II. Jeanine Meyer

      Jeanine heard about the Women’s Build through a list-serv she was on. The idea piqued her interest and she signed up to volunteer. The experience of working at a Habitat site turned out to be one of the most rewarding she has ever had.
  
      With a degree in backstage theater, Jeanine works at the Krannert Center surrounded by the Scene Shop. Unfortunately, despite being in the thick of it all, she is rarely able to roll her sleeves up and get down to the nitty-gritty. The Habitat build site allowed her to do just that; she had the opportunity to open up her heart and efforts to a new and exciting experience:
  
      “I rarely get to use the [Scene Shop] tools myself, so this opportunity was too good to pass up! I was on a roof last week! Never would I have imagined I would EVER do that. CCHFH has helped me thrive outside my comfort zone...”   
  
      It’s not just the nuts-and-bolts of the project that appeal to Jeanine. She has also become fond of the other workers. She is able to recognize the kinship created when a large group of people come together for a common cause. Furthermore, she is able to appreciate the fruits of their labors and the depthless opportunity it affords to the receiving family. For her, it has been impossible to walk onto the site and leave without having forged new and on-going relationships.
  
      “[I enjoyed] getting to the point where people know your name even when you are not wearing your name tag...I like listening to their stories and getting to know other people in the community. I really enjoy talking to the families that we build these houses for. When everyone pitches in, a connection is made with your team and it is an amazing feeling of accomplishment. By the time I’m ready to leave for the day I get that incredible rush from putting something together with others. It’s very similar to the feeling I get when a theater production finally comes together on opening night. What a rush!”
  
      The awesome aspect of it all, for Jeanine, is not just that she is helping others, but the sense of accomplishment and growth she is able to pull from the build on a personal level. The marriage of self-growth while supplementing the motivation for anothers success makes the experience all the more enduring and rewarding. For Jeanine, there was more than a home being built, but also a sense of rejuvenation from each and every aspect of her participation. This in mind, she is more than encouraging to any and all who are toying with the idea of donating their time at a Habitat build site.
  
      “DO IT! You won’t be sorry. It’s a way to give back to your community, meet new people, test your limits, get one heck of a workout and learn some new skills. You might even learn some things you did not know about yourself...[I was] tapping into an endurance I did not know I had and a confidence I thought was lost. CCHFH has even inspired me to do a little DIY around the house...Looking forward to the next build!“
  
      The building time at the sites only lasts for so long. But, as Jeanine has learned, the lessons and warmth they foster can last a lifetime.

It was all of Pastor Parks’ encouraging messages of being able to accomplish a better life for myself and my family that prompted me to use the website that I saw on the news about Habitat for Humanity. I remain open to possibilities and I don’t settle for less. I don’t focus on can’t, shouldn’t or won’t. I stay positive and rooted in God’s word.  

I am employed at the University of Illinois and have been there almost 20 years. I enjoy reading my bible, playing computer games and being active in my church. I serve on the Mission Ministry as Treasurer, the Sunday School Ministry as the Assistant Treasurer and one of the assistant teachers, and a member of Close the Back Door Ministry. Shakila and Nakila are seniors at Urbana High School and they will be graduating in May 2011. Shakila enjoys going to church and being with family and friends. She is the Sunday School Secretary and an active disciple of God. Nakila enjoys listening to music and helping others. She is the Sunday School Assistant Secretary and a child of God. Darius is in 7th grade at Urbana Middle School and enjoys playing video games, watching wrestling and play pool at Jupiter’s. He enjoys hearing the preaching and teaching of God’s words.

By owning my own home, it will change things tremendously. I will find myself in control of my surroundings. I can change things and decorate the way I want to, and won’t have to seek someone else’s approval. I wouldn’t have a landlord to limit my standards if I decide to alter the landscaping. It can give my family the security it needs to move forward in life. It represents a strong commitment and a sense of stability. I found out that you shouldn’t give up, because when one door closes, God will open up another. I thank God for Habitat.

Towanda Frazier, born and raised in Champaign, knows the meaning of family. She is the youngest of 6 girls, and has always been close with her family. It was her sister, Jazz, who encouraged her to apply for a Habitat house.  “I always wanted to apply but I never thought I’d get accepted,” Towanda said. So in 2008, Jazz picked up an application for Towanda to fill out – something Towanda still remembers. “I’m thankful to my sister for giving me a push. She taught me you should never stop believing.”

Because of that push, Towanda is on the road to becoming a Habitat homeowner. It’s not always easy – Towanda works nights as a custodian at Parkland College, which makes it hard to spend as much time with her kids - Courteney, Malik and Mo’Neya - as she’d like. Courteney is 21 with a 17 month old son, and she’d like to be a nurse. Malik is going to be a Freshman in high school, and loves sports, and Mo’Neya is 13 and likes to cook and be a girl – she loves doing her nails. Despite being busy, Towanda’s kids and grandson are still the most important thing to her. “I want to have something for the kids to have to call home – I want them to be excited to be able to decorate their own rooms. And I want a backyard for a swing set for my grandson!”

Towanda and her children have been living in a rental house in Urbana for the past few years, but Towanda is ready for home-ownership.  She’s ready to take on the home maintenance and finance classes. She’s ready to put her money towards a mortgage, instead of towards someone else getting ahead. She’s ready to work on her build. Her Family Mentor, Rich Whittington, can see that she’s ready for the next step. “I love Towanda,” Rich said. “She has really taken ownership of earning her sweat equity…She also has taken the initiative to pursue educational opportunities. She is great.”  Towanda has said of her family, “We believe in sticking together.” This is apparent by the fact that her entire family has been working with Towanda on her sweat equity hours, both in the ReStore and at other fundraising events.

When asked what would change by owning her own home, Towanda answered simply: “Everything.”  Towanda would like to go back to school someday to get a degree in the social work field: “I want to help people, because so many people have helped me.” At Habitat, we are happy to be providing the Frazier family with a hand up, and to learn a valuable lesson from Towanda: never stop believing.

Arica Moss moved with her three daughters to Rantoul after her divorce in 2007. She wanted to save money, work on fixing her credit score, have a quiet neighborhood for her girls and ultimately own her own home some day. She knew she just had to be patient and pray. Her daughters – Daja, Kayla and Jayden – are between ages eight and twelve, and Arica has always been a protective mother. She doesn’t  let them see R rated movies, she supervises them playing in the neighborhood, keeps them active at Stone Creek Church, where they have been members since 2007... but despite her best efforts, Arica hasn’t been able to protect her daughters from everything. In Spring 2010, a man exposed himself to the girls on their way to school. A few short months later, there was a shooting in their neighborhood and a bullet went through the window in one of the girl’s room. Arica knew God had a hand in her life that day because the girls weren’t in their room at the time. On a school night, they would’ve been in bed already and could’ve been injured. The event was so frightening that the family has just recently started using that front bedroom again.  

It was the shooting that pushed Arica to apply for a Habitat home. She knew she needed a more stable environment for her daughters, and when she heard that Habitat homes are purchased at 0% interest, she said “I need that in my life.” And Arica has worked hard in her life to deserve this. She has her Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She is currently attending classes at Eastern Illinois University to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Science. She works for Head Start in Champaign, and with the Center for Women in Transition, as a Family Advocate and loves it. “I enjoy helping people and in helping kids learn.” She is busy with her girls – all three play softball, Daja is involved with cheerleading and band and Kayla loves to play the recorder. On top of all of that, Arica has started a ministry for single mothers called Fresh Start Resources. Once a month, she takes a box of items – from shampoo to food to books – to single mothers who could use the help. She shares what she has learned during her years as a single mother and encourages them to keep a positive influence for their children.  

Arica herself is a strong and incredibly positive role model for her daughters. She was accepted into the Habitat program in January and started on her 200 hours of sweat equity right away. She had actually taken the required financial courses prior to getting in the program, and between money she has saved and the PAID program, she already has $5,000 saved for a down payment. It didn’t take Arica long to complete her sweat equity, and she is all set to build her home in partnership with the UIUC Campus Chapter of Habitat and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program through the City of Champaign this fall. Soon, 506 E. Beardsley in Champaign will be her new home. And this is exciting.

  “Many of my family members own their own home and now it’s my time. I want the girls to be able to pick the colors of their walls. I want to be closer to work and church, as well as closer to Charleston for my classes. Plus, a group of friends who have become like family live in Champaign-Urbana and they are a strong support system for my girls and me. I am READY to be a homeowner.”  

Anyone who has met Arica would agree. Even after she completed her sweat equity, she volunteered to work on events for Habitat. She always seems to have a smile on her face, and is always willing to step in and lend a hand.

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Please join us in welcoming Crystal Brown and her daughter Sierra to the Habitat family!

Although Crystal is from Chicago, she’s lived in Champaign-Urbana for the last 18 years. She came here as a ward of the state to live at Cunningham Children’s Home. As both of her parents were addicts, Crystal was placed in several residential group and foster homes, eventually attending eleven middle schools. “Stability for my daughter is very important. I didn’t have one constant presence in my life until Cunningham and I want something different for her.” Crystal has certainly provided that as they have lived in the same apartment since Sierra was age one.

Crystal graduated from Urbana High School in 1994. She describes being very cautious about leaving Cunningham’s independent living program after graduation. "Typically, when a young adult leaves home for the first time, they have the support of their family if they don't make it on their own. However, if you don’t have the "traditional" family support system, where and who do you go to if you fail?” Although her mother has been sober for ten years now, during those critical ages, she didn’t have anyone to show her how to live. Crystal went on to describe her shock as a very, in her words, “mean, ignorant, hard-headed 13-year-old,” when she saw the cornfields and met other youth who went to lakes and played in sports. After her years in Chicago’s west side projects, she didn’t believe she deserved anything different.

Habitat home owner Roxanne Grantham, who built a home in partnership with TimberCreek Developers as part of 2006’s HomeBuilders Blitz, encouraged Crystal to apply for a home. “After my childhood, it's always a challenge for me to be optimistic. I was so accustomed to good things not happening for me." In this case, Crystal has made a good thing happen for herself, as successful applicants must go through a rigorous and comprehensive selection process. And it’s not the first time: from 1996 to 1998 Crystal served as a homeless case manager at Prairie Center through Americorps, where she assisted over 450 clients in obtaining housing, clothing and other needed resources. For her service, she was awarded by being named a 1997 "Home-Town Hero", and was selected to meet then-President Bill Clinton on his visit to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

In the dozen years the Browns have lived in their apartment, the improvements have only been modest. While visiting, the sounds of the neighbors were ever-present. “I’m ready to take on the responsibility of homeownership, and to make an investment that I can leave to my daughter.” Sierra’s only concern is being able to get a bedroom big enough so she can have a long enough bed. Her current bed is the one Crystal took with her from Cunningham, which she has outgrown. Despite the restless sleep that comes from a short bed, Sierra is on honor roll at her middle school.

Those benefits of home ownership – both tangible and intangible – are part of why Pat Hanlon volunteers as a Family Support Liaison, first with the Dominguez Family in 2007 and now with the Browns. “It’s a big change and you don’t really know the benefit until you’re in the home you own. I’ve seen what it does for families, and I’m rewarded by seeing them happy and healthy.” As a liaison, Pat will mentor the Browns, help keep them on track for sweat equity, and be in touch through the first year of home ownership.

We always ask our new home owners why Champaign County should invest in them. Crystal answered, “We’re a part of Champaign County. We’ve been good citizens, investing with our dollars and our days. For the last 18 years, Champaign County has been my home, and I believe that home ownership is yet another way that I can continue to give back to my community.” Crystal works at the University of Illinois in Utilities Administration. She’s looking forward to inviting her co-workers and her fellow parishioners at Stone Creek Church to join us on the work site.

Kay Bynum’s eldest daughter, Tenika, was in the military when she met her husband and ultimately moved to Illinois. Tenika asked her mother to move here to be close to her, so in 2005, Kay and her youngest daughter Tamara moved to Urbana from Baltimore, Maryland. Kay worked at a Sam’s Club out in Maryland and was able to get a job at the Walmart in Champaign as a greeter, where she has worked since she moved to Illinois. She loves being near her daughter and son-in-law, Ian, and her “grandson” Punch, a Pomeranian/Doberman Pinscher that she loves to spoil. Tamara is 13 years old and gets good grades at Urbana Middle School.  

One of the first things Kay did in Illinois was to get her driver’s license because she had always wanted a car. After getting her license, Kay decided she wanted a home of her own. It had always been something she wanted to have: “If anything ever happened to me, I would leave it to my kids.” Kay and Tamara have lived in a duplex in Urbana, where the utilities are extraordinarily high, ever since they moved here.  It was her son-in-law, Ian, who told her about Habitat for Humanity and encouraged her to apply. In September 2008, she came into the Habitat offices to talk about how to apply. In December 2008, she got a call from Celia Elliot, Family Selection Chairperson. In Kay’s words: “Celia called me up and asked me if I was sitting down, because I was approved for a Habitat house. I told her, ‘Miss Celia, stop kidding me!’ I was so happy; everyone was so happy. I couldn’t stop crying.”

When I asked Kay what having a house of her own through Habitat would mean for her and Tamara, she said it would change things tremendously. “Tamara is a good child, I have taught her not to depend on anyone – if you want something, you have to go for it. No one is better than anyone else.” Kay is teaching through action: she has already completed 150 of her required 250 sweat equity hours. She’s saving the rest for when her house is built.

Kay and her family are a welcome addition to the Habitat family, and we are looking forward to working together to build her house.

About the Brownlees

A Champaign County native, Sonya graduated from Urbana High School and has attended Parkland College. She found out about our program when 1999 Habitat home owner Karen Hite told Sonya about how much fun she had building her own home, working along side volunteers.

Sonya and three-year-old Bryce live in a neighborhood that has worsened over the last eight years. They've been living with to vandalism, reckless driving, drug abuse, fighting, and even violent deaths. Their hope is simple, and one we all know: a safe environment for a child to play in and grow. Worry about what her child may be seeing, hearing, or risking has been exhausting. However, with the current housing crisis, qualifying for a conventional loan on the wages from her present place of employment is impossible.

Illinois Campus Chapter President Marli Bardell can relate. Now a senior in psychology, Marli grew up in substandard housing herself. She has now worked on four homes in Oklahoma, Kentucky and here (many of you may recognize her from this summer's Women Build). "Having grown up in a substandard housing situation myself has made being a part of Habitat for Humanity even more rewarding. I know firsthand how important it is to have a safe decent place to call home, and the incredible impact that can have on all other areas of your life."

Funding for this home was raised over the course of the last year through a $10,000 State Farm matching grant, $8,000 from the Illinois Interfraternity Council, $6,500 from Orange Krush, $1,255 from the students at nearby King Elementary and events like a 5K race and soliciting donations from passersby on the Illinois Quad, at Wal-Mart and other businesses.

As part if its commitment to support the development of affordable housing in the community, the City of Urbana has provided the lot at 708 N. Goodwin for this project. In addition, the City has allocated $14,999 in down payment assistance (a 5-year forgivable loan) from its Federal HOME program budget.

