Church groups a rock of support for Habitat as corporate sponsorship falls
By JAKE LYNCH, Issaquah Reporter Editor, Mar 23 2009, 4:02 PM · UPDATED
A number of church groups donned hard hats and work boots on Saturday as part of their continued support of Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) projects in the state.
In Redmond, church volunteers are helping to build homes at Patterson Park, as part of C2Build – Coalition to Build – a coalition of eastside churches.
Habitat is an international organization which provides low income and affordable housing.
The Faith United Methodist Church in Issaquah and the Sammamish Presbyterian Church have for a number of years provided not only financial support to Habitat but also a regular and willing labor force, which has contributed to the construction of 72 homes Bellevue, Carnation, Issaquah, Kirkland, Newcastle, Redmond, Sammamish, and Snoqualmie.
Habitat Construction Supervisor Mike Hammerquist said that the assistance of church groups, and other community volunteers, was increasingly important to Habitat's work.
"With the economy like it is, with corporate sponsorship falling, we rely heavily on churches, financially and with labor," he said. "Here at Patterson Park, two complete units were sponsored by church coalitions."
"Between 80 and 90 percent of the labor is provided by volunteers."
Ray Rowe and his daughter Melissa said that they had worked on a number of Habitat projects, including one nearing completion in Snoqualmie.
"What we really enjoy is just the giving," Ray Rowe said.
"The handover ceremony, when the house is completed and given to the new owners, is really an amazing experience."
"And the homeowners themselves are involved in helping to build the home, which is great."
Like the Rowe's, Cathy McGinn has been helping out at Habitat sites one day a month.
She says that her church typically sends a group of people to help on the third Saturday of each month.
"The reward is the gratitude of being able to do something worthwhile, to be able to help people get into a nice home," she said.
Want to get involved?
For more information on Habitat for Humanity in East King County, visit www.habitatekc.org.
Issaquah Reporter Editor Jake Lynch can be reached at jlynch@issaquahreporter.com.
A number of church groups donned hard hats and work boots on Saturday as part of their continued support of Habitat for Humanity (Habitat) projects in the state.
In Redmond, church volunteers are helping to build homes at Patterson Park, as part of C2Build – Coalition to Build – a coalition of eastside churches.
Habitat is an international organization which provides low income and affordable housing.
The Faith United Methodist Church in Issaquah and the Sammamish Presbyterian Church have for a number of years provided not only financial support to Habitat but also a regular and willing labor force, which has contributed to the construction of 72 homes Bellevue, Carnation, Issaquah, Kirkland, Newcastle, Redmond, Sammamish, and Snoqualmie.
Habitat Construction Supervisor Mike Hammerquist said that the assistance of church groups, and other community volunteers, was increasingly important to Habitat's work.
"With the economy like it is, with corporate sponsorship falling, we rely heavily on churches, financially and with labor," he said. "Here at Patterson Park, two complete units were sponsored by church coalitions."
"Between 80 and 90 percent of the labor is provided by volunteers."
Ray Rowe and his daughter Melissa said that they had worked on a number of Habitat projects, including one nearing completion in Snoqualmie.
"What we really enjoy is just the giving," Ray Rowe said.
"The handover ceremony, when the house is completed and given to the new owners, is really an amazing experience."
"And the homeowners themselves are involved in helping to build the home, which is great."
Like the Rowe's, Cathy McGinn has been helping out at Habitat sites one day a month.
She says that her church typically sends a group of people to help on the third Saturday of each month.
"The reward is the gratitude of being able to do something worthwhile, to be able to help people get into a nice home," she said.
Want to get involved?
For more information on Habitat for Humanity in East King County, visit www.habitatekc.org.
Issaquah Reporter Editor Jake Lynch can be reached at jlynch@issaquahreporter.com.
Labels: church, faith relations, volunteers
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