CityView Magazine

giving for all a habitat Fayetteville's branch of Habitat for Humanity continues the organization's quest for helping others A BY R.J. Minnick mailbox, a set of keys, a front door. All symbols of a home. Building homes takes people with a plan, materials, means and determination. It takes what Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Ann Griffin calls "synergy". It's their ability to make everything come together for one house and roll that success into the next one, and the next. For 25 years, Fayetteville's Habitat for Humanity has enabled people who couldn't do it any other way to achieve home ownership through a unique application of time, money and labor. The process begins with a decision. In September of 2012, Frances Wingate decided to try and own her own home. With the help of Habitat for Humanity's Family Selection Coordinator Jimmy Teal, she began by visiting the Habitat's website (www. fayettevillenchabitat.org). The site lists seven questions Wingate needed to address. Had she been a resident of or employed in Cumberland County for a year or more? Was her annual family income considered 'low income' according to HUD guidelines, and did she live in what is defined as substandard housing? (This can mean subsidized housing or housing that is simply inadequate.) Was she able to pay an escrow deposit and maintain a minimum mortgage payment? A scary prospect, and that is why Habitat for Humanity exists. An openly Christian-based organization, Habitat spends no time proselytizing. One does not have to be Christian to participate as client, employee or volunteer. Habitat is "faith in action", as the organization and its volunteers work energetically to achieve the mission: a world where everyone has a decent place to live. It is, as Ann Griffin is fond of pointing out, how they are their brother's keeper. Habitat for Humanity's operations have changed. Today's insurance and code regulations require that professionals do much of the work. Volunteers complete tasks consisting of painting, trimming, landscaping and cleanup. Those under 18 cannot handle power tools, and under 16 cannot be on an active hard-hat site at all. One program with Habitat that still relies heavily on volunteers is "A Brush with Kindness." Volunteers apply through the website and are processed by Coordinator Mark Hammond. He puts together teams by arranging schedules, notifications and directions to the work site while following up with site supervision. Volunteers tackle maintenance and repair of existing Habitat houses. Projects generally take place on Fridays and Saturdays, but this CityViewNC.com | 35

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