The Door Jam: October/November 2018 - Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties

Thank-you Gates, your impact, save-the-date

Pacific and Sammamish near completion

Dear Friends,

As 2018 winds to a close, and as the lack of affordable housing continues to escalate in Seattle and King County, your dedication to our mission is bringing us to a milestone for Habitat homeowners. Our two newest communities in the towns of Pacific and Sammamish will be completed by summertime, offering new homes and fresh hope to nearly 100 King County residents.

Our dedicated corporate partner, Delta Air Lines, broke ground this fall on the last of the three homes the company is sponsoring in our community for veterans in the South King County town of Pacific. When construction is completed, veterans will own nine homes in the community.

In a town where the wait list for affordable apartments is up to five years long, our 10-home community in Sammamish is also nearing completion. The two-, three- and four-bedroom homes will provide safe, affordable housing for up to 45 adults and children.

We still need volunteers to make the vision of Sammamish and Pacific a reality! Whether you’re part of a community group, church, company or on your own, please join us! Or, simply stop by a Habitat community and see first-hand the impact your support makes on affordable homeownership.

Brett D’Antonio, Interim CEO

Multi-year Gates grant funds Rainier Beach home repairs

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded a three-year $500,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County to provide critical home repairs to keep low-income seniors, veterans and other homeowners safe and secure in their homes in the Rainier Valley area of South Seattle. The grant will significantly boost Habitat’s home repair and neighborhood revitalization efforts by reducing socioeconomic diversity as well as rising housing costs that threaten to push low-income people out of the neighborhood. Read more about our exciting partnership with the Foundation.

Learn about the incredible impact you make

Thanks to you, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County has provided strength, stability and self-reliance to many of our neighbors in need over the past year. In our annual report to our community, we highlight the impact of our generous donors, funders, corporate partners and volunteers. You’ll read about U.S. Army veteran Teneé Baker and her two kids, who found a fresh start through homeownership along with a community of other veterans in the South King County town of Pacific. Joanne Wilson shares her story about her challenges with MS, a special-needs child and a divorce that left her homeless before you and Habitat stepped in to change their lives through homeownership. Read their stories in our annual report and many more here.

Make a big difference on March 28 — and help us honor Delta

It’s our most important and inspirational event of the year! Join 800 other caring community members in making a profound difference for families, veterans and other low-income people searching for a safe, permanent and affordable place to live. Attend the Beyond the Build Luncheon on Thursday, March 28, and feel great about taking action to help stem our region’s housing crisis.

This year’s Corporate Partner of the Year, is Delta Air Lines. Delta’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County — as well as its contributions to building Habitat homes across the nation and world — represents philanthropy at its most meaningful, through the engagement of its employees as well as through its financial support. Since 2013, in King County alone, Delta Air Lines has committed more than $1.1 million to Habitat along with well over 15,000 volunteer hours involving more than 551 employee volunteers. We are grateful for their support and excited to recognize Delta at the Beyond the Build Luncheon.

Share your passion for Habitat with others

Whether you’re a loyal guest at our annual Beyond the Build Luncheon, a dedicated donor to Habitat during the year, a volunteer wanting to do even more for Habitat families, or someone who simply wants to put their passion into action in helping others makes you the perfect person to be a table captain at our fundraising luncheon. You may choose to purchase a table for ten yourself, with your $2,500 donation going directly to support Habitat families. Or, invite family, friends and colleagues to join you at your table to contribute on their own. We’ll make hosting a table easy and enjoyable for you with plenty of tips on how to recruit and support your guests. Email us today to learn more.

Habitat to benefit from Pearl Jam’s philanthropy

While the details and amount have not yet been released, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County learned in October that it will be one of many nonprofit organizations that will benefit from funds raised by the band Pearl Jam to fight homelessness. The iconic Seattle group’s Home Show concerts in August raised nearly $11 million from concertgoers and various philanthropic contributions. According to the Seattle Times, “Pearl Jam guitarists Mike McCready and Stone Gossard said they wanted to invest in approaches that were known to be effective and wouldn’t get bogged down by bureaucratic red tape.” Thank you, Pearl Jam!

Different faith groups come together for Habitat

More than 90 people from all different faiths gathered together at build sites and to provide lunch for volunteers for our annual Interfaith Build in October. The event has grown tremendously over the past 17 years since 9/11. After the attacks, local faith leaders in the King County area came together and approached Habitat about building together to demonstrate the power and joy of reaching across cultural divides. Every fall since then, Muslims, Jews, Christians and others gather to build homes for families in need, which is now known as Interfaith Build. Some of the congregations participating this year included Bothell United Methodist, Muslim Community Resource Center, Temple B’nai Torah, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Sammamish Lutheran, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, St. Marks and Holy Family Catholic of Kirkland. Holy Family also donated $5,000 in celebration of Interfaith Build.

To wrap up Interfaith Build, participants held an interfaith blessing ceremony to dedicate homes to the future Habitat homeowners. The blessing including filling a cornerstone box with donated “faith items” brought by local faith leaders to symbolize family and home life; singing the song, One Ohana (one great family); and enjoying a potluck meal and free vegetarian food truck provided by the Vedic Cultural Center. If you’d like to join future events like Interfaith Build, email us to learn more.

Do you know a veteran who needs a home?

Habitat’s new homes for veterans in Pacific are nearing completion and we’re in search of our last few homeowners to join the community. Veterans must meet eligibility requirements, to qualify for an affordable mortgage and be able to contribute sweat equity as part of their commitment. Contact Homeowner Services at 206.855.5193 to learn more.

Three Habitat Stores offer home improvement bargains

Ready to tackle those home repair projects you were putting off while you enjoyed the summer? Thinking of buying a new dining room set before hosting family for holiday dinners? Is it finally time to remodel that tired guest bathroom? Then, head to one of our three Habitat Home Improvement Discount Stores! Our newest Store opened this past July in Auburn and the two other Stores operate in Bellevue and Southcenter. You’ll find amazing selections of gently-used or new building supplies, tools, lighting fixtures, large appliances, furniture, cabinets, tile and much more. Our Bellevue Store is known among shoppers for its selection of high-end furniture at deeply discounted prices. Visit a Habitat Store today!

About Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County

In Seattle-King County and around the world, Habitat for Humanity brings people together as volunteers, homeowners, donors and community members to create strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. Here in our community, Habitat for Humanity constructs affordable homes, revitalizes neighborhoods, repairs homes for low-income people and seniors, mobilizes more than 4,300 volunteers a year, and operates discount home improvement stores in Auburn, Bellevue and Southcenter. We rely on gifts from caring community members, foundations and corporations to achieve our essential mission. Please donate today.