“I didn’t think I would qualify.”
A common statement we hear from our future homeowners when we sit down with them and ask how they got connected to Habitat.
Whenever a nonprofit is helping “those in need,” without realizing it, we may tend to think “it can’t be us” in that category.
But in today’s world, 1 in 8 Michigan households are spending half or more of their income on housing each month. Michigan’s minimum wage is $9.65/hr, yet $18.55/hr is what’s needed to afford fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment. The median income for renters is $33,600, yet $46,834 is what’s needed to purchase a median-value home.
Being able to own a home continues to get further out of reach for many of us.
And it is often out of reach even further for those with limited resources.
Resources can include money, jobs, relationships or even support systems. How many of us would be where we are without the support of someone else? Maybe a family member gave you an interest-free loan on a down payment. Or a friend babysat when your child was sick so you didn’t miss work again. Or a handy neighbor helped with car repairs because you were on a budget.
Support systems are an invaluable resource that not every person has.
Lakeshore Habitat’s mission includes building communities. That’s why we are thrilled about our 3 current developments, all of which are communities. Communities where relationships can form and where homeowners can support one another. And even before homeowners are in their homes, we desire to pair each future homeowner with a ‘family friend’ who can walk with them.
Are you someone who could journey with a future homeowner on their way to homeownership?
A future homeowner such as:
…a Veteran from Holland who wants a better life for her daughter.
…a couple who feels income restraints coupled with home schooling their daughter with disabilities.
…a mom who had to escape domestic violence with her son and daughter.
…a mom who has a successful job but has had to dig herself out of marital debt.
…a single female who was not been given housing opportunities because of her disability.
…a single mom who works third shift to provide for her kids as she fights rising rent costs in an unsafe neighborhood.
…a single mom who has lived in a trailer with repair and inefficiency issues, while maintaining her job in management, raising her kids, and going back to school to earn her degree.
…refugees seeking a better life that is safe for their children.
…a single mom living in an over-crowded 2-bedroom home with family.
‘Family friends’ are not volunteers who have all the answers. They are people who understand the importance of relationship and want to show their support for someone who is courageously fighting for a better life for themselves and their families. A family friend is part of a support system. Someone who understands it’s better not to walk alone.
Please reach out to us if you are interested in volunteering as a family friend or supporting our homeowners in some other way: volunteer@lakeshorehabitat.org
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