Newsletter Article for Charitable Fund Drive
Habitat for Humanity Oregon: A close look at how safe, affordable and decent housing will aid an Oregon family
By Becky Willhite, Acting Office Manager, Habitat for Humanity Oregon
Monica Hale is a mother to two children, Naomi, 4-and-a-half and Ian who is 2-years-old. Monica moved to Salem, Oregon in 2001 to participate in the Youth With A Mission School, an international organization that conducts outreach, mercy work and English education in countries around the world. Monica and her husband, Ryan, have served in China, India, Australia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Azerbaijan (a small country near the Caspian Sea). They both feel, “That it is a privilege to serve God and show God’s love.”
They continue to work for Youth With A Mission and live on campus where housing is limited. They dreamed of owning their own home, but did not know how they could afford a home on their current income. They are very thankful to Habitat for Humanity for the opportunity to become home owners.
The Habitat for Humanity mission is to provide safe, decent and affordable housing for families in need. A cornerstone to becoming a Habitat for Humanity home owner is contributing “sweat equity.” Sweat equity provides meaningful interaction between the Habitat for Humanity organization and our partner families. It increases pride in ownership and provides family members with a real understanding of the construction of their home and awareness of maintenance issues. A family selected for a Habitat for Humanity home will be asked to fulfill 500 hours of sweat equity.
Monica had never used a hammer before the Habitat for Humanity training. When asked what it felt like to try that tool for the first time she responded with a loud and boisterous, “It was awesome!” But her new favorite tool is a drill and her husband loves the skill saw.
They hope to move into their new home this Spring of 2012. Monica looks forward to the security that a safe, affordable and decent home will bring to their family.
For more information on Habitat for Humanity Oregon, please go to our website: www.habitatoregon.org
