Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 02:27:00 +0000

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day!

First Annual Corridor Earth Day Project
Sat. April 24, 2010
10am to 4pm

5000 J Street SW
Keynote Speaker: Connie Mutel
Author of A Watershed Year: Anatomy of the 2008 Floods

Free admission
Entertainment, activities and lots of great information!
Many hands on activities

Visit our website for more information:
www.corridorearthproject.com

Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity is a Proud Sponsor of this First Annual Event

National Volunteer Month

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 02:30:00 +0000

April is National Volunteer Month and we’d like to thank all of our great volunteers for all of their assistance in the last year, and more than that, the last 20 years as we’ve served the Cedar Valley. We appreciate your time, dedication, and talents as we strive to provide affordable housing for families in need. Volunteering with Cedar Valley Habitat makes a real and lasting positive impact on our community. Thank you for being involved!

There are still many opportunities to partner with us as the 2010 Build-a-Thon is quickly approaching. Volunteers are needed (see Volunteer Flier.pdf) and we have Hope Builders meetings on April 22 and 23 from noon-1 p.m.

Congratulations to the Nelson Family - Winner of the Mini Play Stable

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 02:32:00 +0000

The 2010 playhouse project was another great success. We raised money for Habitats relief efforts in Haiti, met a lot of new friends and got to hang out with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders!

Ron Olinger, CVHFH construction manager, and Caleb White worked alongside 28 volunteers for 42 hours to construct the Mini Play Stable designed by Krista Dumkrieger, our very own AmeriCorps/architect.

Thanks to Jeff Jauch, President and CEO, Mark Meyer, Larissa Heimer and the team over at the RoughRiders the Mini Play Stable was on display and open for children and families to play during eight home games at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena. Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity appreciates all of their support on this project and we look forward to working with them again in the future.

If you are interested in building, volunteering or purchasing a playhouse in the future please contact Traci Zieser, Sales Manager of the ReStore, at traci_restore@cvhabitat.org.

Habitat Playhouse Raffle

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:53:00 +0000

Every child dreams of having their very own playhouse and Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity is going to make that dream a reality for one family again this year. CVHFH will be holding a raffle of a miniature horse stable playhouse built by Habitat staff, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders players, and volunteers on March 20th during a RoughRiders home game. Funds generated from this event will aid in Habitat International's relief efforts in Haiti.

The playhouse will be on display at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena February 26th through March 20th when the winner will be drawn. The winner will also receive 4 blue zone tickets to the March 31st RoughRiders game or any 2010 playoff game. Raffle tickets for the playhouse are $5 each or 5 tickets for $20 and will be sold by Habitat representatives during RoughRiders home games or at the ReStore. Monetary donations will also be accepted to aid fundraising efforts for Haiti relief. Cash, checks and credit cards will be accepted.

Finished dimensions of the playhouse are 6'2" wide, 8'6" long, and 8'10" tall. For ease of transport, it is modularly designed to come apart into seven pieces. Shingles and laminate flooring will be included but will require installation. The raffle winner will be responsible for transporting the playhouse to their home from the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena.

Habitat for Humanity "HUDDLES UP" FOR FAMILIES IN NEED

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:30:00 +0000

Cedar Rapids, Iowa (January 6, 2010) – Every sports fan has dreamed of being the player whose last second heroics propel his or her team to victory. On Super Sunday, Eastern Iowa residents will "huddle up" and make a winning call for the entire community—a play that’s sure to make them MVPs.

HOME TEAM HUDDLE, benefiting Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity and Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, will take place on Sunday, February 7, 2010, during the biggest professional football game of the year. Participants will host Super Sunday parties all over the Corridor and collect donations for Habitat for Humanity at halftime. All proceeds go directly to both local affiliates and help further Habitat’s mission of eliminating substandard housing in the community.

"Participating in Home Team Huddle is an opportunity for Eastern Iowans to come together and support Habitat’s mission while having a great time with family and friends," says Jeff Capps, executive director of Cedar Valley Habitat. "As people are getting together in homes to celebrate, it only makes sense to want to help give that experience to others in need."
Both Cedar Valley Habitat and Iowa Valley Habitat agree it is a great way to come together and support an important mission. With every dollar that is donated through events like HOME TEAM HUDDLE, more families have the opportunity to achieve their dreams of homeownership.

