On World Habitat Day, we’re celebrating 50 years of Habitat for Humanity
Since Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976, the movement has grown far beyond one community or one country.
Through Habitat organizations around the world, we’ve helped more than 65 million people build, repair, and improve the place they call home.
And here in our own community, Lakeshore Habitat donors, volunteers, sponsors, and staff have helped build 187 homes over the last 36 years.
That is certainly worth celebrating. But what matters most is what happens after a family receives the keys.
It's the mother who finally feels safe enough to let her children play outside. (94% of Habitat homeowners report feeling safe in their homes).
It's the student whose grades improve because they have a quiet place to study. (80% say their children perform better in school.)
It's the family that can begin saving for the future instead of constantly recovering from the past. (Habitat homeowners see their credit scores increase, accumulate more savings, and are significantly less likely to lose their homes during financial hardship than similar households.)
Habitat doesn't simply help families buy a house.
It helps them build stability. It helps them build financial security. It helps them build confidence. And perhaps most importantly, it helps them build a different future for their children.
None of this happens because of an anniversary.
It happens because people like you choose to be part of the story.
You volunteer on a build site. You shop at the ReStore. You sponsor events. You give generously. You tell others about our mission. You invest in families you may never meet.
And because of that, generations can be changed.
As we celebrate World Habitat Day and Habitat International’s 50th anniversary, I hope you'll take a moment to reflect on what you've helped build right here in our community. Not just homes, but stronger families, stronger neighborhoods, and stronger communities.
And as we look ahead to the neighborhoods and families still to come, I am excited about what we can continue to build together.
Fifty years from now, someone will look back on the decisions we make today.
My hope is that they'll see a community that refused to accept the housing challenges in front of it. They’ll see a community that kept building.
Thank you for helping make that future possible.
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