1627 Lowry, Rantoul.

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About the Foley Family

About Bike.Home.

About Women Build Homes

Build Schedule and Volunteering

Upcoming Events

Past Events

Meet the Foleys

(Rantoul, June 2008)

www.flickr.com habitatchampaign's 09 Foley Women Build photoset

"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.

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About Bike.Home.

We are proud to launch Women Build Homes with the Foley Family on the foundation of 2008's Habitat500 bike ride. Riders Bryan Lake, Hannah Lake-Rayburn, Erica Marti, Nancy Melin, Anne Robin and all participated in a bicycle ride (not a race) and fundraiser that covers 500 miles over the course of 7 days (an average of 71 miles per day). Each rider raised funds from family, friends, businesses, and church groups and designated to our affiliate. The total for 2008 was over $8,000! Some will go to the 2008-2009 Illinois Campus Chapter build, but the rest has been deisgnated for this new Women Build.

Each rider was required to raise a minimum of $850, but the average amount raised was nearly $2,800 per rider. Each year is a new route; riders tour around the midwest (mostly Minnesota) visiting Habitat affiliates, Habitat worksites and Habitat homeowners along the way (in addition to roadside attractions). Habitat affiliates serve as local hosts for overnight stays.  A key component of the ride is to raise awareness about the need for decent, safe, affordable housing.

By designating this a Bike.Home., we are honoring their passion for cycling and their desire to create home ownership opportunities for those in need. Bike riders will continue to raise a significant portion of the funds (as part of and along side the Project Team).

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About Women Build Homes

Watch a video about Women Builds.

The Women Build program empowers women to build Habitat for Humanity homes, enabling them to positively impact the lives of children by making
homeownership a present reality for families.

Women Build is not about excluding men; it’s about including women. Women are often intimidated on a “mixed” construction site; but in the
comfortable environment of a Women Build site, they quickly learn
construction skills.  When women come together in a supportive environment, they feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment and increased self-esteem.

By planning projects where the majority of volunteers are women, Women Build involves more women in Habitat’s construction efforts, thereby increasing the number of houses Habitat can build.

Women possess all that’s needed to affect dramatic change in their communities. Through Women Build, we can train and equip women to work more effectively, helping Habitat increase its capacity and serve more families.

Our 2008 Women Build Homes with the Corona Family volunteers described their experience this way:

• I learned a lot! I felt very comfortable with the amount of guidance I received. It was a wonderful experience.
• I enjoyed learning I could do these tasks, and thinking about someone getting to use the cabinets I was hanging.
• Habitat's impact on the family is equally felt in many different ways. “Habitat for Humanity“ has a dual meaning, one is for the physical habitat for the family, the other is the mental habitat for the volunteers. You guys rock!
• I enjoyed the camaraderie for things like putting the trusses upon the roof: also the lunches and the ice cream truck. It was also fun meeting lots of new people
• WOW! What can I say? I had such a positive experience. I look forward to volunteering on another build site.
• Our participants found yesterday to be so interesting, educational, and inspiring -- and we all truly enjoyed the loving, generous, supportive vibe you personally create for the entire experience. What a treasure Habitat is in our community! Hope to be able to team up with you again somehow again in the future...Have a fantastic summer!
• We had a great time! I am sore all over but we put down a beautiful floor and had a great time doing it.
• I am so pleased that I could help, and I really look forward to being involved again in the future. Again thank you so much for the opportunity.
• Just wanted to thank you again for the experience on Friday - everyone had an awesome time. I've already received feedback from several who want to do it again next year! You and the rest of the crew were wonderful.
• We LOVED the project. It was one of our all time favorite projects! That is what we like to do. Have a project where we can actually get in there and do some work and see some change. And mostly do it together as a fun group!

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Build Sponsors

As of October 29, 2008

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Upcoming Events

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Build Schedule

To be announced when fundraising is nearly complete. Our goal is September 2009. If you'd like to get involved with raising funds or staffing events, contact Eileen Gebbie (359-0507 x111 or director@cuhabitat.org).

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Past Events

C-U DIVA is an acronym for the Champaign-Urbana Downtown Independent Volunteer Association.

The name and concept was conceived in 2000 by a few Champaign women who felt the need not only to give back to the community through volunteering, but to also give back to each other through support and camaraderie. Eight years later, in 2008, the C-U DIVAS are alive and well and still being true to its mission statement:

Enriching and supporting our community and each other, through volunteerism and patronage with an upbeat spirit of hope and giving.

The DIVAS are a group of twenty-five women from Champaign-Urbana and surrounding communities, diverse in ages, careers and life experiences. Individually each member pledges to complete twenty five volunteer hours per year, but as an example of this groups commitment to giving back to the community, together the group volunteered over 2,404 hours in 2007. The DIVAS not only enjoy working together through volunteer activities, but also enjoy exploring interesting enrichment and social activities as well.

Eight years later, the group remains 25 women devoted to its mission statement. Over the years, the members of the group have sometimes changed, but the group is committed to remain at the small number of twenty five. They like the closeness that it builds amongst the members and how the small number allows them to easily work together. Over the years the DIVAS projects have included Opening Night for Artist Against Aids, making hundreds of Easter Baskets and delivering them to children living in shelter situations, stocking shelves for the Crisis Nursery Holiday Shop, events for the Station Theater, nursing homes, and the women's shelter, and the group created a karaoke fundraiser to benefit the local Humane Society. Most recently the DIVAS worked helping Habitat for Humanity build its 2008 Women's Build Home. The DIVAS will host a karaoke Fundraiser on the evening of Sunday, October 26 at the HighDive to benefit Habitat's Women's Build Project for 2009.

The DIVAS envision that they will be a part of the Champaign-Urbana community for many years to come, volunteering and supporting each other.

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