"We want to move working families out of dilapidated trailers into safe, secure and affordable homes so their children can feel more secure and succeed at school and in life," says Mark Patton, executive director of Iowa Valley Habitat.

Individual party hosts and guests will become eligible for HOME TEAM HUDDLE’s grand prize of a weekend getaway to an NFL city next season. Hosts raising the most money also will be eligible for other prizes, including restaurant gift certificates and tickets to area sporting events. HOME TEAM HUDDLE is sponsored by Home Town Restyling and Delta Air Lines.

All hosts receive a Home Team Party Pack designed to help promote and build excitement around the parties. The pack includes an official T-shirt; fun promotional items, an event poster, and stickers for party guests; collection envelope and ideas for helping to promote the event.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating poverty housing. Since 1988, Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity has built or renovated 80 homes. Its most recent project was the construction of 20 homes in Cedar Rapids, as part of the 2009 AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon. Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity (IVHFH) is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a 501(c)(3) Christian housing organization created to build and sell simple, decent, affordable housing to low-income, working families. For over 15 years, IVHFH has been committed to eliminating poverty housing in Johnson, Cedar, and Iowa counties. Partner families make a down payment and invest hundreds of hours of sweat equity into the construction of their homes and other Habitat homes.

For event information, please contact Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity Program Manager Bea Flodeen at 319.366.4485 or go to www.HabitatFootball.com to register.

Habitat for Humanity, AmeriCorps return to flood-devastated Cedar Rapids area to continue rebuilding

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:27:00 +0000

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa―Nov. 6, 2009― For the second consecutive year, Cedar Valley Habitat has been selected to host the annual Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon. In June 2010, more than 600 Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps*State and National and AmeriCorps*VISTA members and alumni from across the country will gather to build, rehabilitate, and renovate 20 Habitat for Humanity houses, in Cedar Rapids as part of the annual build event.

"We are excited to return to Cedar Rapids in 2010 and see a tremendous opportunity to build on the success of the 2009 Build-a-Thon by focusing on revitalizing neighborhoods directly impacted by the 2008 floods," said Peter Rumsey, director, National Service, Habitat for Humanity International. "Cedar Valley Habitat has been a great partner as we strive to help families rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the flooding."

The need for affordable housing is especially great in the Cedar Rapids area where nearly 4,000 homes were damaged by fast-rising water during last year’s devastating floods. While 90 counties were declared federal disaster areas, Cedar Rapids was the most significantly affected region with nearly ten square miles under water. Most of the affected homeowners did not have flood insurance.

"There is much post-flood rebuilding work to be done in our community, particularly in the area of affordable housing," said Jeff Capps, executive director of Cedar Rapids Habitat for Humanity. "This project is about much more than being granted a great labor pool for a week—it’s about helping us to build long-term infrastructure and engaging local partners that will continue to do the heavy lifting in the years to come."

The 2010 Build-a-Thon celebrates 15 years of AmeriCorps members helping Habitat for Humanity affiliates and partner organizations build affordable houses and eliminate substandard housing.

About Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity
Cedar Valley Habitat works in partnership with God and people everywhere, from all walks of life, to develop communities with people in need by building and renovating houses so that there are decent houses in decent communities in which people can live and grow into all that God intended.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built more than 350,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.75 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

About Habitat for Humanity National Service Programs
Since 1994, Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps*State and National, AmeriCorps*VISTA members have performed more than 5 million hours of service, engaged hundreds of thousands of volunteers and helped build more than 8,500 Habitat houses throughout the United States. For information about AmeriCorps programs, visit www.americorps.gov.

About the Corporation for National and Community Service
The Corporation for National and Community Service is a federal agency that improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. Each year, the Corporation engages four million Americans of all ages and backgrounds in service through its Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and Learn and Serve America programs. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

Season's Greetings from the Pursell Family

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:24:00 +0000

Season's Greetings from the Pursell Family! We hope you and yours are experiencing all the warmth and love this season brings!

At this time of year, Bing Crosby's "I'll Be Home For Christmas" is played on the radio, in shopping malls, at home as you're baking cookies for holiday parties. It brings to mind rushing home in the wintry weather to a warm home filled with the love and laughter of your family. But like the song, for many years, it was "if only in my dreams" for our family.