As with all home builds, Sonya and Bryce will have a family liaison throughout the experience, a mentor and champion to help them through the sometimes overwhelming process of building a new home and meeting so many new friends. Holly Lechniak, a senior in International Studies, volunteered for the role. "As a new board member of the Illinois Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity, I am hoping to help Sonya and her son through this exciting process and work with them to create a home in which we all can be proud."

"I'm truly great full for the opportunity to become a homeowner! It has always been my desire to have my home built but it's even a greater feeling to soon be able to say that I helped build my own home!," reflected Sonya about her hand up from Champaign County.

About Illinois' Campus Chapter

Build Sponsors

*denotes ongoing sponsors

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Meet the Foleys

"I can't visit my friends back home any more. They're either dead, in jail, or addicted to drugs," said 2009 Habitat homeowner Lisa Foley. "I've stayed away from all three!"

Lisa moved from the west side of Chicago in 1987 and has lived in Rantoul since 1997. When she takes ownership of her new home at 1627 Lowry in Rantoul in 2009, she will be the first homeowner in her family's history. She's a trailblazer in other ways, too, as the first college graduate. With an associate's degree from Parkland College in hand already, Lisa has been earning a bachelor's in education through Millikin University's distance learning program for the last eight years. When Lisa graduates, she will be guaranteed a position in a Champaign Unit 4 school for three years (she's been a teacher's aide at Franklin Middle School for three of her eleven years in the district). "Franklin Middle School is like a family - very supportive and ready to help me build my home."

The Foley family includes two adult brothers, an adult sister, and three youth still in the home. Marquita, who just completed her sophomore year, is a poet. She's eager for a room of her own, a place to focus and share her life through words. Jamea, who is better at basketball and softball than anyone in the family, just completed grade six. And Kejaun, who just finished third grade, just wants some cool water to run through on hot days.

Four of Lisa's six children were adopted, after being fostered through Lutheran Social Services. Both of Lisa's parents, her sister and several cousins have joined them in Rantoul over the years. Despite pain and struggle, this is a family lifting itself up, with hard work and love. "I want my kids to know that you can recover from any mistake, at any time. You just have to go back and pick up the pieces."

"During the home visit that is part of the Habitat application process, it was clear that Lisa's home was a welcoming place for her children and their friends. The children were delightful, and Lisa's determination to become a homeowner was an inspiration -- she did not let any obstacles get in her way," reflected Family Selection Committee member Ruth Aydt.

When asked how she's managed to stick out her school program, Lisa quickly replied, "For the kids." She continued, "I don't want them to see me give up." Jamea, who made high honors in school this year, teased that Lisa tends to do her homework at the last minute. Kejuan made the honor roll as well. Lisa's 20-year-old daughter, LaShanda, attends Lincoln College in Lincoln, Illinois. Lisa's diligence shows in the success of her children.

Even with so much support and hard work, the Foleys can't afford to buy a home through conventional avenues, and their current rental home has problems. One bedroom is not usable because of mold infestation on the walls. One of the "usable" bedrooms, which was converted from the original garage, has a very small HVAC vent; it is inadequate to keep the room properly heated or cooled. Until Rantoul instituted a rental inspection program to protect renters, the bathroom also had a mold problem and the bathroom floor was rotted from an earlier water leak. The kitchen cabinets are very old and falling apart; the kitchen sink leaks, and the garbage disposal is broken. On a windy day, shingles blow off the roof, causing occasional leaks. There are also faulty electrical circuits in one bedroom and the living room.

In spite of all that, Lisa is very proud of her recent paint jobs in the kitchen and living room as well as the small deck she added to the front of the home. Lisa, Marquita, Jamea, and Kejuan, with dogs Shorty and Romeo, are ready to build with their neighbors and friends-to-be in Rantoul. They're ready to help us all make a stronger Champaign County.

Build Sponsors

Allied Waste
Armstrong Lumber
Borchers Decorating LLC
Champaign Telephone Co.
Chandler Concrete
City of Rantoul
Custom Flooring and Acoustics
Dewey Mennonite Church
Dow Chemical
F&R Roofing
Friendship Lutheran Church of Joy
Grace Lutheran Church
Harmon Excavating
HDC Engineering
Home Depot
Hoveln Heating and Cooling
IBEW Local 601
Illiana Insulation
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville
Lanz, Inc. Plumbing
Lone Pine Electric
Martin Luther Men’s Chorus
Maxwell Counters
Messiah Free Lutheran Church
Nick’s Porterhouse of Paints
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church
Rademacher Building Center
RP Lumber
Springfield Electric
St. Matthew Lutheran of Urbana
St. Paul Lutheran Church-Gifford
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Champaign County Chapter
UpClose Marketing and Printing
Whirlpool Corporation

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Meet the Youngs

Kia Young grew up on East Bradley, in north Champaign, before the projects came down. “It was not a good environment,” she stated succinctly.

Kia has never been afraid to work hard. She graduated from Central High and became a Certified Medical Assistant through Parkland College. Most of her career was spent at Carle Clinic, but she’s now with McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinois. She is earning a Bachelor’s degree in general studies from Eastern Illinois University.

Her daughter, Anajah, is a quiet third-grader with a smile that stretches from ear to ear. She loves school, volleyball and coloring. Anajah is very excited about a home with a yard she can play in and a place she can plant flowers and watch them grow.

The Young’s current (and tiny) home in east Urbana is in a poorly maintained apartment complex. Six years ago the front door was damaged by another resident, but only patched instead of replaced. The shabby door, which rattles loosely whenever an outside door opens and closes, only heightens their sense of fear.

Safety is such an issue that Kia has made provisions with her own mother to ensure that Anajah doesn’t have to ever be alone after school, before Kia is home from work. “It was clear to us that Kia would do everything in her power to create a safe, stable, supportive environment for Anajah,” said Celia Elliott, chair of the Family Selection Committee.

As no one in her family has ever owned a home, Kia didn’t know where to start, particularly since she is low income. “How would I ever come up with $10,000 for a down payment?” A friend referred her to Habitat.

“Habitat seems so positive,” Kia reflected. “I’m a hard working single parent and I do the best I can to provide for me and my daughter. I’m currently working full time and spending my weekends at school working towards a Bachelor’s degree in hopes of building a solid future for my child. I want to someday provide a more permanent foundation for my family. With Habitat’s help I will be able to reach my goal sooner.”

Kia’s dreams for Anajah are simple. “I want to be able to sit and watch her play outside.” Anajah can’t do that now because of the dangerous adults in the public areas. “She wants a pink bedroom.”

Kia will be intentional in teaching her daughter about financial management and home maintenance. Since going through bankruptcy five years ago, as a result of credit card debt and financial inexperience, Kia has worked very hard to pay her bills, stay out of debt, and repair her credit.

Before even being accepted into Habitat’s home ownership program, she took advantage of Celia’s suggestion that she enroll in the PAID program. As a result, Kia has come into the program with some down payment assistance funding in place (PAID offers a matching grant) and solid training. "My daughter has been taught the value of a dollar. She likes to save her money. She won't even spend a quarter."

Family Support Liaison Carl Burkybile hopes to help the Youngs understand the home building and homes maintenance process. Carl grew up on a farm and spent 32 years teaching high school agriculture, 30 years as a part-time self-employed contractor, 33 years as a bus driver, and is on year 5 as a member of our Board of Directors.

“I want to bless others as God has blessed me.” In addition to his work with Habitat, Carl has been to Kenya five times and Honduras once as part of his church’s mission work. (Carl is a member of Philo Road Church of Christ, which built a home with Volition in 2003.)

About Carle Clinic Association

Carle Clinic Association will partner with Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build program to break ground for a new home in September 2009. The program empowers women to build homes, enabling them to positively impact the lives of children by making homeownership a reality.

As a part of Carle Clinic’s contribution in the partnership with Women Build, the clinic has committed to a $20,000 matching funds drive led by Chief Executive Officer R. Bruce Wellman, MD, and Chief Administrative Officer Michael Bukosky, who will present personal donations to Habitat for Humanity April 16.

“We are proud to be affiliated with Women Build to support the development of women and children,” said Wellman. “Carle Clinic is honored to have another chance to enhance the life of a local family.” Kia Young and her daughter Anajah are the partner family for the new home, which will be constructed at 1521 W. Healey in Champaign.

Dedicated to the people of central Illinois for 77 years, Carle Clinic is proud to be a member of the Champaign/Urbana community and honored to give back. Carle Clinic Association is one of the largest private physician groups in the United States, with more than 330 physicians practicing in more than 50 specialties at regional locations across central Illinois. Carle Clinic partners with Carle Foundation Hospital to operate three centers of excellence – Carle Cancer Center, Carle Spine Institute and Carle Heart and Vascular Institute – bringing the latest diagnostic and treatment options to the community.

Build Sponsors

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About the Corona Family
Raised in Morelia (a city of 2 million) Maricela Corona learned the value of education and hard work from her parents. Sixth of seven children, Maricela – like her siblings – was told to either get good grades or go to work. She chose chose to study chemistry and upon graduation, earning valedictorian status of her class.

After marrying her college sweetheart, Maricela and her husband moved to the United States to pursue his work in entomology.

What do you like about living in the United States?
I like small cities where people are warm. My daughters and I appreciate simple things where we can learn from. I love diversity and learning from different cultures. That has been my best experience here in the United States.

Just as Maricela was planning to go back to school after being a stay-at-home mom for her two daughters - Frida and Celeste - her marriage fell apart and her plans changed. With Celeste sick with asthma, Maricela decided instead to get a part-time job with the Urbana Adult Education Center, watching the children of GED students and Celeste at the same time. When a full-time Teacher’s Assistant position opened up a year and half later in the Urbana School District, she jumped at the chance to work in the Bilingual Program at Leal, where she would again be close to Celeste.

Why have you made the United States your permanent home?
I came here six years ago, for only one year with many expectations for my family. My children's father was working on his Post-Doctoral studies at U of I and I was at home. I got a Degree in Chemistry and a Master of Biotechnology in Mexico and I left my career behind. After the first year suddenly my life changed because of the break-up of my marriage and by then I had a part time job and my younger daughter sick with asthma. I had to look for a full time job and I got a full time job at Leal School in Urbana, where I have worked for more than four years. I decided to live here because I don't usually run away from bad situations, I face them and working on a second degree will make me feel challenged and gain my daughters' respect. I love to teach and that is what I plan to do in the future. We are permanent, legal residents.

What are the problems with your current living situation?
I currently rent a small apartment in Urbana (two bedrooms). My two daughters (13 and 9 years old) and I live there. They need their own space and privacy to study and rest. The limited space we have right now creates sometimes tension between them. We really need more space.

Frida and Celeste are voracious readers and both say the most important thing to add to their new rooms are bookshelves. Frida has her sights set on becoming a lawyer or earning her MBA at Harvard. The straight-A student is well on her way. Outgoing Celeste says she wants to be a singer, artist, fashion designer, or author. “Or mathematician,” adds her mother.

What would owning your own home mean to you?
It means a lot. I always wanted to get my own house, space and the most important reason a sense of stability.

What would owning your own home mean to your girls?
They are very happy. They truly believe that life will be better, they will have their privacy and will study harder.

What would owning your own home mean to your family's future?
It means the beginning of a new stage, a sense of freedom and the possibility of a better life.

Why did you choose to get more education?
I decided to get involved in the bilingual education program and as a requirement all teachers working for the program should be certified. There is a quick way to get certification (6 months-1 year) and also the long way through the College of Education. I decided to get the second and serve families, students, and Leal better.

People might wonder why you can't afford a home when you are currently in school. Please tell us more about how Leal School is sponsoring your education.
The USD 116 and U of I have a program that provides limited fee waivers every semester to employees (about five). The USD committee decides who is going to get the fee waivers. I got one of the fee waivers this semester. I am very happy.

How do balance being a mom, working and going to school?
It has been a little complicated, but I always find a time of the day to communicate with my children about anything they want to tell me. I usually study at night when they sleep and I focus better. At school I teach and try to do my best. I try to find 15 minutes a day to relax and go on.

Why do you value education?
I value education because that is something that nobody can take away from you. Education is a heritage.

How is your church supporting you?
People are supportive and warm. All my friends pray for me.

How has your faith helped you in your experience?
I have very strong faith. I believe now that things happen for any reason and I had to learn and accept that my life changed. I move forward with high expectations for my kids and for me and God will lead our way.

About Women Builds

Women Build is a Habitat for Humanity International program that encourages women and girls to have fun and make a difference by building homes and communities. Nearly 1,000 Habitat houses have been built by women crews around the world. Each year 150 or more homes are added as affiliates, donors and sponsors discover the impact of women volunteers and their resources.

How?
Make a financial contribution to help us reach our goal of $64,500. Join hands with dedicated women to raise money and be involved. Involve your group, club or friends with a build day. ($5,400 donation). Celebrate your birthday or other special event with us – ask friends and family to donate in your honor to the Women Build House. Organize a “Workplace Giving Program”.  Ask your workplace to match your donation. Volunteer on the build site. We hope to being in the spring of 2008. To be notified of the schedule as it emerges, contact Ellen Willcox ([ email ], 217-359-0507 x110).

Skills?
Don’t worry! Many women come to Women Build sites with no construction skills at all and still make a great impact. Training will be provided. This is empowerment at its best: women joining hands with other women, raising money, building a home, achieving a dream with another woman.

Build Sponsors

Full listing of corporate and individual donors here (will open in PDF). July 31, 2008

92.5 The Chief, ABC Sanitary*, Advanced Filtration Systems, Alto Vineyards, Altrusa Foundation, Amasong: Champaign-Urbana's Premier Lesbian/Feminist Chorus, Armstrong Lumber*, Beaumont Alignment Plus, Bella Bambini, Bella Mia, BridalU.net

Cabinetland*, Champaign Cycle, Chambana Roofing, Champaign Co. Association of Realtors, Champaign Telephone Company*, Champaign-Urbana's Junior Woman's Club, Chef Benjamin Graves, Christ Unity Church, Circles, City of Champaign*, City of Urbana*, Cooper's Hawk Winery, Corkscrew, CU DIVAS, C-U Storyteller's Guild

El Toro II, English Hedgerow, Esquire Lounge, F & R Roofing*, First Presbyterian Church of Monticello, Friar Tuck*, Furrow Vineyard

Great Harvest Bread Company, Green View Garden Center, Hair Design & Day Spa at Knollwood, HDC Engineering*, Herriott's Rentals*, Hessel Park Christian Reformed Church*, Hickory Point Bank & Trust*, Hidden Acres Nursery, Human Kinetics*

IBEW Local 601*, Illiana Insulation*, Infant-Parent Institute, Junior League of Champaign-Urbana, Kickapoo Creek Winery, Kleiss Nursery

Ladies Auxiliary of Eagles #3075, Lanz Plumbing*, Leal School, Lone Pine Electric*, Lowe's*, Lynfred Winery, Inc.
                  
