2002 W Superior Street, Suite 9 Duluth, MN 55806 Phone: (218) 722-3875 Fax: (218) 529-7656 |
| Building Homes, Building Hope |
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Thrivent Build Schedule 2009 Left to Right: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Reps Mike Hongisto and Steve Hallgren, Cloquet Chamber of Commerce Board Members Bonnie Pasek, Renee Birman, and Mark Roberts. On a day when the howling wind and snow flakes drove home the need for safe and secure shelter, Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity hosted it’s first ever GroundBlessing Saturday, May 16th. Elim Lutheran Church Pastor and WLSHFH Board President James Hagen led the group in prayer for a safe and productive build season. Warmed by coffee provided by long-time volunteers Chris and Judy Nelson, representatives from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans joined WLSHFH board members and volunteers in a ceremony celebrating Thrivent Builds Homes alliance with Habitat for Humanity that will help 311 families open doors to new lives in 2009, according to Launch Manager Jeff Hakala. Members of the Carlton County Chapter of Thrivent Financial, led by Betty Osbourne, Kim Thompson, Jennie Hanson, Ardie Pykkonen, Sue Tester, and Marilyn Walters will be providing support and swinging hammers this summer alongside volunteers from area congregations and the Cloquet Chamber of Commerce. Past Chair Mark Roberts of Short, Elliot Hendrickson expressed his enthusiasm for Habitat and shared plans to join Alan and Renee Birman from Cloquet Ford Chrysler, Bonnie Pasek of Necessities Salon and others on site this summer as we build two decent affordable homes in partnership with families in need from the Cloquet area. Volunteers will stay hydrated with help from Culligan of Cloquet. Thrivent Financial rep Steve Hallgren presented a hammer to WLSHFH Family Selection co-chair Jenny Cooke for safe keeping while a family is selected using the same cautious and thorough approach that has allowed Thrivent Financial to remain vital and even grow in the current economy. Pastor Jeffrey Walther of St. Matthew’s Lutheran in Esko closed the ceremony as many of the attendees headed up the hill to join the Duluth Chapter of Thrivent Financial for a spirited nail pounding contest at the grand opening of their new office on Central Entrance. Thrivent Financial Reps Gene Pagels and Mike Hongisto tested Executive Director Nathan Thomson of North St. Louis County HFH. A wonderful time was had by one and all. We’d like to thank Judy Dinger and her wonderful family, Julie Holmquist, Lisa Warren and Joy Peterson of ThriventBuilds for their unwavering support of affordable housing and Habitat for Humanity, we couldn’t do it without you! Bike to Work Pledge Ride Cyclists are encouraged to challenge their co-workers and pledge that they'll ride to work in the months of May and June for Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity. The cyclist with the most pledges will win a bike from Continental. Pledge forms are available at Fitger's front desk, Continental Ski and Bike or Red Rock Radio Rehabs? With Foreclosures dominating the news many of you have asked if Habitat for Humanity will be entering the rehab market. The answer is a firm maybe. In markets such as Los Angeles where available lots are scarce it may be the best way to provide home-ownership opportunities to low-income people. During the month of February foreclosures affected 1 in every 209 households In L.A. County. Here in St. Louis County rates were much lower; 1 property in every 5,258 was affected, 1 in every 7,757 in Carlton County. At WLSHFH we rely on volunteer labor not only to keep costs low but more importantly to provide a platform for partnerships with people eager to break the cycle of poverty. The sweat-equity requirements of our program ensure that folks build pride in ownership as they build a roof over their heads and break down old walls separating the haves from the have-nots. Rehabbing housing built prior to 1950’s (well above 50% of the housing stock in Duluth) tends to be very technical, requiring skilled labor. This eliminates the possibility of a partnership between volunteers and homeowners, a vital piece of our mission. If the right property at the right price comes along (built recently, requiring repairs that are volunteer-friendly and selling for under $30k) we’ll be happy to evaluate it. There are other affordable housing providers in the area that rely on paid labor and government grants to acquire and rehab foreclosed properties. They serve folks at a higher income level than the typical Habitat home-buyer and do it well. In the meantime we’ll be working to gather the volunteers and funding necessary to begin A Brush With Kindness program that performs repair work that prevents folks from losing their homes in the first place. If your church or organization would like to sponsor A Brush With Kindness project this fall please contact us. posted 4/15/09 What’s in a Name? Habitat for Humanity of Carlton County has combined forces with HFH- Duluth to provide affordable home repair and ownership opportunities for low-income folks in Carlton, Lake, and Southern St. Louis Counties. Beginning in May we’ll be building and repairing homes under the name Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity! posted 4/15/09 |
| Ground Blessing Spruce Street & Big Lake Road, Cloquet Saturday, May 16th. 10 am. |
Schedule subject to change due to progress on site and weather (this is Minnesota) so please call ahead to confirm before scheduling your group. 218 722-3875 |
| Community Build Summer Schedule 909 Spruce Street |
911 Spruce Street, Cloquet |