All of us dreamed of a home we could call our own. The children are growing so quickly and they all shared one bedroom in the small apartment we lived in. We wanted to provide a safe, comfortable home for Alaysia, Damon, Gianna and Kenyon - a place where they could ride their bikes down the street in the summer and build a snowman together in the winter.

Our prayers were answered when we applied for a Habitat for Humanity home. We became one of 20 families that Cedar Valley Habitat partnered with last summer. In June, 500 AmeriCorps members came to help us build our home! We were overwhelmed by the support from both local volunteers, as well as those who traveled hundreds of miles to help. It was truly a blessing to be involved with such an amazing program! In all, Cedar Valley Habitat completed and closed on 22 homes this year!

We received the best early Christmas present this year when, in September, we signed our first mortgage check and moved into our beautiful new home. As you probably know, Habitat homes are sold to families through a zero-interest loan. That, along with a tremendous amount of volounteer labor, makes Habitat homownership possible for families like ours. This is the first Christmas we will spend together as a family under the roof of a home we can call our own. Because of Habitat and people like you who support this vital ministry, we have such great hope for our future! Thank you for your continued support of Cedar Valley Habitat.

We'd like to encourage you to help another family like ours this year. Please consider giving of your time by volunteering or donating any amount to an organization that brought our family home for the holidays!

God bless you this, and every, season!

Gregory, Misty, Alaysia, Damon, Gianna and Kenyon Pursell

P.S. Give the gift of hope this holiday season! Use the link below to make an online donation. All gifts received prior to December 31, 2009 will be recognized as a 2009 donation.

Seeking Committee Members

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:10:00 +0000

Habitat is a volunteer driven organization and we need volunteers like YOU now more than ever! There are opportunities available for the Volunteer Committee, Construction Committee, Family Services, Family Support, Development & Church Relations, Finance, and ReStore. To get involved, email volunteer@cvhabitat.org today!

Habitat for Humanity to Dedicate Belle Plaine Home

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 03:09:00 +0000

An open house for the first-ever Habitat for Humanity home built in Belle Plaine will occur from 6-8 p.m. and the home dedication will take place at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 30th, 2009 at 408- 11th Street in Belle Plaine. These events are open to the public. This is the second home the Benton County chapter of Cedar Valley Habitat has built. The first home was completed in Vinton, Iowa.

Celebrate World Habitat Day with 20 Home Dedications

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:50:00 +0000

Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity invites you to celebrate World Habitat Day on Saturday, October 3 as we dedicate 20 homes constructed during this summer's Build-A-Thon. The home Wilderness Estates home dedications start at 1pm followed by the College Park Estates at 3pm.

	Map of Wilderness Estates
	Map of College Park Estates

Habitat for Humanity to Build In Belle Plaine

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 03:10:00 +0000

Belle Plaine, Iowa (August 7, 2009) - The groundbreaking for the first-ever Habitat home to be built in Belle Plaine will occur at 6:30 p.m. on August 18, 2009. The event is open to the public. Construction will begin September 11 at 408 11th Street in Belle Plaine and continue on Saturdays, as well as some weekdays, through the end of October. This is the second home the Benton County chapter of Cedar Valley Habitat has built. The first home was completed in Vinton, Iowa.

"We are so blessed to have such great work happening throughout Linn and Benton counties," said Jeff Capps, executive director of Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity. "Our Benton County chapter is passionate about helping families achieve their dreams of homeownership, and we're so grateful to have many folks supporting them in that."

Habitat homes are generally sponsored by local faith-based groups, businesses, foundations and civic organizations. Sponsor support covers the upfront construction costs required to build the home. Costs are kept low through the use of volunteer labor and some donated materials. Major sponsors on this fall's Belle Plaine home include Bank Iowa, the Benton County Community Foundation, the City of Belle Plaine and Garling Construction. For more information about additional sponsorship opportunities, contact Kathy Jacobsen at (319) 446-7358.

Next Wednesday's groundbreaking will be an exciting day, particularly for the new partner family, which was pre-selected and has been working toward homeownership for months. Habitat families are qualified and selected based on their need for simple, decent and affordable housing; their ability to pay back a zero-interest home loan; and their willingness to partner with Habitat by completing hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" and basic homebuyer classes.

"Habitat offers a hand-up, not a hand out," Capps said. "We aim to present an extraordinary opportunity for partner families who desire to be homeowners, but can't qualify for a conventional loan. It's a self-help solution, and it works! I'm hopeful that the good people of Belle Plaine and Benton County will support this great effort that's happening in their very own backyard."