MacDonald Machinery Co., Mackinaw Valley Vineyard, McGladrey & Pullen, Michelle's Bridal, National Council of Negro Women, Champaign County Section, Next Generation School

O'Brien Auto Park, Parkland College, Pride Clinic, Printec, RATIO Architects*, Rawles, O’Byrne, Stanko, Kepley & Jefferson, P.C.*, Rose Heating & Air Conditioning*, Rotary Club of Champaign*

Sam’s Drywall*, Schoonover Sewer Service*, Sleepy Creek Vineyards, Smoothie King, Stephens Excavating*, Storage Options & Solutions*, Traveling Vineyard, Unitarian-Universalist Church, United Rentals, UpClose Marketing & Printing*

Wilkie & McMahon, Wells Fargo Foundation on behalf of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Women of Grace Community Church, Z Entertainment

*denotes ongoing build partners

Click here to view our Flickr photo gallery

Robinson Family

Rasheen grew up in Danville, the oldest of four kids. She and her brothers all graduated from Danville High School and Rasheen has been working since age 15, originally at Wendy’s. When she moved to Champaign after graduation to be with her then-boyfriend (they have since married and divorced), she started at Lowe’s. Rasheen worked up to manager of the front end customer service, where she stayed for three years, then receiving manager for another three years.

Herff-Jones is where you’ll find Rasheen today. “I couldn’t believe the e-mails I got from my coworkers when they heard the news. They all want to help on the work site.”

Despite such steady work and success in her employment, Rasheen has had to come back from bad choices. When she first moved to Champaign, she took advantage of easy credit, not understanding the consequences of interest and late fees. Eventually she declared bankruptcy. “I didn’t have any financial education. I will talk to my son, he won’t make the same mistake.”

That early financial crisis is part of why Rasheen delayed applying for Habitat’s program. “I didn’t think I was good enough,” and nearly cancelled her appointment with the Chair of Habitat’s Family Selection Committee, Celia Elliott.

"On the contrary," said Celia, "Rasheen is just the kind of prospective homeowner that we're looking for.  Yes, she had some problems in the past, but she has also worked very hard to overcome those earlier mistakes and repair her credit.  She's made sacrifices and hard choices to put herself in a position to benefit from the Habitat housing program. Rasheen's absolutely committed to providing a stable, secure home for her son, she has tremendous energy and discipline, and I'm confident she'll make her dream a reality. Habitat is not about the past; it's about what people are willing to do together to make a future."  

Joan Wingo, Thrivent Builds Homes Chapter Specialist, met the Robinsons at their trailer at the end of March. “I’ve wanted to be involved with Habitat since 1976,” Joan said. “In the late 80s I worked with single moms in Milwaukee, helping them with housing and services. I support Habitat because I think each child needs to have a safe place of their own so they can relax and think.”

Rasheen and Dizon have lived in their trailer since his birth. “I am blessed to have this much, but it’s not perfect.” The insulation is almost non-existent, leaving them both with colds and ear aches all winter. Finding care for a sick child, when the day care can’t take him on, is a significant pressure for a single mother. Some days, Dizon huddles in bed under the covers just to stay warm. In addition, the walls are paper thin, making good sleep difficult. “If someone has their car stereo on, I can hear it well enough to sing along.” Her high-energy boy has limited room to play indoors and the communal yard is muddy, often trashed.

Habitat can’t serve families with emergency housing needs. Instead, it offers a hand up (not a hand out) to those families with limited resources but enough to make the mortgage payments and put in their sweat equity on the home build. As a result, many of our families fall into a category of our neighbors who make too much money to qualify for public aid but not enough to actually cover their expenses, including housing. To make her dollars stretch, “I food pantry,” Rasheen says, grateful for the generosity of St. Patrick’s Catholic, Empty Tomb and Salt & Light. Most of Rasheen’s immediate neighbors are elderly retirees on extremely low fixed incomes. She shares any extra food she receives and makes sure they have access to the resources she’s found.

“I am blessed. I am not going to let anybody down. I am going to be an excellent home owner. I am going to stay in this community and raise my son. This is an opportunity for us both and I am going to take it and I am going to grow from it. Show me what I need to do. Nothing will embarrass me. I am going to bring my baby up right.”

If you’re in the home improvement ReStore on a Saturday or the Women Build Homes work site, where Rasheen will begin putting in her 250 hours of sweat equity, please introduce yourself. Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County and ReStore is proud to support the Robinson family’s partnership with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and local Lutheran congregations.

Dee Family

The Dees married in 1993. Hard workers, they made a family and built a small day care business. Nine years into their marriage, and pregnant with Conley, Sheri was in a devastating car accident. Although the Dees and the other driver had insurance, it was far from sufficient to cover hospital stays from October 2002 – February 2003. Thanks to a host of family and friends, LeRoy was able to complete his fall courses while tending to the boys and Sheri. "The debt consumed us and we had to file Chapter 13 bankruptcy. We didn't want to get out of our obligations, just find a way to make it manageable," Sheri described.

Both parents attend Eastern Illinois University, on campus and online, in early childhood education. Sheri would like to earn a PhD and become a professor. The love this family shares is infectious. "LeRoy has always been quiet and sweet. He has a peacefulness and calm, always making sure we each have what we need and maybe a little bit of what we want. I'd like the world to see that not all black men abandon their families, mistreat their families."

When the Dees lost their home – and Sheri's love for LeRoy grew – they tried to stay on their own. But making $10 an hour each they simply couldn't afford rent, plus utilities, plus the payments to their creditors and moved in with family. LeRoy has lost both of his parents. Sheri's father is a minister. Without faith, the Dees would not have survived. "We say our prayers together every night."

Raised to keep their problems to themselves – "Don't wear your troubles on your sleeve!" – both parents were reluctant to ask for help. They've shielded their children from the anxieties of loss and instability. "This is the first time they're hearing about it." But the Dees took a chance on Habitat, having met 1999 home owner Karen Hite through their shared News-Gazette employment, and were impressed with the positive and practical approach of Habitat's all-volunteer Family Selection Committee. "We were treated like anyone else applying for a home."

Celia Elliott, the Family Selection Committee Chair explains, "We are not handing out favors or looking to punish people who have had financial problems in the past. We strive to make the selection process as fair and open and objective as we can, based on prudent business judgments. We look at three – and only three – things: does the family have an unmet housing need, do they have the financial means and discipline to take on a mortgage, and will they work positively with our staff, volunteers, and community to make their dreams of home ownership a reality?"

When asked what earning this home would mean, LeRoy replied, "It's all about the family." Less financial pressure will allow him to drop down to just his position at the University of Illinois' dining services. Sheri is a contract driver for The News-Gazette, driving over 700 miles per week to deliver 500 papers per day, 364 days each year (Christmases off). The boys share a paper route of their own and volunteer at a local food pantry. "Cutting our housing costs in half will be a relief. We will be able to spend time together without me falling asleep," LeRoy concluded.

Thank you to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the Frances Nelson Health Foundation, the City of Champaign and our brothers and sisters in Champaign County's Lutheran congregations for giving yet another family a chance to breathe, and all of us a chance to rejoice.

FAITH PARTNERS

American Lutheran Church of Rantoul*
Community United Church of Christ*
Good Shepherd Lutheran*
Grace Lutheran*
Peace Lutheran Church*

Prince of Peace Lutheran*
St. John Lutheran*
St. John Lutheran Church & School*
St. Matthew Lutheran*

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans*
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Champaign County Chapter

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

ABC Sanitary*
Armstrong Lumber*
B&G Gutters
Beta Sigma Psi
Cabinetland*
Champaign Telephone Co.*
City of Champaign*
Dillman Brothers Contracting
Dow Chemical*
F&R Roofing*
Flooring Surfaces, Inc.*
Frances Nelson Foundation
Franzen Construction
HDC Engineering*
Herff-Jones
Home Depot
IBEW Local 601*
Illiana Insulation*
K.B. Crail, Inc.
Land of Lincoln Legal*
Lone Pine Electric*
Martin Luther Men's Chorus
Nusbaum Custom Carpentry
Parkland College's Construction Design and Management Program
Phi Chi Theta
Plastipak
Sam's Drywall*
Stephens Excavating & Concrete*
UpClose Marketing and Printing*
Whirlpool Corporation*

*denotes ongoing build partners

INDIVIDUAL PARTNERS

Anonymous
James and Ruth Anderson
Mary Anderson
Wayne and Susan Bekiares
Aleta and Duane Blobaum
Velma Clark
Bob and Celeste Coverdill
Brian and Erin DeMuynck
Celia and Jeffrey Elliott
Robert and Mary Ann Espeseth
Lyle and Deborah Fotzler
Robert and Alyce Hein
Awanda Jackson
Peter and Patricia Kale
Doris Meyer
Randy and Denise Reeley
Peter and Sylvia Sauer
Joan and Michael Wingo

BUILD VOLUNTEERS

Kasey Alms, Nick Anchor, Mary Anderson, Neil Anderson, Traci L. Anderson, Robert Arnold, Zeba Aziz

Vic Baderschneider, Krystle Baetiong, Christine Bailey, Darryl Bailey, Henry Bailey, Marilyn Banks, Brian Bates, Knute Bauer, Gail Blackman, Terry J. Blackmen, Charles Blatti, Don Block, Alex Bohlen, Elton Bohlen, Hedy Bourland, Brad Boye, Darrell Brandt, Kevin Brandt, Calvin Brown, Katie Brown, Austin Bunch, Brandon Burnett, Chris Burt, Scott Bush, Joe Calcagno, James Cappellano, Tasha Caradine, Hannah Carley, Tom Cech, Thomas Cheverud, Christ Unity Church, Sarah Chronister, Albert Clark, James Clifton, Joseph Colletti, Rob Collins, Community United Church of Christ, Jim Compton, Andrew Coverdill, Richard Craig, Ronda Craig

Phillip Dempsey, January Duckworth, Eli Dunbar, Elizabeth Easley, Todd Esker

Joel Farris, Michael Faught, Brenda Faught, Roger Faulkner, Deborah Feinen, Judy Fejes, Andrew Ferrell, Greg Fisher, Andrew Fossell, Karen Foster, Darren Franzen, Pam Franzen, Mike Fuelle, Rochelle Funderburg

Phillip Gable, Dorothy Gable, Ashwin Ganesan, Stephen Garver, Betty Gauze, James Gauze, John George,Katie Gerdoun, Christopher Good, Stewart Graham, Larry Grammer, Joey Gruner, Bertrand Guillou, Jon Gunderson

Jim Hack, Joe Handal, Mary Hannigan, Charles Hansens, Dana Hasselbring, Zachary Hazen, Robert Hein, Laura Henderson, Stephanie Hoagland, David Hodge, Don Hoffmeister, Mark Holderbaugh, Paul Hopkins, Kiel Huling, Dean Hull, Tanny Huynh

John Ireland, Percy Jackson, Daria Jammal, Amber Jankowiak, Karen Jersild, Seth Jersild, Derek Johnson, Jennifer Johnson, Joseph Jose

Wesley Kaeb, Darlene Kearney, Thomas Kessler, Betty Kessler, Bev Kieffer, George Kieffer, Richard King, Matt Knight, Elijah Kohrt, Herschel Kohrt, Laura Kohrt, Brian Koslosky, Jennifer Kowalski, Robert Kowalski, Codi Kuhlmeier, Austin Kulon, Tuler Kutz

Michael Dale Lake, Bobbie Landfair, Spencer Landsman, Kent Lange,Megan Larsen, Sahr Lebbie, Alisha Lee, Deloris Lee, Rhonda Littlefield, Jack Lock, Jayce Locke, Marty Lockmiller, Stephen Lowe

Cheng Ma, William Mack, Jeff Marino, Shelby Marsolf, Mary Martha's, Arren Martin, Penn Mason, Jenna McLoughlin, Bridget Melton, Noah Melton, David Merz, Nancy Merz, Glen Meyer, Ron Meyer, Corina Mina, Connie Minnes, Mason Minnes, Nicholas Modzejewski, Joe Munds, Jason Nag, Ari Newton, Randy Niemann, Cody Nimter

David Oestricher, Donna Oestricher, Gary Olson, Nancy Olson, Amie Oppenheimer, Joel Oschwald, Colin O'Toole, Oscell Owens, Minyu Pan, Gabby Pantoi, Ankit Patel, Bruce Paulsrud, Jack Paxton, P.J. Pence, Kelsey Peterson, Alicia Pitlik, Joe Pitlik

Clayton Q, Megan Quigley, Clayton Quinlan, Michael Rademacher, Lacey Rains, Linda Randall, Kelli Ratcliff, Zach Rausch, Josh Reeley, Morgan Reese, Beth Reinke, Megan Reitz, Cory Rials, Kathleen Robbins, Matt Robinson, Kristina Robinson, Don Rodriquez, John Rogers, Judy Rothermel

Gerald Sappenfield, Donald Saupe, Hayley Savage, William Schmidt, Brian Schnitz, Noah Schrodeder, Eric Schumacher, John Setterlund, Eric Sheu, Wesley Shing, Debbie Short, Christine Sibley, Greg Skaggs, Donna Smith, Jamey Smith, Kerri Spear, Kyle Stack, Cathie Stalter, Emily Steele, Kristy Kay Strong, Ashley Sudkamp, Kenneth Suen, Janett Susberry

Guillou Terriberry, Heather Ting, Bill Tredway, Stephanie Tucker, Laurel Tucker, Kevin Valentine, Corry Vandeveer, Gregory Vaughn, Mauricio Vieira, Anna Vieira, Alex Vogel

Peggy Wade, Roger Wade, Greg Walburg, Jeffrey Walker, Kevin Wallin, Tana Ward, John Warriner, Ronda Warsaw, Susan Warsaw, Anna Maria Watkin, Kellee Weinhold, Wayne Wendland, Janet Wenning, Eric Weyrich, Deanna Williams, Mishauno Woggon, Casey Wolf, Sarah Wood, Brenda Woodard, Alan Woods, James Wright, Lorri Yeoward, Billy Yusko, and Yi Zeng.

In 2000, Waddah Sweid and his then 21-year-old wife Rim Hamwi and their four-month old daughter, Lara, packed up their belongings and moved to the United States from Saudi Arabia. Originally from Syria, the couple sought a better life for Lara.

“While the weather is great and the people are nice, there are no parks or libraries in Syria and the schools are not as good as they are in the United States. In Syria, children are largely overlooked," said Waddah Sweid. Rim quickly added, "And in Syria, homeownership for us would be impossible.”

Five years later, the Sweid family is moving closer to realizing a dream: homeownership. In early March, the couple – with Lara now five and a very active two-year-old Farris – was selected by Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County to become Habitat’s newest Partner Family.

“I was so nervous when you called,” Rim said when staff arrived with the news. “I had just tried calling the office and no one answered – I figured it was bad news. Then, 20 minutes later the phone rang, and it was you. I was just so happy!”

The family lives a quiet life in Winfield Village in Savoy – a small yard and a tidy apartment. “In Syria, we are considered ‘very low income’,” Rim said. “There, the expenses are nearly the same as they are here, but incomes are much, much lower. There really are not opportunities for things like mortgages, car ownership, affordable medication. Here in the U.S., these things are all possible.”

Rim has been taking math and English classes and the Urbana Adult Education Center and Parkland. It shows – her English is nearly perfect; a far cry from speaking only a few basic English words when they moved here five years ago.

When they moved here, they lived in a one-bedroom apartment with Lara – a divided up house with no heat in the bedroom and large holes in the ceiling. The entire house full of apartments shared a couple of tiny water heaters, making showering a daily challenge. There were too ashamed of their living conditions to consider having visitors over. After working a couple of part-time jobs, Waddah moved his family into Winfield Village and secured the job at Wal-mart.

