to be a driving force for change” and “central to this work” of finding solutions to the housing crisis. We do this as part of a network because it’s going to take everyone to solve this problem.
Our network also includes the volunteers who show up to our construction sites and stores and dedicate their time and energy without the expectation of receiving anything in return. We couldn’t let them go unnoticed during our biggest celebration of the year, which is why we took time in the program to honor this year’s Volunteer of the Year, Beverly S. Bev first came to a Habitat build in 2004 with her church group on Vashon Island, and 22 years later, she still shows up week after week, rain or shine. Over the years, Bev has contributed well over 3,000 volunteer hours during more than 250 volunteer shifts, becoming a beloved member of Habitat’s Construction Regulars crew.
Jimmy Carter once said of volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, “We get a lot more out of it than we put in it.” For Bev and the other highlighted volunteers—Lorraine Y., Amber C., Tracy C., David B., Vince S., Michael L., and Jennifer T.—we hope that rings true for them too.
From our dedicated volunteers, the program moved next to the homeowners who embody our mission. Colleen Clayton, Associate Director of Homeowner Services, shared an important Habitat SKKC tradition: every time a Habitat homeowner gets their keys, they ring a brass bell and the office erupts with applause. At today’s luncheon, we had the honor of celebrating that moment with four new Habitat homeowners: Tiffany F., Joey R., Annabella Y., and Dalona M.
The event’s keynote speaker, Coach Mike Macdonald reflected on the meaning of home during his conversation with Steve Raible. As a football coach, Macdonald is required to move for work, whether that’s to take on a new coaching job in another city or the regular travel required during the football season. Wherever he goes, no matter how much the settings change, he finds a sense of home. He does it by putting down roots. The opportunity to put down roots has been given to over 3,000 people in our region thanks to Habitat SKKC’s donors and volunteers.
Hearing firsthand from Habitat homeowners is one of the most memorable parts of Beyond the Build, and this year’s luncheon was no different. Legacy homeowner Joanne W. spoke about the long-term impact her Habitat home has had on her life: “Because of your generosity, I haven’t had to worry about where we’re going to live for eight years. That’s about 3,000 nights of sleep without a knot in my stomach. There are so many other families right now sitting where I was eight years ago—waiting for a flyer on a bulletin board to change their lives. Your support today ensures they get that same chance to trade their worries for dreams.”
Thanks to everyone who gave at the event, we raised $2.2 million (and counting) for people like Joanne W., Tiffany F., Joey R., Annabella Y., and Dalona M.!
It was another inspiring and meaningful Beyond the Build luncheon—the largest yet! Thanks to everyone who gathered and celebrated with us all we have accomplished together these past 40 years and for helping shape our impact over the next 40 years.