For more information or to sign up directly for volunteer opportunities, please contact the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity office at (319) 366-4485, Doug Goodsell at (319) 227-6225, Kathy Jacobsen at (319) 446-7358, email volunteer@cvhabitat.org or visit cvhabitat.org.

AmeriCorps Volunteers Focused on Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:15:00 +0000

Construction began at a fast and furious pace on Thursday. After strong thunderstorms pushed through the area the previous night, dark skies were once again rolling into the area. By late morning on Thursday, rain and strong gusts of wind pummeled both worksites causing construction delays. Most volunteers were able to use the extended break time to grab lunch, relax, and get to know more about their fellow volunteers from around the country.

Once the rain subsided and the ominous clouds cleared, some house crews spent time spreading more corn stalks to provide traction on the worksite while most crews scrambled to pick up where they left off earlier in the day. House crews spent the remainder of the day trying to finish installing vinyl siding and shingles.

As Thursday came to a close, most volunteers around the job site were discussing their plan of attack for Friday, the last day in the AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon. Friday's schedule will be shortened so all volunteers can attend the event's closing ceremonines in the afternoon. House leaders are keeping their crews focused by setting a goal of having each house enclosed and ready for the installation of electrical and mechanical systems starting next week.

Teamwork: AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon Moving Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:01:00 +0000

Clouds and rain stepped aside for sunshine and warm temperatures today. With time saved by volunteers not having to continually scrape mud from their shoes, Wednesday proved to be a very productive day with teams all working hard together. Volunteers coordinated their efforts to install shingles, siding, windows, and doors on the 20 Habitat homes being built during this year's AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon.

Most houses completed installing their roof trusses by mid-morning which allowed construction crews to focus on roofing and siding during the hot afternoon. With the sun beating down on the rooftop crews, the Salvation Army made several stops at each site to deliver beverages for the volunteers.

The calm weather prompted several volunteers to work beyond the end of the work day in order to get a head start on Thursday's tasks. As each site shut down for the night, more corn stalks were spread across many lots in preparation for the thunderstorms expected to pass through the area overnight.

With two days left in the Build-a-Thon, the focus for volunteers will be to complete all exterior tasks including roofing and siding.

Determination: AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon Continues Through Rain

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 04:49:00 +0000

AmeriCorps and Habitat volunteers were determined to work through steady rain and thick mud as they installed roof trusses, windows, and siding on the second day of the Build-a-Thon.

While garbage bags were converted into ponchos, volunteers used driveways to scrape the mud from their shoes. Corn stalks were spread around the College Park work site in the afternoon to improve the terrain and reduce the number of shoes stuck in the mud. As roof trusses were raised, volunteers on the ground put their hard hats to use and dodged clumps of mud falling from above.

Although it was not a perfect day for outdoor construction, you could not convince the volunteers it was anything other than a great day to be outside building Habitat homes. House leaders guided their teams with efficiency at each house by focusing on ground activities when it was too slippery to be installing roof trusses. Windows, siding and even front doors were being installed prior to some trusses being in place. Wet interiors floors were continuously being swept of water and mud to keep the houses safe for volunteers.

The steady morning rain had dwindled to a few sprinkles before lighter skies prevailed in the afternoon. By day's end, homes were appearing through all the mud. All Habitat homes under construction in this Build-a-Thon have risen from floors to roofs in just two days. Looking down the streets of each build site, homes are now forming neighborhoods.

AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon Construction Begins

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 04:39:00 +0000

Construction began early Monday on homes being built during the AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon. The day began with homes having foundations and flooring in place and ended with walls and roof trusses in place.

More than 500 AmeriCorps volunteers worked on the 20 Habitat for Humanity homes located across two developments in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The College Park Estates development near Kirkwood Community College features nine Habitat homes being constructed while the Wilderness Estates develeopment near Taft Middle School will have 11 Habitat homes.

NFL star Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda, joined the volunteers and Habitat families in constructing the homes. The Warners volunteered several hours at each development building walls and helping raise roof trusses.

Several sponsors also toured the construction sites today. Representatives from Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, The Salvation Army, Clarion Hotel, and others joined AmeriCorps and Habitat for Humanity officials for the tour.