Waddah and Rim are both avid gardeners and dream of a lush vegetable garden at the new home. Tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, okra, and green peppers are among their favorites. Waddah looks forward to being able to work on his new home – fix things up and paint rooms to their specifications. Both say they want to add a small plastic swimming pool for their kids, who love to swim.

“We’ve always dreamed about this – owning our own home. Now, we no longer have to fear loosing a job and being evicted.” Rim said. “Now we can feel comfortable, we will have security.”

With the help of the UIUC Student Habitat Chapter and hundreds of residents across Champaign County, the Sweid family will finally realize their dream of homeownership in the United States this year.

A beautiful rain garden thanks to the Prairie Rivers Network!

The Sweids on WCIA 3 on the building of their home: video (taped April 27, 2007)

News-Gazette article by Julie Wurth: Habitat opens door to dream for Syrian family

Dedication on Saturday, April 28, 2007

Special thanks to Senator Frerichs and Representative Jakobsson for joining us.

Thank you to...

Our Material and Service Donors

Our Cash Donors

Our Food Donors

Our University Supporters

Our Student Chapter Volunteers

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

According to U.S. Census reports, one in nine residents of Champaign County have to choose between decent housing and medical care, utilities and food. In offering a hand up not a hand out through purchasing a home at no interest, Thrivent Financial and area Lutherans are becoming partners in wellness and hope.

"I've seen how Thrivent Builds with Habitat is helping families get out of substandard housing and achieve their dream of home ownership," said Norm Fisher, Records Director of Champaign County Chapter of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. "The home we built with Habitat in 2004 was very successful; we look forward to helping two more families work into home ownership in this area."

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity brings together two national nonprofit networks of 1,699 Habitat affiliates and 1,362 Thrivent volunteer chapters. Locally, the Champaign Chapter of Thrivent volunteers will be helping with the homes. The need for an effort of this magnitude is great: More than 13 million U.S. households use at least half of their income to pay for housing. Millions more live in overcrowded conditions or housing with severe physical deficiencies, such as having no hot water, electricity or toilet.

Raise the Roof!
On March 14, four stations of Illini Radio Group, Mix 94.5, WIXY 100.3, 92.5 The Chief and Extra 99.1 launched their “Raise the Roof” campaign to collect funds for two Habitat homes that will be built simultaneously at 507 and 509 East Bradley in Champaign.

Illini Radio Group is partnering with Thrivent Builds Homes, a financial service agency for Lutherans, to start the homes this spring.  The ground-breaking ceremony for both homes is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 at 10am.  

Through their listener audience, Illini Radio Group has committed to raising $35,000 for the homes.  When approached about sponsoring the homes, Illini Radio Group jumped at the chance.  “It gives our staff and our listeners something tangible that they helped build.  It is important for people to know what they are giving to and who it helps.  Habitat home building projects have a clear outcome.  We will be helping two families get out of poverty and start a new life with a bright future,” said Alan Beck, Illini Radio Group Vice President and General Manager, “There’s just not a more tangible result than that.”

“This partnership is a tremendous opportunity for Habitat for Humanity. The kind of awareness about Habitat’s affordable housing program that Illini Radio Group can spread through their listener base is the greatest gift. We are constantly trying to dispel the myth that Habitat homes are given away, every Habitat home is purchased at a zero-interest mortgage and paid over 20 years. In addition, the Raise the Roof campaign will increase public awareness of the effects of poverty in Champaign County. We commend both Illini Radio Group and Thrivent Builds Homes for recognizing the urgency of our efforts and jumping on board with such great enthusiasm.”

Allen Family
One of the two families that are slated to purchase the homes has already been selected.  Zina Allen, a single mother of two cares for her teenage daughter in their two-bedroom apartment.  As needed, Ms. Allen looks after her other daughter who suffers from MS and her twin grandchildren.  By the end of summer, the twins will have room to play and Ms. Allen will have a home of her own.

Over the course of 15 week build period, Ms. Allen will put 250 hours of sweat equity into her home.  Zina is very excited about getting on the build site. Participating in building their home, they develop an investment they wouldn’t otherwise have and learn building and repair skills to maintain their home after they’ve moved in.

Dominguez Family

Serafin and Maria Dominguez moved to Champaign seventeen years ago. Originally from Michoacan, Mexico, Serafin first went to Chicago, staying with brothers. He moved to Champaign, joined by Maria and babies Claudia and Christian, because of the greater opportunity for success. Having worked in agriculture, Serafin is now a cook at the University of Illinois. Maria works on the production line at Plastipak. Claudia attends Parkland College while Christian is at Urbana Adult Education Center. Brenda, born in Champaign, attends a local grade school.

When asked what buying a home in partnership with Thrivent Builds Homes and the Illini Radio Group meant to them, Serafin could not say thank you enough times. “I’m very grateful for strangers helping us, their kind hearts. If the tables were turned, I would do the same.” In fact, almost all of the Dominguezes have already begun that work. With 500 hours of sweat equity to complete by the end of their build, both parents have already helped at the ReStore, an investment in families beyond their own.

Although the family now owns the trailer they live in, its condition has significantly deteriorated. Owning your own home is, “every family’s dream…we will feel freer and more secure.” Serafin joked that every young couple hopes to create a permanent home – it just ook them a little longer.

Groundbreaking on a beautiful Saturday, May 19, 2007

Dear friends and family:

Thank you for joining the Dominguez and Allen families, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, the Illini Radio Group, area Lutheran congregations and Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County last Saturday. To break ground on two homes with such joy and genuine fellowship is a rare gem and one we treasure.

Thank you to Sen. Frerichs and Council Member Jackson for reminding us of the personal and political stakes in home ownership for people living in poverty.

Thank you to Chris Scheffler of Thrivent Builds Homes for making Champaign such a priority in her constant tour of Illinois partnerships.

Thank you to Mary-Lynn Foster for her heart-felt work behind the scenes and behind the icrophone to raise awareness about poverty housing.

Thank you to Richard Craig for sharing his connection to and passion for our new homes.

Thank you to Pastor Terry Strom, a native of Champaign County but new leader in our Lutheran community, for reminding us of our guiding light.

Thank you to Norm Fisher, Julia Schmidt and Joan Wingo for rallying volunteers and funds, providing beautiful photographs and a delightful connection to so many hard workers.

Thank you to home owners Karen Hite (1999, First Presbyterian Church), LaVonda Dorsey (1998, Habitat move and rehab), Sandra Holloway (2004, Bike & Hike), Waddah Sweid (2007, Student Chapter) and Maricela Corona (2008, Women Build Homes) for welcoming your fellow home owners into the circle.

Thank you to Zina Allen, Shayla Reddick, Serafin, Maria, Claudia, Christian and Brenda Dominguez for letting us into their lives so intimately, allowing their hopes to help us grow.

With 63 of us attending, I’ve undoubtedly forgotten someone and I apologize. I hope to see you all over the course of this build and again at the dedication on September 15.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, Family Selection and Family Support Committees, and the staff at Habitat: THANK YOU!
Eileen Gebbie
Executive Director

Mary-Lynn's speech & Audio from the groundbreaking here.

In March, The stations of the Illini Radio Group: WIXY 100.3, MIX 94.5, 92-5 THE CHIEF and EXTRA 99.1 hosted radio-thon to raise money for these homes. Our campaign was called “Raise The Roof” and it was a special day.

With help from Eileen Gebbie, Megan Wolf and Ellen Wilcox, Champaign Telephone Company and Busy Bank…all 4 stations were able to use our airwaves to educate our listeners about this wonderful organization, Habitat For Humanity.

Our listeners heard from Habitat Partners: Representatives from Thrivent, the IBEW, City Council members, our Mayor’s, Volunteers and even the Director of Habitat International, Clive Rainey.

Our listeners heard from Habitat Homeowners as they expressed their appreciation for this organization. They heard how Bernita Harris attended workshops to prepare for homeownership, and how those workshops made the process less intimidating.

We learned that Karen Hite loved the process of helping to build her home…and how she loves that her kids can experience the comfort of being safe and stable

Zina Allen told us how excited she was when she got the call that she was getting a home. She’s so excited, but told us she really won’t be able to believe it until groundbreaking….It’s time to believe Zina!

Our listeners learned how Habitat For Humanity helps good, hard-working people achieve their dream of home ownership. And they responded with online donations, donations by phone, and with cash donations. Our listeners responded by offering in-kind donations, and many have now inquired about becoming volunteers. We’ve even had listeners contact Habitat For Humanity to apply for a home.

Our Vice President and General Manager of the Illini Radio Group, Alan Beck, talks about our involvement in a Habitat For Humanity press release. He says

When approached about sponsoring the homes we jumped at the chance. “It gives our staff and our listeners something tangible that they helped build. It is important for people to know what they are giving to and whom it helps. Habitat home building projects have a clear outcome. We will be helping two families get out of poverty housing and start a new life with a bright future,” There’s just not a more tangible result than that.”

Who can’t get behind an organization that lends a helping hand to families, who in turn give back to our community? Who can’t get behind an organization where local business people lend their talents to ensure more homes are built? Who can’t get behind an organization where the staff is incredibly dedicated and exceptionally organized?

This is the “feel good” stuff! The good things in life...for good people, and by good people.

On behalf of the Illini Radio Group and our listeners, congratulations to the the Allen and Dominquez families on this ground-breaking day.

We look forward to continuing our relationship with Habitat For Humanity and we are honored to be “buried” today.

Week 1: JUNE 2, 2007
Thank you to volunteers Dave "Iceman" Bagger, Mike Beadle, Susan Brant, Donna Courtright, Ron Courtright, Bob Coverdill, Drew Coverdill, Larry Curtis, Beth Dodd, Noah Dodd, Henry Gerlach, Kathy Harvey, Donald Hoffmeister, David Keith, George Kieffer, Paul Loschak, Vetisha McClair, John Nimz, Bennett Parkhurst, Pete Sauer, Sylvia Sauer, Chris Schmidt, Susan Sheppelman, Eric "The Sheu" Sheu, David Smith, Sandy Strom, Kurt "Oddjob" Erbach, Mike McMillen, Kristen Strom, Marc Porter and Skip Sams.

Week 2: JUNE 9, 2007
Another Saturday, another amazing group of volunteers. Member of Grace Lutheran and St. Paul Lutheran of Gifford (both of whom are fundraisers on this project, too), leaders from Champaign County at large and the University of Illinois student chapter of Habitat all worked together.

Our volunteers ranged in age from 16 to 70, from experienced volunteers to novices, different beliefs, different races, different ethnicities. How wonderful that we were all united in our desire to learn, to make something good happen, to work hard and enjoy chocolate chip cookies.

One new volunteer thanked the staff many times over for "allowing" him to volunteer. He confided that he had not really believed that there were people in the world who were willing to give up their free time to do something for someone else. One young woman was very frustrated that she could not hammer in a nail straight and more experienced volunteer came over and helped her learn how she could do this – later – she was heard on the phone – so excited, talking to her dad and telling him how she had nailed up a wall.

When the day began, we were a group of individuals – some of us friends, staring at two concrete slabs, by days end we were a team that had raised walls on both homes completed and the interior framing on one.

Our thanks go out to: Dave "Iceman" Bagger, Mark Billings, Brian Bole, Paul Buenting, Ken Bunting, Terry Dalton, Nick Duden, Ron Duden, Kurt "Oddjob" Erbach, John Enkes, Norma Enkes, Kim French, Henry Gerlach, Tim Gilles, Greg Goebel, Eldon Hesterberg, Bill Hoveln, Mary Jean Hoveln, J.C. Reitmeier, George "GK" Kieffer, Stacey LaFeber, Paul Loschak, Andrew Lovdahl, Brian Lovdahl, Jonathon Makela, Julia Makela, Marc Porter, Herman Riddick, Jerry Roosevelt, Rosalyn Roosevelt, Gene Severins, Eric "What A" Sheu, Chuck Siems and Alicia Tosdal. You all made a difference in the lives of two families and your community.

Week 3: JUNE 16, 2007
Come and see what you and other volunteers have done on 507 and 509 E. Bradley Avenue in Champaign. Good things come from all ages, all races, religions – from a bare spot on the ground two homes are rising!

We had a lot of help Saturday the 16th, working on the roofs and interior walls. Thank you to Dave Bagger for his labor and his kindness – he brings a cooler of ice and ice water to the site every Saturday. A special thank you to Sam Park and his crane – he spent the whole morning at the site and "raised our roof".

Thank you to Liz Abraham, Nilsa Alemanas, Jim Anderson, Brain Bole, Jan Brooks, Chris and John Chatfield, Rachel Cherry, Ron Cler, Ronda and Richard Craig, Stephanie Davidson, Jo Erickson, Henry Gerlach, Time Gilles, Briana Hatfield, Bob Hein, Brian Hudson, George Kieffer, Paul Loschak, Elder Dave Milner, Bennett Parkhurst, Marc Porter, Herman Riddick, Grace Schoedel, Eric Sheu, Lisa, Stahl, Arlene Torres, Charles and Claire Walworth, Aran and Suran Woo, and Elder Andrew York for their tireless labor in the very hot sun along side of our families – Zina Allen, Maria and Serafin Dominguez.

Highlights of the day for me included watching Serafin helping Maria learn how to use a saw to build their own home. Herman Riddick tirelessly attached every roof truss to the crane.

Thank you to Norm Fisher and his wonderful photographs. Norm along with Julia Schmidt and Joan Wingo are responsible for all of the in church publicity and recruitment. Thank you to all the area Lutheran Churches for their support and their volunteers, to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the stations of the Illini Radio Group for their sponsorship.

One correction from last week – our most mature volunteer on site was 76 – not 70 as previously reported. Thank you, George!

Week 4: JUNE 23, 2007
Let's hear a big slip-sliding HOORAY for our Habitat build volunteers from Saturday the 23rd!

Obviously neither rain, nor heat, nor deepest mud keeps Habitat volunteers from their appointed tasks - because we had all of those things on Saturday. Even with all that mother nature threw at us, we worked all day. We gathered under gray, rainy skies and promptly began to sheet the roofs. While trudging through mud puddles we put up the porch trusses and hammered up blue board. After a delicious lunch provided by the Whirlwind group, under rain and then blazing heat, we installed all of the doors and windows on both homes.

Thanks you Beth Beck, Jordan Beck, Charles Blatti, Brian Bole, Chris Chatfield, John Chatfield, Bob Coverdill, Stephanie Davidson, Kurt Erbach, Kim French, Greg Goebel, Elder John, Board member George Kieffer, Paul Loschak, Brain Lovdahl, Andrew Lovdahl, Ryan Meiergerd, Ben Nugent, Paul Onderisin, Herman Riddick, Board member Alejandra Seufferheld, Gabriela Seufferheld, Alicia Tosdal, Elder Voss and Steve Walker.

Thank you, too, to Wayne Wendland and the generous Whirlwind Project group for our snack and lunch and Dave Bagger for our coolers of ice and water. We are now at a whopping 959 volunteer hours towards making this dream come true for our two families.

Thanks also to Norm Fisher and his magic camera – check out his photos here. Norm along with Julia Schmidt and Joan Wingo have worked tirelessly to inform and recruit volunteers from the Lutheran Churches. Thank you to our sponsors, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Illini Radio Group.