Photos from Monday's events are available in the Newsroom section of website which is located here.

AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon Opening Ceremonies

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 05:05:00 +0000

More than 500 AmeriCorps volunteers were welcomed to Cedar Rapids, Iowa by the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, AmeriCorps, and Habitat for Humanity International.

The opening ceremonies followed a taping of the ESPN show Homecoming. The show's featured guest was Kurt Warner, quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. Warner, who grew up in Cedar Rapids was interviewed by Rick Reilly at Warner's former high school, Regis Catholic High School.

As the Build-a-Thon opening ceremonies kicked off, Jeff Capps, Executive Director of Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, provided the opening remarks as he welcomed the hundreds of volunteers who filled the gymnasium in their yellow Build-a-Thon shirts. The evening started with an opening prayer and was filled with guest speakers including officials from Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity International, and several local, state and federal government officials. Brief remarks were also made by officials from key event sponsors including AEGON, Corporation for National and Community Service, the City of Cedar Rapids, and Kurt Warner's First Things First.

The event also featured a short video about the importance of the efforts of Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps. Videos from the AmeriCorps Video Contest were also shown followed by the presentation of contest awards. The evening wrapped up with a closing prayer and housekeeping remarks for the AmeriCorps volunteers as they get set to start construction on 20 homes on Monday morning.

Although foundations and first level flooring are complete on the homes being built during the Build-a-Thon, volunteers will work to complete walls, roofing, siding, and more throughout the one week event. Updates will be made throughout the week on the Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity website. Event photos from each day of the Build-a-Thon will be available in the Newsroom section of website which is located here.

Volunteers are Needed at Colorado Drive and Moose Drive Starting June 23

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 03:07:00 +0000

The foundations are poured and the floor joists have been delivered! CVHH needs your help to construct flooring for nine homes on Colorado Drive and 11 homes on Moose Drive in Cedar Rapids. These homes are part of this year's Build-A-Thon.

Volunteers are needed Tuesday through Saturday, 8am to 4pm between June 23 and late summer. One build site is located at the intersection of 66th Avenue and Colorado Drive in Cedar Rapids, near Kirkwood Community College. The second build site is located in the Wilderness Estates development off of F Avenue NW in Cedar Rapids. Please register by calling CVHH at 319-366-4485 or register in person at the job site.

	Volunteer Application Complete the application and return in person or by mail to the CVHH office.

	Volunteer Release and Waiver of Liability Complete this document and return in person or by mail to theCVHH office prior to volunteering.

View a map of the Colorado Drive location.

Email Fraud Alert

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Habitat for Humanity International has been alerted to an e-mail circulating which purports to be from an official Habitat for Humanity source offering employment opportunities. The e-mail comes from the following address: habitatrecruits@googlemail.com and from a "Dr. Paul Foster." Please be aware this email is fraudulent and is not in any way connected to Habitat for Humanity International. If you have received this e-mail please delete it from your inbox. We believe it to be related to identity theft.

Visit Habitat for Humanity International's Website.

AEGON gives $1 Million to Habitat Homebuilding Effort

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 03:15:00 +0000

CEDAR RAPIDS - AEGON's charitable foundation will contribute $1 million and volunteer help in a partnership with Habitat for Humanity to build 60 new homes in Cedar Rapids over the next three years, company officials announced Wednesday.

The money and volunteer support will aid the 2009 Habitat for Humanity and AmeriCorps 2009 Build-a-Thon, in which AmeriCorps members from across the country will join Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity to construct homes for 20 low-income families in Cedar Rapids during the first year of the project.

"The need for affordable housing is especially great in the Cedar Rapids area, where nearly 4,000 homes were damaged by fast-rising water during last year's devastating floods," said Jonathan Reckford, CEO, Habitat for Humanity International.

The $1 million will come from the AEGON Transamerica Foundation's Disaster Relief Fund, which was established after the June flood to help the Cedar Rapids community in the recovery and rebuilding effort. Donations received were matched by the foundation more than $1.5 million was raised.

"From the beginning, it was our instinct that AEGON's role in the flood recovery would center on rebuilding neighborhoods and funding human services organizations," said David Blankenship, president of the AEGON Transamerica Foundation. "We will also continue to support the Economic Planning and Redevelopment Corporation, which focuses on a community wide flood recovery effort."

Reprinted from The Gazette.
Visit GazetteOnline.com Today!

NFL quarterback Kurt Warner to join Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps in effort to rebuild flood-devastated area

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 17:00:00 +0000

NFL quarterback Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda, will join more than 500 Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps State and National and AmeriCorps VISTA members and alumni to help build 20 Habitat for Humanity houses, June 14-20, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as part of the annual Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps Build-a-Thon. The houses will be built in partnership with families affected by the floods that devastated much of Iowa in 2008.

As Iowans, Brenda and I have seen firsthand the devastation of last year's floods, but there is still so much work to do," Warner said. "We believe that a safe home is so important to the long-term success of a family and we look forward to working alongside the Habitat AmeriCorps members to join the effort to rebuild in Cedar Rapids."

The 2009 Build-a-Thon celebrates 14 years of AmeriCorps members helping Habitat for Humanity affiliates and partner organizations build affordable houses and eliminate substandard housing. During the blitz build, AmeriCorps members from across the country will join Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity as they help 20 low-income families. Super Bowl XXXIV MVP Kurt Warner and wife Brenda, Iowa natives, will volunteer their efforts on behalf of their First Things First Foundation. Since the flood, Kurt helped raise more than $650,000 from NFL colleagues and fans toward this effort. Additionally, the City of Cedar Rapids has committed $1 million of funding to the project.

"This Build-a-Thon is a powerful way to highlight the need for affordable housing for victims of the Iowa flooding while also celebrating the many contributions AmeriCorps members make to Habitat and other organizations in thousands of communities throughout the country every day," said Jonathan Reckford, chief executive officer of Habitat for Humanity International. "We are so grateful to these hard-working AmeriCorps members for their commitment to eliminating poverty housing and applaud them for their service."

The need for affordable housing is especially great in the Cedar Rapids area, where nearly 4,000 homes were damaged by fast-rising water during last year's devastating floods. While 90 counties were declared federal disaster areas, Cedar Rapids was the most significantly affected region. Most of the affected homeowners did not have flood insurance. The first day of the Build-a-Thon, June 14, marks the first anniversary of the day water from the Cedar River crested, leaving nearly ten square miles of Cedar Rapids under water.

Click Here to Read the Press Release

Now Accepting Home Applications

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 02:00:00 +0000

CVHH is currently accepting applications from individuals and families in need of good, affordable housing. The Apply for a Home section contains all the details about how you may qualify for a Habitat home.

Habitat for Humanity plans Cedar Rapids Build-A-Thon

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Habitat for Humanity is ready to launch a Build-A-Thon in Cedar Rapids to construct 20 homes, with some intended for 2008 flood victims.

Habitat plans to have basements in place for all 20 homes by the end of April. On June 14, 400 to 500 AmeriCorps volunteers from around the nation will descend on Cedar Rapids for a week to help build the houses. Interior finish work is expected to be complete by summer's end, said Karen Hufnagel, president of the board of directors of the local Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity.

Hufngael said Habitat cannot discriminate and give all the new homes to flood victims.

"But I clearly believe that some of these houses will go to flood victims or we wouldn't be doing this," she said. "Our goal is to add to the affordable housing stock in the community and get people into homes who could not otherwise afford to do so."

There are two unique features to the Habitat proposal:

The Cedar Rapids City Council will steer $1 million in state disaster-relief funds to the effort. The $50,000-per-house contribution will pay for the lot and for construction of a two-car garage. The developments where the houses are to be built require garages.

Habitat, which often builds a house at a time on empty lots in older neighborhoods, will build these 20 houses in two new, growing housing developments on the edge of the city.

Agreements with developers have not been signed, but under the plan, 10 houses would go in the Wilderness Estates development off F Avenue NW and 10 would be built in the College Park Estates development west of Kirkwood Boulevard SW near 66th Avenue SW.

Each of the developers, Dwight Steenhoek at Wilderness Estates and Dennis Stevenson at College Park Estates, has 10 lots ready for the 1,072-square-foot homes. But both stressed this week that negotiations are still in the works. Steenhoek and Stevenson said the type and design of the Habitat houses would fit nicely into their developments.

Hufnagel agreed. She said Habitat has worked with local architect Joe Ahmann, co-owner of Ahmann Design Inc., Hiawatha, to design the 20 homes.