And a long overdue thank you to the neighbors on Bradley Avenue. Thank you for making us all welcome.

Week 5: JUNE 30, 2007
"Hammering for Habitat is music for God"

Build blessings of the week include...

Twin City Cobras Motorcycle and Social Club (source of our title quote)
Our Church Families
Our Volunteers: 1210 hours!
Dry ground, amazing weather
Enclosed houses
Clean organized trailers

Each build day has its special gifts. This Saturday, I was overwhelmed by the warmth and friendship offered by the Twin City Cobras – our neighbors at 505 E. Bradley.

Several of the Cobras have volunteered for other Habitat chapters. This group has been very friendly and helpful – even hanging a hose over their fence on Saturdays for our use on the build site. The Cobras are very happy that Habitat is building next to them despite the noise and parked cars. They made comments about how wonderful it was that Habitat has come to the neighborhood because they know we bring them good families.

Two of our volunteers, Joetta Morgan and Connie Minnes, took pity on our poor, disorganized, mud-filled trailers and cleaned and reorganized them both. Then they both cut down most of the weeds and overgrowth on the lots. Connie showed our future home owners, Zina and Maria, what beautiful plants were already growing on their lots.

At the end of the day, we had two enclosed houses with roofs. 1210 volunteer hours and we are ready to put siding on the house and have the electricians (IBEW Local 601) coming in to install the wiring this weekend.

Working along side of our home owners to be, Zina Allen and the Dominguez family, were Jordan Beck, Katie Brown, Ken Bunting, Stephanie Davidson, Phil Gable, Henry Gerlach, Sara Gibbs (incoming Student Chapter President), Tim Gilles, Greg Goebel, Stewart Graham, Jeff Green, George Kieffer, Richard King, Vern Magnuson, Prashant Mehta, Ryan Meiergerd, Elder Milner, Connie and Mason Minnes, Joetta Morgan, James and Jill Quisenberry, Herman Riddick, Eric Sheu ( 2006 – 2007 Student Chapter President), Mauricio Vieira, Steve Walker, John Warriner and Elder York. These vigorous volunteers represented St. Matthew Lutheran, Grace Lutheran, St. Paul Lutheran of Gifford, Good Shepherd Lutheran, Trinity Lutheran and our amazing community at large!

Providing a wonderful barbecue for us was Erick Kotewa and a group from Quest United Methodist Church. Thank you to Ana Vieira for her wonderful cakes. We could not do this without you!

Week 6: JULY 7, 2007: IBEW Local 601 - You Light Us Up!
Thank you to IBEW Local 601members Chuck Leman, Larry Barber, Dan Holskin, Mike Siems, Mike Herbert, Rick Martin, Josh Pellum, Patty Udical, Mike Melvin and Gus Batista for coming out on Saturday the 7th to wire both homes.

A huge round of applause for Rose Heating and Air and RC Plumbing for working during their business week (in the heat) and making huge strides in preparing our homes for our families!

Expertly applying siding, alongside our families, was Daniel Beaudoin, Sandy Burt, Barry Conrad, Mary Ellen Dorner, John Garlisch, Henry Gerlach, Robert Hesterberg, Maribeth Holhubner, Fred Holhubner, Kathy Hughes, George Kieffer, Vern Magnuson, Ray Parks, Herman Reddick, Gabriela Seufferheld, Kristen Strom, Pastor Strom, Gabe Strom, Sandy Strom, Steve Walker, and David Willcox. The Allen Family home is now a lovely cream color and the Dominguez Family home is a soft blue-gray.

Providing an amazing lunch was Nilsa Almenas, Jan Brooks, Michele Brown, Cathy Digges, Jo Erickson, Clarice Henry, Chris Holhubner, Jennifer Holhubner, Beverly Kieffer, Diana Masher, Lisa Stahl, Peggy Walterhausen and Claire Walworth. Thank you to Celia Elliott for the Gatorade!

Neighbor of the week: Bino! He came by the site to talk of his love for Habitat.

Recipe of the week: cinnamon rolls! Let me know if you want a copy. Soon we will finish the siding, work on the crawl space vapor barrier and maybe some big surprises! Do you want to join us?

Week 7: JULY 14, 2007: 1785 volunteer hours and counting
What did we do on Saturday the 14th? WE ROOFED! WE SIDED! We were amazing.

Habitat, the Dominguez and the Allen families are very fortunate each week to have skilled volunteers who enjoy passing on their knowledge to inexperienced volunteers. Volunteers who did not feel at all confident of their skills in June are now teaching new volunteers. This is my first build site. Construction Manager Paul Zindars tells me that the volunteers are always this giving and caring – can that really be true?

You and your willingness to be giving of your time and talent is the key to any success we may have. Thank you F & R Roofing, Van Bowersox, Katie Brown, Bob Coverdill, Larry Curtis, Kurt Erbach, Kim French, Henry Gerlach, Tim Gilles, Greg Goebel, Jeff Green, Donald Hoffmeister, Elder John, George Kieffer, Desiree and John Lavin, Richard Lehman, Michael, McMillen, Ray Parks, Herman Reddick, Mark Ried, Alejandra Seufferheld, Eric Sheu, Lawrence Smith, David Smith, Rachel Vellenga, Elder Voss, David Willcox, Robert Wilson for working along side of our families.

Lunch is a highlight of every build day. Fried chicken, watermelon, pasta salad, chips and desert were provided by Susan Bekiares, Hunter Olson, McKayla Olson, Velma Olson, and Randa Plotner. Celia Elliott provided Gatorade.

Come on over and feel the love!

Week 8: JULY 21, 2007: 2017 sweaty volunteer hours on our homes and counting
Thank you Prince of Peace Lutheran Church and the St. Andrews Student Group - they worked tirelessly on siding and fire caulking. I never knew that siding the house gables takes many, many precision cuts and can be done in different patterns.

One volunteer from Prince of Peace worked on cleaning up the build site, she picked up debris, she raked, she swept - now, ours is the only build site in town where it is safe to eat off of the ground! We have amazing volunteers.

A big thank you to the New Canaan Baptist Church Drug Rehabilitation Program for the snacks they donated to our volunteers. How wonderful it is that we are so welcomed in the area community. After this next Saturday, the outsides of the homes will be completed. In the next weeks, we will be putting up walls, painting and landscaping.

It is fun to watch Maria Dominguez and Zina Allen take pride in their homes. They will always know which boards they nailed, the supports they held, which siding they cut, placed and nailed and which of the windows they helped place and caulk.

What a great job was done by Dave Bagger, Jack Baldwin, Van Bowersox, Eric Brucker, John Chatfield, Chris Chatfield, William Donkervoet, Annette Duitsman, Henry Gerlach, Tim Gilles, Greg Goebel, Cristian Geodicke, Cindy Goetting , Todd Goetting, Matt Harring, Kevin Huckshold, Emma Israel, Karen Jersild, George Kieffer, Vern Magnuson, Shelby Marsolf, Mitch Marsolf, Helen Miller, Ray Parks, Dylan Pomes, Marc Porter, Herman Reddick, Gerald Sappenfeld and Jim Taeger - thank you all!

Week 9: JULY 28, 2007: Paul Bunyan Day
Saturday the 28th was a day where we did “a little bit of this and a little bit of that”. Volunteers finished up the odds and ends that needed to be done before the dry-wallers came to work during the week.

Do any of you who have been on site remember the huge back yard jungle that both homes had? The last 30 plus feet at the back of the lots was just a complete overgrown, tree filled, trash filled mess. Herman Reddick presided over a wood chipper and volunteers dragged brush, cut down small trees and worked for hours. Most of the debris has now been reduced to a huge mountain of wood chips.

Zina Allen and Maria and Claudia Dominguez worked tirelessly and were so excited as the size of their yard became clear. Our volunteers discovered a bike, metal bars and a back fence that no one had ever seen.

Thank you to Christina and Jon Bell, John Chatfield, Tom Chen, Rachel Cherry, Ron and Donna Courtright, Jeff Green, Brian Hudson, Andrew and Brian Lovdahl, Kathie and Tim McMaster, Elder Dave Milner, Eric Sheu, Caroline Sholem, and Elder Kip Wardell.

A very special thanks to Beverly and George Kieffer. Our scheduled lunch volunteers had a last minute conflict and they stepped up to feed our volunteers.

2,167 volunteer hours have been invested by YOU in our homes. Fantastic!

Week 10: AUGUST 4, 2007: Edging Towards the Finish Line
Our running total of 2269 volunteer hours is putting us closer every week to completion and the September 15 dedication of our two Thrivent Builds Homes/Illini Radio Group houses. On site last week, to check out what is happening with Habitat, was a member of the Bell family, the first home owners for this affiliate.

Thank you to Herman Reddick, Vern Magnuson, Paul Speers, Eric Sheu, Charles Blatti, Kim French, Michelle Voss and Laura Eisenmonger for working on the porches and railings along with our future home owners. Thank you to Wayne and Betty Wendland and their friends from Whirlwind who prepared lunch.

Next week we will be painting the insides of the homes and trying to stay cool!

Week 11: AUGUST 11, 2007
On Saturday the 11th we painted. Both homes now have two semi-expertly applied coats. We had a lot of families on site:

+ Jessica Dickson and her mom, Jan Brooks.
+ Habitat Board President Bill Tredway and his wife Kathy came over after attending the ground breaking Amber Overcast's home.
+ Brothers Wayne and Byron Bekiares helped paint while their wives, sisters Christine and Susan, prepared our delicious lunch. Wayne and Byron worked very well together - each was all too happy to point out to the other when they missed a spot or had dripped. I did have to separate them when they began a duel with the paint rollers.

As we get closer to the end of this build, I have started thinking about all of the wonderful people I have met and worked with and how much I am going to miss you all.

Thank you to Nilsa Almenas, Jan Brooks, Jessica Dickson, Byron, Christine, Susan and Wayne Bekiares, Kim French, Karen Hawthorne, Herman Reddick, Beth Veile, Wayne Wendland, Paul Speers, Elder Brimhall, Elder Wardell, Bill and Kathy Tredway, Henry Gerlach, Vern Magnuson, George Kieffer, and Eric Sheu.

Week 12: AUGUST 18, 2007
Welcome Caterpillar employees! You were all so much fun on the Thrivent/Illini Radio Group build site on the 18th.

Do you ever wish you could look in to the future and see our Habitat families years after the dedication, see what affect your love and hard work has had on their lives? One of our volunteers on Saturday was Anitra White (at left, with Zina Allen). She remembers being a little girl in Danville, where her family was the recipient of a Habitat home. Her mom, a single mother of five, was looking for a hand to improve life for her family. She received it from our friends in Danville. The result? Her mom was able to get a better job, the children all have grown up to be able to care for themselves and give back to their communities and Anitra gave her time to help two more families along the same path.

Thank you to volunteers Ethan Andersen, Jan Causey, Kurt Erbach, Gladys Freed, Kim French, Henry Gerlach, Susan Hinrichs, Cyndi Hutchison, George Kieffer, Angela McFarland, Michael McMillen, Elder Dave Milner, Adam Noyes, Herman Reddick, Julia Schmidt, Jay Sheckles, Eric Sheu, Doris Snyder, Paul Speers, Elder Voss, Elder Kip Wardell, Wayne Wendland, Anitra White, and Jerry Zachary.

Volunteers have now donated 2,637 hours.

Week 13: AUGUST 25, 2007
2,753 volunteer hours have been donated by volunteers to create these two homes. Countless other hours have been lovingly donated by our Lutheran Church Champions, Thrivent Coordinators, and community members who have encouraged their coworkers, friends and family members to participate. Thank you all. You have made my job so easy.On the work site

Saturday the 25th we saw the return of our fantastic electricians. Thank you to Mike Melvin, Mark Oliverra, J.D. Hubert Sr., Jay Spencer, Bernard Hettinger, and Matt Weakman from IBEW Local 601. Thank you to Teresa Brown, Don and Gail Block, Kim French, Henry Gerlach, George Kieffer, Kathie and Tim McMaster, Elder Dave Milner, Iona Schmidt, Eric Sheu, Megan Smith, Anna and Craig Stefan, and Elder Wardell.

In addition to the final electrics we finished the side porches and painted the doors. The kitchen linoleum is down, light fixtures are up and we are really getting close to handing over the keys and telling two families "Welcome Home."

We will all take Labor Day weekend off. On September 8th we will landscape and finish any projects remaining. We thank Danville Gardens for their donation of our landscaping plants, flowers and mulch.

Please join the Dominguez and Allen Families, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, area Lutheran congregations and listeners of the Illini Radio Group stations on Saturday, September 15 at 2 p.m. for the home dedication (507 and 509 E Bradley).

Week 14: SEPTEMBER 8, 2007
Our intrepid crew worked, yet again, in the rain and the mud on the final build day, Saturday the 8th. The inside crew worked on trim, caulking, cleaning windows, tubs, installing appliances and keeping those of us who were working in the mud outside. I think they may have actually locked the doors to keep us from tracking mud inside.

The "rain crew" planted beautiful flowers, grasses, bushes, cut spindles for the ramp railing and cleaned and organized. Can you believe that two homes are standing just waiting for their families?

Thank you to all those who supported this project, those who volunteered in our Restore, who participated with their churches, who came out to help their community, who prayed for us in their Churches or under the stars. This could not have happened without you.

Thank you to all of the neighbors who smiled and applauded for us through the noise, and the cars parked in front of their homes. Many stopped by to wish us well and some joined us and built.

Dedication: SEPTEMBER 15, 2006
Thank you, partners!Thank you to all of our business donors in addition to Thrivent and the Illini Radio Group:
ABC Sanitary, Ameren IP, Armstrong Cash & Carry Lumber, Cabinetland Ltd., Carpet Advantage, Champaign Telephone Company, City of Champaign, Danville Gardens, DOW Chemical, F&R Roofing, Franzen Construction Inc., HDC Engineering, Home Depot, IBEW Local #601, IDSCO, Illiana Insulation, Kemper Industrial, Kurt B. Crail, Larson, Lone Pine Electric, Lutheran Social Services, Maxwell Counters, Mid-America Sand & Gravel, Tim Meyer, Patton Lumber, Prairie Central Materials, RATIO Architecture & Bill Devine, RC's Plumbing & HVAC, Reynold's Towing, Rogers Seamless Gutter, Rose Heating and Air Conditioning, Sam's Drywall, Sam Park, Square D, Springfield Electric, Stephens Excavating, Storage Options Solutions, Yerkey's Septic, LLC and Whirlpool.

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

Imagine the excitement at Habitat when we received a call from Terri Kirby of Horizon Hobby saying, "We'd like to build a Habitat house." Just weeks later we found ourselves sitting at a table with Horizon staff hammering out details to move forward on a new partnership.

Horizon Hobby, one of the world's largest hobby companies, was founded in 1985 by Rick Stephens. Horizon Hobby became a 100% employee-owned company last year and is known throughout the industry for its exceptional attention to customer needs, outstanding product expertise and, most importantly, integrity.

Rick's company philosophy is the foundation of support for their success. He and his brother Larry's commitment to "give back" by helping others with basic needs has always been an important part of the makeup of the company. Horizon has a commitment to the community in which it lives and to the international community as well. Horizon's core values encourage community, action and volunteerism. The term "servant leadership" captures the character of Horizon Hobby and is frequently used in conversations with their staff.

Horizon is known for being a business that has repeatedly invested in people outside of their walls. Through ongoing financial support and the talent of their employees, Horizon supports a number of charitable efforts. This will mark the first house Horizon has built with Habitat for Humanity, but they have built six houses in conjunction with Operation Hogar, a home building mission of the United Methodist Church, in Juarez, Mexico. "We are pros at mixing mortar…by hand" says Beverly Huffman, Director of Services.

For three years, Horizon employees have taken their personal time to build housing for families in Mexico. While this has been a fulfilling experience, the Horizon crew wanted to do something that directly impacted their local community.

"We see the impact our efforts have made in Mexico and we want to do the same thing in our home town," said Rick Stephens, "There are hard-working, needy families right here in Champaign County that just need a little boost to get them out of out of living in poverty. We are blessed and consider ourselves fortunate to have the opportunity to pass our blessings on to a hard working family like the Overcasts."

On August 11th, at 10 a.m., Horizon Hobby will break ground for the future home of single Native American mother, Amber Overcast and her three little girls at 1105 N Goodwin in Urbana. Amber grew up in Champaign. Her daughter, Aisha was born while Amber was still in high school but that didn't keep Amber from earning her diploma from Centennial in 1997 and a certificate in Information Processing from Parkland the following year. Since 2002 she's been driving trucks for a US Postal Service contractor. "I learned to shift those gears in an hour. I fell in love with it."

Mother Rhonda Overcast gets all the credit for Amber's success. "There's no telling where I'd be if it wasn't for my family." Amber's done the same for her girls, fighting to get her daughters tutoring, equal access to quality education. "If I have to sit through their classes and walk them down that stage, they will graduate from high school."

Nothing will keep Amber and her three girls, Aisha (12), Ta'La (10) and Bri Lynne (1.5), moving into a new Habitat home. "This is my outdoor girl," she says pointing to Bri Lynne, "and she can't go outside here." Not only that, the family is tired of windows being broken by stray children, vandalism on their doors and walls and a lack of breathing room.

The Overcast home will be completed by November 3rd, and they will have a new home for the holidays.

The home will be built in a new concentrated format, called AMAZING DAYS. Horizon employees will volunteer on the build for six straight days, then take three weeks off allowing subcontractors to complete their work, Horizon returns for another six days to complete the home. After twelve AMAZING DAYS (and three weeks) Horizon Hobby will have completed a new home for the Overcast family.

"I had no idea there were people like this in the world," said Amber, "to think that a local business would give two weeks of their employee's time to build a house for my family, it's incredible. This is a gift that will help my children and one day my grandchildren, and will make all the difference in our entire family's future. The generosity and compassion Horizon has for me and my girls is touching. It is truly AMAZING."

Groundbreaking August 11, 2007: video

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

Meet Patricia Hemphill and her six children

For months, Patricia Hemphill and her six kids – ranging from 24 to 12 – watched with anticipation the Habitat house built at 304 Tremont. From 212 Tremont, the family had the perfect "seats" to watch the Nguyen family's house go up. "So many times, I thought how nice it would be if I were watching my house go up," grinned Hemphill. "When I was told I was selected, I just couldn't believe it!" The family is comprised of Prentiss, 24; triplets Terry, James, and Glenda, 18; and fraternal twins Aaron and Anthony, 12. Patricia works for Hendrick House Catering, stationed at Kraft in food service working a split shift. A hard worker, she and all of her kids are already working on the 250 hours of sweat equity they need to put in prior to moving in to their Habitat home. When she heard the news, Patricia said, "This is the best Christmas present ever. Thank you Jesus for such a blessing."

Family friendly WBGL Radio 91.7 is sponsoring the Hemphill's home.

WBGL/Hemphill Home Building
There is no rest for the weary, as they say. Just one week after a flurry of building on the HomeBuilders Blitz sight just 3 blocks away finished, nearly 2 dozen workers gathered early Saturday morning on June 17 to begin work on the Patricia Hemphill home at 202 Bellefontaine. This homebuild – Habitat’s 5th of 2006 – is sponsored by WBGL “Family Friendly” radio (91.7FM).

Under sunny skies, volunteers – including homeowner Patricia Hemphill – spread pea gravel in the crawl space, installed blue board on the foundation walls, backfilled the foundation, installed the sill plate, center beam, and I-joists. The greatest sight on Saturday was Patricia's eager face at 7:30AM already on site (work doesn’t officially start until 8AM)!

Even with nearly 20 people helping out this past Saturday though, work remains to be done to prepare for this Saturday’s plan to frame the house. So, to catch up, registered Habitat volunteers will gather once again on Wednesday, June 21 from 3-7PM to nail the floor decking on so the walls can be framed on Saturday.

Thank you to June 17 Habitat volunteers: Julia Elias, Brent, Henry Gerlach, Shari Grieger, Randy Haack, Kathy Haack, Kevin Olson, Owen Peoples, Pam Peoples, Jason Rackow, Julia Schmidt, Eric Sheu, Ryan Springer, Jeff Wurthmann, Mike Stemle, Steve Anderson, Megan Webber, Rev. Rex Richardson, and the congregation of the Church of the Bretheren!

Week 2
On Saturday, June 24, volunteers began gathering at 7:45AM on the site at 202 Bellefontaine. They were eager to get their hands dirty. Volunteers had come out the previous Wednesday afternoon to install the floor system in preparation for the framing workday planned for Saturday.

Under the guidance of Habitat Construction Manager Paul Zindars and volunteer Larry Fainter, the day’s framing expert, volunteers worked hard as a team to construct and piece together the walls. As the exterior walls where being cut, laid out, and assembled, another group of volunteers worked to outline the interior walls on the floor boards to prepare the next phase of work once the exterior walls where attached and braced. The sun continued to rise and the day grew hotter, but volunteers continued working with excitement and resolve to finish their tasks.

Thank you to the June 24 Habitat volunteers: Larry Fainter, Nick Fainter, Shari Grieger, Andrew Hebrank, Michael McMillian, Kevin Olson, Frank Peters, Sandy Ratliff, Andy Rauchfuss, Jeff Scott, Eric Sheu, Ryan Springer, Mike Stemle, Jennifer Smith, Elizabeth Ruitenbeek, and Dave Wingate. Also, a big thanks to Savoy United Methodist Church Friendship Circle and the Champaign Church of the Bretheren for our lunch and a cool place to eat.

Week 3
On Saturday, July 1st, eager volunteers fought the blazing heat – mid 90s! – to continue the work on the WBGL/Hemphill House. The plan for the day seemed overwhelming, but our volunteers were ready to do what needed to be done. We cut, laid out, and assemble the remaining interior walls that weren’t completed the previous Saturday. Volunteers with Scott’s Construction and Excavation from Indiana helped out with framing as well as assisting with concrete work for the front porch. As the interior walls went up, a few of the volunteers leveled and plated them together. Another group of volunteers sheathed the exterior walls with plywood to prepare the walls to be covered in foam. The last task of the day was cutting out the windows and doors once the plywood was installed around the house.

This coming Saturday, July 8th, we will be framing the porch, installing the trusses, and foaming the exterior walls. If time permits, we will also begin adding plywood to the top of the trusses to make the roof.

Thank you to the July 1st Habitat volunteers: Scott Bigger, Julian Elias, Shari Grieger, Andrew Hebrank, Alan Jewett, Jodi Jewett, Mike McMillen, Jeremy Newnum, Brent Racobs, Andy Rauchfuss, and Michael Workman. Also, special thanks to Julia Schmidt and the Champaign Church of the Bretheren for our lunch and a cool place to eat.

Week 4
On Saturday, July 8th, Habitat had another wonderful and successful build day. Our volunteers, new and old, came out early in the morning eager to get started. The volunteers had their plates full for the day. During the build day, the temperatures soared up to the 90s, but you could not hear a single complaint from the volunteers.

The plan for the day was ambitious, but our volunteers were confident that they could complete the tasks at hand. Through the awesome guidance of Paul Zindars and Dave Wingate, the volunteers accomplished all that was planned. The front of the house was sheathed with plywood. The top plates holding all of the walls in position were finished being placed. A handful of speedy volunteers encased the exterior walls with foam in order for the doors and windows to be installed. As the foam was being installed, a couple of volunteers climbed on top of the house to set the roof trusses being hoisted up to them by Mike Nash using a crane donated by Nash Crane Services. Before installing the windows and doors, they adjusted the window openings to accommodate the new windows. The volunteers quickly finished installing the doors and windows under the guidance of Scott Bigger. The last task was to begin sheathing the roof with plywood. The volunteers finished half of one side of the roof.

Thank you to the July 8th Habitat volunteers: Robin Bedwell, Travis Bedwell, Scott Bigger, Jennifer Briski, Katie Briski, Theresa Erbach, Henry Gerlach, Sara Kaeb, Jerry Kaeb, Mike McMillen, Kevin Olson, Brent Racobs, Andy Rauchfuss, Eric Sheu, Dave Wingate, and Michael Workman. Also, special thanks to Erica Wells from the First Christian Church and Jack Frost for the wonderful lunch. Finally, thank you to the Church of the Brethren for a cool place to eat! The volunteer appreciate everything you do for them!

Week 5
On July 15th, volunteers braved the extremely heat to continue building the WBGL house. The volunteers arrived at 7:45am as usual and we eager to begin the day. After a quick devotion, Paul Zindars outlined the plan of the day and everyone broke up into groups to work on their tasks.

A group of volunteers finished foaming the roof sections of the interior walls. A good handful of volunteers braved the heights and sheathed the remaining sections of the roof. A few swarmed the interior of the house to install truss clips to set the trusses in place. The porch was framed by another group under the guidance of Jerry Zindars. This involved bring the porch out from the house and setting the supports to the concrete below. Once the trusses on the porch were set in place, the volunteers sheathing the roof moved over to sheath a part of the porch. A group of volunteer helped trim the doors and windows in preparation for siding next week. During all of the activity, a dumpster was delivered and a handful of volunteers helped move all of the waste materials to it. At the end of the build day, the exhausted volunteers helped clean up the work site and departed.

Thank you to the July 15th Habitat volunteers: Steve Anthony, Michael Chaney, Lori Chaney, David Drake, Julian Elias, Nate Gabrielson, Henry Gerlach, Shari Grieger, Cordelia Loots-Gollin, Sindhu Menon, Willl Pinn, Brent Racobs, Jesse Rogers, Eric Sheu, Kelena Stovall, Tim Walker, Jennifer Watson, Michael Workman, and Jerry Zindars. Also, special thanks to Julia Schmidt and the Church of the Brethren for providing us a wonder lunch!!

Week 6
We had another successful and productive build day on July 22nd. With over 20 volunteers giving up their free day, we were able to accomplish our entire, ambitious, plan. The week before Champaign was plagued by scorching and unbearable heat. Lucky, this week the weather worked to our benefit, with rain the night before, making temperatures much cooler for all of our volunteers.

At first glace, 20-plus volunteers might seem chaotic, but everyone worked hand in hand, breaking off into small groups, each assigned to an important task. Included in our normal group of volunteers were eight student athletes from the University of Illinois. The majority of the volunteers were assigned to siding the house. It was a great learning experience for those who have never done siding before. The experienced volunteers walked them through the process and they finished rather quickly for first timers.

Others worked to finish “blue foaming” the front of the house and the porch. A skilled group finished installing the fascia around the house in order for the rest of the roof sheathing to be installed (covering the roof with plywood). Once the sheathing was complete, a handful of volunteers braved the heights and covered the plywood sheathing with black paper to prepare the roof to be shingled during the week. When the black paper was applied, the volunteers nail down the drip edge around the top of the house. While all of this work was going on around and above the house, some volunteers with shovels in hand leveled the lawn on the east side of the house where our tractor could not reach.

Thank you to the July 22nd Habitat volunteers: Cassie Arnei, Kassie Barry, Travis Bedwell, Peter Carlson, Sara Carlson, Reuven Chavira, Matt Dibbern, Dan Guyot, Eric He, Antonio James, Tyler Keely, Drew McMahon, Sam Poaer, Brent Racobs, Andy Rauchfuss, Jesse Rogers, Andrea Schultz, Eric Sheu, J. J. Simmons, Rahkeech Smith, Scott Winter, and Lily Wu. Also, special thanks to Meadowbrook Community Church for providing our volunteers with a wonderful lunch and the Church of the Brethren for providing us a cool and relaxing place to eat!!

Week 7
Thank you to IBEW Local 601! Arriving at 7:00 AM on the 22nd (week six), staying through the day and returning during the week, their skills will ensure the Hemphill family has safe, well-wired home. Thank you to Mike Herbert, Mike Melvin, Steve Melvin, John Veneto, Chuck Leman, Matt Light, and Chris Dietz.

Week seven, July 29th, was yet another day of searing heat. Volunteers gathered as Paul Zindars explained the plan for the day. With a large tent as a break area and plenty of water, we split into small project groups: enlarging the location for the shower; finishing the installation of truss clips to help hold the roof down on the exterior walls; fire chalking the wire at locations running into the attic and crawlspace.

While work was being done on the inside, a group of experienced volunteers prepared the outside for installing soffit. Paul Zindars walked volunteers through installation. First we cut soffit pieces with a circular saw so they would fit snugly in place. Second, we climbed ladders to snap the soffit together and nail it to the underside of the roof overhang. Third, we prepared the porch area for soffit. When the majority was installed on the east and west sides of the house, volunteers cleaned up the work site and returned the tools to storage. The day ended earlier than usual to allow us to get out of the heat.

Thank you to the July 29th Habitat volunteers: Zach Dismukes, Robert Fineman, Henry Gerlach, Shari Grieger, Kevin Olson, Brent Racobs, Jesse Rogers, Scott Sheltra, Kara Swindler, and Lily Wu. Also, special thanks to St. Matthews Catholic Church for providing our volunteers with a wonderful lunch and the Church of the Brethren for providing us a cool and relaxing place to eat!!

Week 8
Thank you to RC Plumbing and Heating for their excellent work this last week installing plumbing and heating.

On August 5th, volunteers gathered on a cooler morning awaiting the build start. After a quick devotion, Paul Zindars walked us through the tasks for the day. The majority of the work was going to be installing soffit around the house. Michael Workman, Henry Gerlach, Brent Racobs, and Ivana Yi inspected the soffit that was installed the previous week to make sure everything looked nice and catch any mistakes. They also installed the fascia on the east and west sides of the house. Jerry Zindars, Jesse Masengale, and I worked on fixing the porch and installing the porch soffit. Paul Debevec and Reuven Chavira volunteered to clean out the interior of the house. Ivana Yi also finished fire chalking anything that ran into the ceiling or crawl space and clearing the shrubs along the property fence. Prentiss Hemphill and James Davis helped with clean up.

Thank you to the August 5th Habitat volunteers: Reuven Chavira, James Davis, Paul Debevec, Henry Gerlach, Prentiss Hemphill, Brent Racobs, Jesse Masengale, Eric Sheu, Michael Workman, Ivana Yi, and Jerry Zindars. Also, special thanks to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church for providing our volunteers with a wonderful lunch and the Church of the Brethren for providing us a cool and relaxing place to eat!!