Stevenson said he had Ahmann's designs on his desk and that they have the same "curb appeal" as midrange homes in his new development.

"With Ahmann designs, it's not going to have a cookie-cutter look to them," Stevenson said.

Hufnagel said Habitat had expressed interest in building the 20 homes in flood-damaged neighborhoods, but it is still too early after the flood to plan for that.

Habitat homes go to people who can afford to pay a mortgage and who are willing to work on the house's construction in lieu of a down payment, Hufnagel said.

She estimated that the new Habitat homes will come with $85,000 mortgages after donated labor and materials and the $50,000-per-house grant are factored in. The mortgages are zero-interest, which helps make them affordable, she said.

By Rick Smith
Reprinted from The Gazette.
Visit GazetteOnline.com Today!

Council Hears Proposal for Flood Funds

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 05:11:00 +0000

It is difficult to keep straight just which flood-recovery money is coming from where.

On Thursday, though, the City Council focused on $10.1 million, which is coming to Cedar Rapids as part of the state's Community Disaster Grant Program. In total, the state is making $22 million available statewide for the program, so Cedar Rapids is getting nearly half of this batch of funds.

City Hall's Recovery and Reinvestment Coordinating Team, an advisory group to the City Council, has reviewed 19 requests for the funds and made recommendations to the council at a noon meeting on Thursday.

The coordinating team is recommending that $5.32 million of the funds go to business needs: $1.8 million for job retention; $3.75 million for small businesses excluded from other funding; and $772,906 for landlords with eight or more rental units. Other funding covers only landlords of seven or fewer units.

In addition, the coordinating team recommends that $1.5 million go to create a Neighborhood Development Corp. and $1 million go to Habitat for Humanity to support its plans to build 20 new homes.

A total of $1 million is recommended for the local Jumpstart housing effort to fill gaps for those with flood-damaged properties who fall between the cracks in other funding programs.
Another $37,500 is recommended for the Corridor Recovery's Website and $200,000 for basic repairs to flood-impacted parks.

The City Council, which will make a final decision on the grants at its meeting Wednesday, also is considering four requests from neighborhood groups totally $278,500.

By Rick Smith
Reprinted from The Gazette.
Visit GazetteOnline.com Today!

HOUSING INFO: Want to Own a Home?

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 02:35:00 +0000

Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity will host a special Build Project in Cedar Rapids beginning this summer. They plan to build 20 houses in each of the next three years. That's a total of 60 new houses to be built in our community for qualified flood survivors! Habitat for Humanity is now accepting applications for potential homeowners for these houses. If you are interested in learning more about Habitat for Humanity and applying for one of these homes, please attend the following meeting:

Habitat for Humanity Orientation Meeting
- Monday, March 23, 2009 at 6:30 p.m.
- Marriott Hotel, 1200 Collins Rd. N.E.

To register, please call the Habitat or ReStore office at (319) 366-4485 or (319)294-1500,
or e-mail cvhhinfo@cvhabitat.org. If you reach voicemail, please leave your name and a message requesting registration for the orientation session. You may also leave your address and Habitat will mail you an application which you may complete and bring with you to the meeting, if you so choose. Applications will also be distributed and collected at the meeting. You may also drop off your completed application or mail it to the Habitat/Restore office, 725 N. Center Point Rd., Hiawatha, Iowa 52233.

You may be eligible for a Habitat home if you meet these guidelines: need for a home, ability to pay based on income guidelines, willingness to put 300 - 400 hours of "sweat equity" into building a home and willingness to attend budget classes and monthly homeowner workshops.

Linn County residents' incomes must fall within the following guidelines:

Family Size	Minimum Income	Maximum Income
1	$14,200	$23,600
2	$16,200	$27,000
3	$18,250	$30,350
4	$20,250	$33,750
5	$21,850	$36,400
6	$23,500	$39,100
7	$25,100	$41,800
8	$26,750	$44,500

ReStore Donations Needed for March

noreply@blogger.com (Cedar Valley Habitat for Humanity) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:56:00 +0000

ReStore is seeking the following donations in the month of March:

- Bowling Balls
- Empty gallon plastic ice cream tubs
- Old craft books
- Old jewelry (watches, pendants, charms, chains, etc.)
- Beads
- Tiny treasures used for mosaic classes

To donate an item contact Julie at (319) 294-1500 or restore_manager@cvhabitat.org.