WBGL/Hemphill Home Complete! Dedication on September 30, 2006

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

Homebuilders Blitz 2006
1 Neighborhood
Four Families
Four Homes
Five Days
1,000+ Volunteer Hours!
Full list of donors here.

Meet Bevin Webb and her three children
Bevin Webb juggles her three adorable children – Tiana (8), Sierra (2, who also goes by SiSi), and Isaiah (1 year) – in their tiny apartment with so much ease, it’s hard to believe she’s a 25-year-old single mother with a full-time job at Carle’s The Caring Place. Her apartment is spotless. All three of her children have big brown eyes just like their mother.

One day, after reviewing the plans for her new three-bedroom Habitat home, she asked Tiana to take SiSi and Isaiah to to play for a while. After the children are gone, she spoke of life in one of Urbana’s most crime-ridden areas of town.

“Every day when I bring the children to school and day care, we have to wade through broken beer bottles and used condoms,” she said, her voice lowered so the children – just in the next room in the tiny apartment – won’t hear. “Every day on the way home, we have to make our way through dozens of men standing around, drinking beer, and sitting on the hoods of the cars in the parking lot. They whistle, they ask me if I have a man, they look at my children.”

It’s clear that Bevin is very eager to leave this place. “My children aren’t safe here – they need a place where they can go outside and play and be safe. Habitat is going to make that happen for us. I am just so grateful.”

The Webb's three-bedroom home will be built for them at 1403 N. Walnut in Champaign by The Atkins Group during the Home Builders Blitz, June 5 through 9, 2006.

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

Homebuilders Blitz 2006
1 Neighborhood
Four Families
Four Homes
Five Days
1,000+ Volunteer Hours!
Full list of donors here.

Meet Rhonda Winston and her two sons
Clearly shocked, Rhonda Winson's first response when told she had been selected for a Habitat home was "I'm so happy I could scream!"

Her tidy little two-bedroom home has family photos over most of the walls. She has two polite and bright sons, Tieree, 11, and Jamar-e, 10. Winston has lived in Champaign for 16 years. The 32-year-old grew up in Chicago, and moved with her father, who was in the service, to Panama when she was 14. A hard-working woman, she holds two jobs and works six days a week.

"Our lives are going to change dramatically because of this program," Rhonda said. "I am looking forward to having more responsibility and more security. The solid ground and the stability will be so nice."

The Winstons' three-bedroom home will be built for them at 1310 N. Champaign Street by Ramshaw Real Estate during the Home Builders Blitz, June 5 through 9, 2006.

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

Homebuilders Blitz 2006
1 Neighborhood
Four Families
Four Homes
Five Days
1,000+ Volunteer Hours!
Full list of donors here.

Meet Roxanne Grantham and her daughter Melorene
Fifteen-year-old Melorene Grantham – who prefers to be called Mel – peered out the window as Habitat's representatives walked up the drive to confirm the good news.

“You really came!” exclaimed her mother, Roxanne. “I told Mel I wasn’t sure I really believed we had been selected for Habitat’s program. When I saw you coming up the drive, I knew it was true!”

Roxanne has been an addictions counselor at Prairie Center for four years. For the 44-year-old mother, it’s been a long, ironic – and very hard – journey. After serving in the military in Germany, she moved to Iowa, got married, and began a stint with the Postal Service. Mel was born shortly thereafter. Two years later, her problems began.

When Mel was two, Roxanne became addicted to crack cocaine, a problem she battled for years. Faced with jail time, she realized she needed to get her life back on track. At sentencing in 1998, she was put in court-ordered rehab and has been clean for over seven years.

As the story unfolded it became quite clear how desperately Roxanne wants a normal life for her child. “This Habitat house is a blessing,” said Roxanne. “For Mel’s sake – she sees that anything is possible, and that’s important.”

The Granthams' three-bedroom home will be built for them at 1302 N. Champaign Street by Timbercreek Developers during the Home Builders Blitz, June 5 through 9, 2006.

Click here for the Flickr photogallery.

On Saturday, October 1, 2005 a dream came true for Falesha Huff and her teenage daughters. A crowd of supporters, volunteers, donors, residents, and the extended Huff family gathered to dedicate Habitat’s 39th home to Falesha and her daughters Brianna and Breshauna.

Steering committee members Dan and Jeannie Vansickle, representing the home's sponsor Re/Max Realty Associates, thanks the many dedicated volunteers and donors who made the home possible.  Re/Max raised nearly $45,000 in cash and leveraged about $20,000 in in-kind donations and donated labor from businesses in the community such as. A grant of $5,000 from the University of Illinois Student Habitat Chapter also helped make the Huff’s home possible.

Falesha’s mother, Mary Huff and family friend Elder Charles McMullen offered their blessings over the new home, and the family was presented with beautiful afghans that were hand-knitted by Habitat volunteer Caitrin Nicol.

Falesha happily accepted the keys to her new home from construction coordinator Jerry Zindars and expressed her gratitude to all of the people who came to together to make this build happen.  “I am just so appreciative of being able to work with Habitat for Humanity and RE/MAX to help build my house,” said Huff. “We are very eager to move in to a place we can actually decorate.” Brianna and Breshauna, are eager to paint their rooms and put things up on their walls.  The three-bedroom, 1,200 square foot house at 1310 W. Eads in Urbana will be the family's first home.

Falesha, Brianna, and Breshauna together put in over 250 hours of sweat equity on their home. Falesha and Brianna worked on the worksite to help frame, roof, side, and trim the house. Breshauna worked in the HOMEWORKS store because at 15, she is not old enough to be on the worksite. The family closed on their new home October 5 and will pay off the $45,000 interest-free mortgage over the next 20 years.

Thanks to the following businesses and individuals that generously donated or greatly discounted items for the Huff’s new home:

A & R Mechanical Contractors, Inc.
C&S Waste Services          
Custom Flooring and Acoustics, Inc.
Ehmen Excavating Company
Peggy Heilig        
Rees Painting          
R.C's Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning
SOS--Storage Options and Solutions
Bottom Up Home Inspection
Cabinetland
Daniels-Phillips          
F & R Roofing        
Illiana Insulation
Kan-Doo Concrete Co., Inc.        
Maxwell Counters, Inc.
Schuren Nursery
Wolf Systems    

Click here for our Flickr photo gallery.

Nguyen Family Thankful for Home of Their Own
A standing room only crowd of supporters helped the Nguyen family celebrate a dream come true when Habitat for Humanity of Champaign County dedicated a new home at 304 W. Tremont, Champaign to them. Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart, steering committee member Carrie Peltier, and family relative Quyet Nguyen thanked those who helped make the new house a home, and the family was presented with beautiful afghans that were hand-knitted by Habitat volunteer Caitrin Nicol.

Vinh expressed his gratitude to all of the people who came together on this build, and said he was happy that his girls would have a yard to play in and his wife would finally have a kitchen of her own. The home was supported by the Building on Faith Team of 200, the City of Champaign, an Open Door Challenge Grant, and the area's Catholic Churches.

He happily accepted the keys to the new home from construction coordinator Larry Fainter. This will be the first home for Vinh, Dieu and their girls Quyen, Nghi, and Vy who moved from Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam about three years ago.

The family bought the house from Habitat at cost through a zero-interest loan. The Nguyens will pay off the $45,000 interest-free mortgage over the next 20 years.

Donors, Volunteers and Supporters Help Make a Dream Come True for Nguyen Family

Thank you to the dedicated volunteers -- to numerous to mention individually -- who gave generously of their time and talents to make the home at 304 W. Tremont in Champaign a reality for the Nguyen family.  The home, Habitat's 40th, was financially supported by the Building on Faith Team of 200, the City of Champaign, an Open Door Challenge Grant, and the area's Catholic Churches.  Thanks to the following businesses and individuals that generously donated or greatly discounted items for the home:

ABC Sanitary
American Dowell
Armstrong Cash and Carry
Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local #8
Cabinetland
Capital Drilling and Sawing
Carle Foundation Hospital
Champaign Telephone
Chris Craig
City of Champaign
Custom Flooring
Daniels-Phillips
IBEW Local #601
IDSCO Building Supply
Illiana Insulation
Kan-Doo Concrete
LSSI Prison Partnership
MAB Paints
Maxwell Counters
Moore Surveying and Mapping
Mud Dobbers Drywall
Prairie Materials
Prairienet
Patton Lumber
RC’s Plumbing & Heating
Remco Electric
RP Lumber
Rogers Seamless Gutter
Springfield Electric
SOS Storage Options & Solutions
Wall Systems   

Meet the Nguyen Family
Vinh Nguyen, his wife, Xuan-Dieu, and three daughters Quyen, 8; Nghi, 4; and Vy, 1; are very excited about moving into their new home at 304 Tremont in Champaign. The five previosly shared a two-bedroom mobile home with Vinh’s father, Kha.  The Nguyens moved to the U.S. three years ago from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.  Before long they learned of Habitat from a friend and one year later applied and were accepted. Vinh has worked at Advanced Filtration Systems for nearly two years.

“We are just so very happy,” was the first thing Vinh Nguyen told Habitat's Executive Director Laura Huth when she first let him know his family was selected as the next Habitat family. “My daughters will have space outside to play and not have to always be inside.

"Quyen [the oldest daughter] really wants her own room - private,” said Vinh with a shy smile on his face. “She goes to her friends homes after school a lot and they all have their own rooms, and she wants to be able to have her friends over to her room to play and to study.”

It’s no wonder the artistic third-grader wants her own room: Quyen and her sisters, along with both her mom and her dad, all share one bedroom in the two-bedroom trailer.

The Nguyen family’s three-bedroom home was built through a new program at Habitat called “Building on Faith” where 200 people in the community each donate $200 to raise $40,000 in cash towards the home’s construction costs. Other funding was secured from the City of Champaign, a matching challenge grant, and area Catholic churches. In all, nearly $70,000 was raised to construct the home, which was dedicated to the family on December 19, 2005.

Nearly the entire family pitched in to earn the 500 sweat equity hours Habitat requires: Dieu wrote thank you notes to volunteers that were hand-drawn by Quyen. Vinh, his brother Cang, and grandfather Kha were constatnly on the worksite hammering, roofing, painting, and more.

The Merriweathers
KaShawn Merriweather learned patience early in life, and it’s been a lesson she has taught her four children recently. In 2002, KaShawn’s family was chosen to work with Habitat for Humanity of Champaign & Piatt Counties to build a new home. It’s been a long wait for KaShawn and her kids, but now by fall, KaShawn, LaTasha, 17; Tashonna, 14; Darin, 12; and Shanteea, 8 will have the new home they’ve been waiting over two years for.

In February, local residents and business owners Peter and Kim Fox pledged $20,000 to Habitat for Humanity to help bring another family in our community a new home. The Foxs' donation came along with a pledge to help raise another $20,000 from the community. They also pledged to secure $15,000 in donated materials and labor to make the $55,000 home entirely financed or coordinated by the Fox family.

Added to that funding will be the labor of community volunteers, now being recruited for work set to begin in June.

KaShawn Merriweather is a daycare provider, watching others’ children during the day in her tiny, but neat apartment in north Champaign while her four children are in school. I went to visit KaShawn recently to discuss the build, the timeline, and her requirements for work on the house (what Habitat calls "sweat equity").

I watched as KaShawn taught her young charges the alphabet, numbers and, of course, patience. The high energy displayed by the three youngsters at her apartment that day reflects KaShawn’s own energy. She is a woman determined to bring a better life to her children.

Early on in our discussion, KaShawn’s dedication to her children was unmistakable. She described in detail each of the kid’s interests: LaTasha likes to read and help with the daycare operations; Tashonna is a part of the Young Achievers; Darin is involved in track and basketball and can’t wait for his own yard; and little Shanteea enjoys her Bible study classes and just being an 8-year-old. Her kids can’t stop talking about their new house, which is going to be only blocks away from their grandmother’s home in Urbana.

KaShawn herself was born and raised in Champaign, and all of her family is still in town. She graduated from Parkland College in Office Careers in 1994. She began as a daycare provider after being laid off in a public health job last year. KaShawn, who is all of 32 years old, acknowledges that she was pushed into being an adult early in life, and is actively seeking to change this for her children.

She chose to get into daycare in large part to "be there" for her children, to help them enjoy life. After learning she didn’t qualify for other area housing programs, KaShawn finally came upon Habitat for Humanity, saying "it was a blessing for me and my children."

View images from the groundbreaking through the dedication here.

The Powell Family

Now part of the Piatt County affiliate, Vanessa Powell built in partnership with her neighbors in 2004.

Gant Family

Lamar Crawford, Jr. loves puppies. The energetic four-year-old has a five-month-old pug named Miaggi whose energy nearly matches his own. "He’s a handful, so full of energy", remarks his mother, Antonette Gant of her son, who is now chasing the puppy around the living room.

Antonette Gant and her son Lamar – who is named after his father who is now deceased – live in a small, very tidy, and unassuming apartment in Champaign. They have been in Champaign for three years now after moving from Springfield.

Antonette was born in Seattle and moved around a lot when she was younger, but this prospective Habitat homeowner is looking forward to settling down in her new Habitat home. If all goes as planned, they will be settled in by December 1, 2004.

That's the deadline required by a $10,000 grant received in March from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, to kick-start this Lutheran home-build. With $50,000 more in funds to raise, and a building effort to organize, we will need to act fast to make the Gant home a reality.

Antonette is a press operator who works the third shift at Rantoul Products, a company that manufactures car interior parts for GM, Mitsubishi, and other companies. After trimming plastic molds coming off assembly lines, she packs parts up for shipping.

The third shift has made for an unconventional day for Antonette and her son. While many of us are used to "9 to 5" types of days five days a week, for the last year and a half, Antonette’s day has begun at 10 p.m. with work and ended at 6 a.m. with the end of her shift - working six, and sometimes even seven, days a week. The time spent between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. is carefully planned out to maximize quality time spent with her son.

After returning home at 6 a.m., Antonette can be found cleaning for the next two hours. At 8 a.m., she hops in the shower, then lays down from about 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.. At 2, she picks up Lamar from daycare, makes them some food, and tries to match Lamar’s energy as they play until about 6 p.m.. The day I caught up with them, they were planning to head out to see a movie. At 6 p.m., it’s time for Lamar’s bath, then the pair both takes a short nap. At 9 p.m., Lamar is once again dropped off at daycare or at his grandparents' house, and Antonette heads up to Rantoul for the start of the third shift.

As she describes this rigorous schedule to me, I feel exhausted. Lamar’s father passed away in a tragic accident in September 2003. Between working third shift and trying to keep up with Lamar Jr., it’s hard to believe she has time to do much else. But she tells me she aspires to go to school, and loves to learn whatever she can. She is aiming to attend a one to two year radiology program at Parkland soon, and once done, hopes to continue going to school to learn even more.

In fact, one of the attractions for her to Habitat’s program is the requirement that she attend homeowner and financial management classes. She is very interested in learning more about money management and home improvement, particularly landscaping and tiling courses.

Antonette’s passion for learning will make her a great worker as she puts in her required 250 hours of "sweat equity" on the home. As we talk about this, Lamar chimes in and wants to know if he can help, too. I ask him if he has a tool belt, and he looks questioningly at his mother. "He has a hard time understanding the process of actually building the house," she tells me. He wants for her to take him there – to the new house, and doesn’t yet understand that it still needs to be built and that he and his mother will be helping in that process.

While Antonette’s mother lives in California, her grandparent’s are close by in Homer, Illinois, and this helps her a great deal. Her grandfather is a pastor and her grandmother is a teacher and she is grateful that Lamar gets to spend time with them. He aspires to be a basketball player, and tells me that he loved to play basketball with his dad. I ask him to show me some of his moves, and he jumps around a bit for me with his arms in the air. His mom then asks him what else he might want to be. "A police," he replies, now racing a toy car around the carpet.

As Antonette and I watch him play, I ask her what Habitat for Humanity has meant to her. Without missing a beat she says, "You have to crawl before you walk. Habitat is helping me get established as a homeowner, and that’s a great opportunity. Without Habitat, I'm not sure I could have done it."

Photos from the build, from groundbreaking to dedication here.

The Shallenbergs & Holloways

By Loran Shallenberger, Habitat hiker and volunteer

Hiking the Appalachian Trail has always seemed like a good idea to me. When I first had the inkling to tie it to fund-raising efforts for Habitat for Humanity two years ago, it seemed like an even better idea. The week before Easter, though, I was having my doubts. You see, it was my first week of actual fund-raising, and the notion that life would be easier if my brother and I simply hiked the AT, minus any benefit for Habitat, started to float around a bit. What’s more, I decided that it would be easier. Much easier. But late in the week, I was reminded why that’s not an option for us. I was reminded of why we decided to do this in the first place.

On Good Friday, Habitat’s executive director, Laura Huth, my brother Logan, and I headed to north Champaign to meet with the Holloway family at their temporary home. Sandra and her two daughters – Brianna, 14 and Adrianna, 12 – will be receiving the home built with donations garnered through the Hike for Habitat effort.

Sandra Holloway, who is originally from Holly Springs, Mississippi, has been a Champaign-Urbana resident for over 15 years. She moved north to take advantage of employment opportunities in the C-U area and has enjoyed living here. She recently celebrated her 15th anniversary as a University of Illinois employee, where she works in the Physics Library.

Sandra first learned about Habitat for Humanity through some friends who received homes. After some Internet research, she contacted the Champaign & Piatt Counties affiliate and applied for a house over a year ago. This year, construction on her home will begin as soon as there are sufficient funds from the Hike for Habitat campaign. Sandra’s mother, who still lives in Mississippi, is also in line to receive a Habitat home down there.

Sandra has already begun putting in the sweat-equity hours necessary for her home by working weekends at Habitat’s HOMEWORKS store. Of course, her daughters get to help out, and seem to enjoy themselves while muscling around couches and performing other duties. Brianna and Adrianna, a typical pair of teenage/pre-teen sisters, are both students at Urbana Middle School. Brianna, an 8th grader, is on the track team, while Adrianna, a 6th grader, plays basketball.

They expressed sentiments of bewilderment as Logan and I tried to explain our proposed journey along the AT. Adrianna wanted to know, "What are y’all going to eat?" and we plan to show her with a future meal cooked over our camp stove at their home – a campout, of sorts.

Both of the girls have hopes of going to college to become mechanical engineers. Right now, though, their focus is directed on the prospect of having bedrooms to call their own. The family of three is currently living in a three-bedroom house of barely more than 800 square feet with five other people – eight in all.

So, the visit with the Holloways made Good Friday even better for me. I appreciate the opportunity we had to meet with them. Nothing puts into perspective the mission of Habitat for Humanity better than sitting down with a family that will, or has, received a home. I look forward to nothing more than returning from the Appalachian Trail and helping Brianna and Adrianna paint their new bedrooms. Red and blue, respectively.

Local, ambitious brothers to hike Appalachian Trail for Habitat

Loran and Logan Shallenberger were born and raised in Mahomet, Illinois, and have long lived lives of service to others. Loran, 23, recently finished his second year of national service with an Americorps program called the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), where he worked on Habitat for Humanity homebuilding projects. He was living in Costa Rica until early April, working on an organic farm. Logan, 20, is enrolled in the nursing program at Parkland College. He is also an EMT in Villa Grove with Arrow Ambulance Service and helps to care for a family with children with cerebral palsy.

While in the NCCC, Loran worked with Habitat on three different projects: building a storage unit for Habitat in Pendelton County, WV, and leading collegiate challenge groups in Fort Lauderdale and Miami. All told, Loran has had about three full months of construction experience and has worked on over 25 Habitat homes.

It was during his second project in Fort Lauderdale that Loran learned of two women who planned to hike the Appalachian Trail as a fundraiser for a Habitat affiliate in California. Loran was struck by the idea, and took it to his brother, Logan, who agreed to participate. Both were drawn to the idea of not only hiking the Appalachian Trail - something they had always wanted to do - but also by the women's way of incorporating fundraising for Habitat into the plan.

Lest anyone think this is a minor jaunt, be aware that the full length of the Appalachian Trail runs from Maine down to Georgia and in its entirety is 2,147 miles. That's right - 2,147 miles. Loran and Logan, with the help of Habitat for Humanity of Champaign and Piatt counties, are currently in the planning phase of this fundraising hike. They hope to raise $35,000 - enough to build a Habitat home in either Champaign or Piatt County.

Thank you to these business and individuals for sponsoring Hike for Habitat:
The Coffee Station - Mahomet, IL
Dean's Superior Blueprint, Inc. - Champaign, IL
Monsanto - Farmer City, IL
Molly and Jeffrey Headtke
Laura Huth
Jennifer Swope and Toby Linnett
Gary Desrochers
Ashley Love
Jessica Hartopp
Jenn Niemi
The Mitchell Family
Celia Elliot
Rebecca McDuffey
Katie Cartier
Mr. and Mrs. John Busey
Beth Hand
Dr. and Mrs. Main
Lindy Stachowski
Ann-Marie Shapiro
Jennifer Ghaboussi
Cynthia Ingold
Emily Tangen
Laura Mottl
Terra Brockman
Mike and Pat Huth
Champaign Rotary Club
Judy Swiger
Jonathan Wills
The Barkleys
Danielle Chynoweth

The following retailers are providing gear for the hike:
www.theextremeoutfitters.com
www.golite.com

Donation Update: WIXY 100.3 FM has joined Habitat for Humanity of Champaign and Piatt Counties in the fight against substandard housing in our communities.

Right now, when you make a donation to Habitat for Humanity, the Dangerboy will walk 242 miles; from Quincy, IL to Danville, IL.... border-to-border! But Andy will only walk if we reach our goal of $5,000.

The Greens
Green Family Groundbreaking The Green family is Habitat for Humanity of Champaign and Piatt counties’ newest homeowner. Their house was built in partnership with the United Methodist churches in the Champaign-Urbana area. Home construction began in May and Sonya Green and her three sons – Mark, Quintin, and Isiah – moved into their new house in October.

Sonya works as an administrative assistant in the Pediatric Department at Carle Clinic. Born and raised in Urbana, she now lives across from King School, which she attended as a child. Mark, 13, enjoys basketball, football, and electronic games, and also sings in the school choir. Quintin, 11, attends Urbana Middle School and, like his big brother, also enjoys basketball and electronic games. Quintin also enjoys reading. Isiah, the youngest at 6, attends Prairie School, enjoys all outdoor activities and playing with his brothers.

Sonya, who was unable to buy a house without Habitat’s help, says the best part of having a Habitat house is knowing it is hers. Not only is her new neighborhood familiar from her childhood, she also now lives near her grandmother. Because Sonya had such a wonderful experience working on her house, she is determined to pass on the value of volunteer work she gained to her three children. The home build was truly a family affair as Sonya’s sister, brother and mother all lent a hand.

The Jones Family
The Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville, Illinois, is a perfect example of how one group can make a big difference. Immanuel Lutheran has been a committed supporter of Habitat for for the past four years. Immanuel first became involved with Habitat in the fall of 2000, when this group of dedicated volunteer builders began construction on a Habitat home in Urbana.

In 2002, Habitat secured funds to build a second home in Rantoul. They approached Norm Uken from Immanuel Lutheran to see if the group would be willing to provide the expertise and manpower and complete the project by April of 2003. Norm met with the members of the Men in Mission group at the church, made a presentation about the proposed Rantoul build, and in October of 2003, the group agreed to take on the project.

Less than a month later on November 1, footings for Joyce Jones’ home were dug. The Jones home’s Groundbreaking was held the next day on November 2. A mild winter permitted work on the Jones’ house to progress well – so mild, in fact, that concrete for the driveway and sidewalks was poured in mid-December. In all, 84 members of the Immanuel Lutheran Church worked most Saturdays and some evenings, along with the homeowner and her family – until the home was dedicated to the family April 6, 2003.

All labor involved was provided by the congregation of Immanuel Lutheran, which is fortunate to have many skilled craftsmen such as Norm Uken, Delbert Johnson, and Gene Schmidt within their ranks. A conservative estimate of all the volunteered labor amounts to approximately $20,000 of in-kind time. It is volunteers like those at Immanual Lutheran that keep the costs of Habitat’s homes affordable to our homeowners. A big thanks to Immanuel Lutheran Church of Flatville! Your faith and belief in Habitat for Humanity’s mission of eliminating poverty housing is truly a blessing.  Humanity

The Smith Family
Dolly and Clay Smith moved into their new Habitat house in 2002. Their house was built in partnership of eight local Catholic churches with Habitat. Dolly was on the waiting list for a house for two years. She first learned about Habitat For Humanity through a flyer she found at the Urban League office.

Dolly works as a waitress at Mary Ann’s Diner. Clay is ten years old, and attends Dr. Howard Elementary School. He enjoys playing kickball and baseball in his spare time. Together, Dolly and Clay enjoy outdoor activities, such as swimming and going to visit parks, like Turkey Run State Park. In addition, Dolly is an excellent gardener, as seen by the beautiful plantings around her home. Dolly is very happy with her Habitat home and enjoys the friendly neighborhood.

Dolly Smith and her son outside home-garden

The Williams Family
Williams family photoSpring of 2003 saw the realization of the dream of home ownership for the Williams family. They showed great patience as they waited for their new home, since the remodeling of the existing house proved to be much more complicated and time consuming than was anticipated. However at projects end a truly beautiful home stood ready for their occupancy, thanks to a dedicated group of volunteers.

Their house, at 308 E. Kerr Street in Urbana, was totally refreshed both inside and outside. New siding was applied to the outside of the house and new drywall and trim was installed inside. An addition was added to the back of the house to provide additional space for the family. The Williams are very happy with the way their “new” house turned out.

The Williams family consists of five members. The parents are Sidney and Pam Williams. Pam works as an assistant at the Champaign County Nursing Home’s Adult Day Center. Sidney works doing automobile repair. They have three sons, Courtney, 15, Marcel, 14, and Cedric, 13. Courtney is taking drivers training, so that is the most exciting thing in his life right now. Marcel likes to help his mother around the house, so he is a valued member of the family. Cedric enjoys sports, and has been active in basketball and wrestling.

Williams Family Ribbon Cutting Pam is very pleased to have a Habitat house so that her children can grow up in their own home. The whole family worked on the house and more than meet their required number of sweat equity hours. They greatly appreciated all the volunteers who worked so hard on their house. Their neighbors have been very welcoming to the Williams, and they enjoy their proximity to Crystal Lake Park.

-Greg Walburg, Construction Coordinator

The Peeples Family: An Upadate (2007)
Karen Peeples feels "responsible for her block, what goes on here.  I want to help beautify the neighborhood.  I can't wait for the summer when I can plant flowers and fix up the yard." She lights up when asked about her Habitat experience- says she could start crying just thinking about it.  While her home was being built, she was at the build site every day taking pictures and has several photo albums dedicated to the building process.

"I was at the build site every day, taking pictures, helping, hammering nails and putting up siding.  I was at the work site when the workers weren't here.  I was always sweeping the floors when they were building.  I didn't want someone to fall and hurt themselves so I tried to keep it clean."

"This one volunteer had to teach me how to hammer.  I think I got on his nerves because the first few times I tried to hammer a nail, the nail was crooked.  But it didn't take me long to learn how to do it right.  By the end of the build, I was a pro."

After she was selected by Habitat, she chose the lot at 1109 North Market Street.  Since the previous owner had buried trash Habitat wasn't sure if they would be able to build on the lot for her family.  Karen says," I didn't want to seem ungrateful.  I didn't want them to think I wasn't thankful, but man I wanted that lot.  I wanted to live here so bad.  I came to the lot and prayed that it would be ours.  My aunt and uncle live around the corner and they used to make fun of me because I was always coming to the build site.  My uncle would say, 'There goes Karen, going to look at her hole in the ground.' Even before we broke ground, I would just come here and stare at the lot and think about what was to come for my family. "

Karen's house was built by a collective of Rotary clubs in Champaign County.  She sends Christmas cards to everyone in the Rotary.  As part of her home building process, she went to the Rotary Clubs to speak.  She was terrified of public speaking, but had to do it with so many clubs, that she got over her fear of public speaking.  She now uses it to facilitate workshops in her current job at the Urban League.  

The Cornelius Family: Ten Years Later
Lynn Cornelius greets you with a warm hug.  It’s the kind of warmth that comes from an inner strength and sense of peace.  She speaks with great ease about her struggle with alcoholism and the journey of her life.

Lynn, her husband Lovester and their children lost everything in 1991 when their home burnt down.  Photo albums, baby books and family heirlooms were taken by the fire.  It was devastating.

The Cornelius family moved into the projects at Lakeside Terrace, paying $500 a month in rent.  Lynn and Lovester hoped there would soon be a better life ahead, but Lynn was consumed by alcoholism.  She had to have a drink to get out of bed, several to get through the day and was completely incapacitated by the evening.

While times were difficult, Lovester stood by her and prayed that she would stop drinking.  Eventually, Lynn’s body completely shut down and she was facing death.  She was lying in her hospital bed, wondering if she would live when God told her that her time on earth was not finished.  She realized she needed to live to take care of her children, see them grow up and have babies of their own.  And she was not yet ready to leave Lovester.

She went through detox in 1993, left the hospital and has never had a drink since.

Not long after she was clean, she and Lovester learned about the local Habitat for Humanity.  She attended an informational meeting where she learned that homeowners had to put in sweat equity towards their home.  Lynn volunteered her time on Habitat home builds in hopes that she would eventually be selected for a home.  For two years, she and Lovester spent every Saturday on Habitat home build sites.  They learned how to put up siding, install dry wall and paint.  Together, they helped build a total of three homes and continued to put time in to help others, all the while picturing a better life for themselves.  They dreamt of getting out of the projects and having stability for their children.  With great ease and confidence, Lynn says “I had it in my heart that we would get a Habitat house.”

Lynn and Lovester had just completed work on their third Habitat home, when they found out they were selected for the next Habitat home build, with Carle Foundation Hospital.  After five years of being sober, the Cornelius family moved into their Habitat home.  Lynn’s life had come full circle.  She has been sober since 1993 and has lived to see her kids become adults.  She and Lovester are currently enjoying being grandparents in their beautiful home.