FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          

Contact:

Kristin Vinagro

(540) 903-0577

kvinagro@richmondhabitat.org

http://www.richmondhabitat.org

NEWS RELEASE

Richmond Habitat ReStore donates Friday sales to help those affected by tornadoes in Oklahoma

Richmond, VA (May 22, 2013) — In the wake of the devastating tornados that hit Oklahoma on Monday afternoon and destroyed 2,400 homes and impacted over 10,000 people, the Richmond Habitat for Humanity ReStore is ready and willing to do something about it.  This Friday, May 24^th, the Richmond Habitat ReStore will donate all proceeds from sales that day directly to the Red Cross to help victims affected by the tornados.

“As the retail operation for a local nonprofit, we understand the importance of giving back to our community.  The devastation that was caused this week is tremendous and they need all the help they can get.  This is the least we can do,” said Stephen Wilson, Vice President of Retail Operations at the Richmond Habitat ReStore, “We invite the Richmond community to join us in giving back this Friday by shopping at our store or donating funds towards the cause.”

Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity has also agreed to match the amount raised by the ReStore to send to Red Cross.

“If we were in an area affected by such tragic events, we are sure other nonprofit organizations would reach out to help us,” said Nancy Melton, Vice President of Development and Marketing, “We just want to do what we can and let them know they are not alone during this devastating time.”

Several Habitat for Humanity ReStores throughout the country will also join in support of the victims in Oklahoma by donating their Friday proceeds.

The Richmond Habitat ReStore is located at 1901 Roane Street, Richmond, VA 23222 and will be open 9AM until 5:30PM on Friday, May 24^th.  They sell new and used building materials, appliances, furniture, and other home improvement items.

ATLANTA (April 29, 2013) – Habitat for Humanity received the 2013 Disability Inclusion Award during a special presentation at InterAction’s annual Forum today in Washington, D.C. InterAction is an alliance of more than 180 U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations that work in developing countries to overcome poverty and improve quality of life.

The Disability Inclusion Award recognizes InterAction member organizations that have worked toward greater inclusion in their general activities and operations. The award specifically recognizes Habitat’s programming to promote community living for individuals with intellectual disabilities in Romania, psychosocial support to individuals with mental disabilities in Kyrgyzstan and job skills development and soft loans for businesses in Indonesia.

Before the age of 16, Marquita lived in an unstable home, surviving bouts of homelessness, staying in hotels and shelters.  As a result, Marquita’s greatest fear was never being able to live in a safe neighborhood or better the situation for her children.

When Marquita applied to Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity in 2009, her rental apartment was poorly maintained.  The windows were inefficient, exposing the space to all exterior weather conditions.  Roaches, ants and even bed bugs lined their living space.  The children were unable to play outside for fear of violence or exposure to marijuana.  The final point of frustration came when a man was discovered dead in his vehicle.

At that point, Marquita knew that although that was all she could afford, there had to be a better opportunity for her and her family.

Fortunately, there are better days ahead for Marquita and her sons – much better days – because they’ve been approved as a Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity partner family.  I’m pleased to tell you that their dream of living in a decent, quality home will soon come true! 

In preparation of home ownership, Marquita has completed over 300 of the 350 hours of “sweat equity” by attending educational classes, working at the ReStore and working on-site at both The Pillars at Oakmont and the Hollis’ house in New Kent.  Her eldest son, Alexander, has been able to contribute to the sweat equity with his grades.  Alexander was attending Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School on scholarship from a local church, and now attends Benedictine through a combination of sponsorship and scholarship.  He enjoys chess, drawing, playing trumpet, hiking, camping, and a lot of other outdoor activities.  Dwayne attends Woodville Elementary and is in the honor society.  He is into discovering, reading, football, soccer, and board games.  In her free time, Marquita loves to cook for her boys and watch movies and play games with them.  She is proud of her boys. She boasts they are respectful, well-spoken and are on the road to becoming great men of God.

“I have been a single mother since the age of 17, and as I have gotten older, I have realized the importance of providing a loving and stable home for my children.” 

Help Marquita and her family build their home this Spring – donate today!

Or send a check to Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity, 

2281 Dabney Road, Suite A, Richmond, VA 23230

Your support of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity makes it possible for us to act on our conviction that every man, woman and child on earth should have a safe, decent and affordable place to call their own.  Your concern and compassion help us provide hope and homes to more families who are trying so hard to leave poverty housing behind them, like the Edmonds.

To generous future sponsors and volunteers of her home, Marquita says, “I could never express what this means for my family. Only by the grace of God have they been sent to start me on a path of blessings that God has for me. God blesses us so we can be a blessing to someone else. I just pray that I can one day bless someone the way they are blessing me. I can only say thank you from the bottom of my heart. In this tough economy for them to still be helping others is extraordinary. God bless them!”

Please join us in providing a hand up to the Edmonds family.  With your help, we can have them into a comfortable home of their own prior to the start of the next school year.

To hear the Southern California native explain it, the crew is one big family working together to help other local families build a home. At the end of the day, it’s hugs all around after a job well-done.

“We know we did good for a family in need,” said Lee, who picked up her carpentry skills while helping her fiancé remodel homes in California. “That’s why we all love doing it.”

Lee, who has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with a minor in paralegal studies, moved with her fiancé to Chesterfield in October 2011, and when she had little success finding a job, she decided to fill her time with service to others.

She grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which emphasizes community involvement and serving others. After exploring her options, Lee decided Richmond Habitat was the best place to put her abilities to use.

Her first volunteer effort with Habitat was on a house rehab in Henrico County, across the street from Richmond International Raceway. When members of the weekday crew (skilled construction volunteers who donate their help on a regular basis) saw Lee’s skill level, they encouraged her to join the team. And she’s now the only woman on the crew.

Now, she’s hoping to persuade other women to join them.

Within the past year, she has volunteered more than 350 hours — her goal was to complete just as many volunteer hours as the homeowners are required — with Richmond Habitat. This summer and fall, she was integrally involved with the nonprofit’s new-home build in Henrico’s Sandston area, where her duties included placing roof trusses and hanging drywall.

“I loved everything thrown at us” on that project, said Lee, who is a full-blooded Navajo Indian. “It’s been all great. I’ve absorbed everything.”

When she is on a job site, she puts her attention on more than just the work that needs to be done on the home. She also takes an interest in the homeowner, said Kristin Vinagro, communications manager for Richmond Habitat.

“She is such a kind and caring person,” Vinagro said of Lee. “I think one of the biggest things about her is that she really understands the mission of Habitat. She really cares about each homeowner that’s helping to build homes.”

Building a house from the ground up is about more than bricks and mortar, Lee said.

“To me, a home is very important. It’s not just a house. It’s a home,” she said, noting that a home offers protection and is a place where family bonds grow stronger.

To read the article on the Richmond Times Dispatch website, click here.

Richmond, VA, December 20, 2012 – Seven Richmond properties owned by the nation’s largest bank have found an unusual path out of foreclosure.

As part of its Habitat for Heroes initiative, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity is using foreclosed homes donated by Bank of America to help local veterans become homeowners.

The local nonprofit this week selected Richmond veteran Shawn Modeste and his family as the first recipients of one of the properties.

Over the next three years, the bank will donate up to 2,000 distressed properties to 158 Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country.

The Richmond branch of Habitat for Humanity could eventually receive up to a dozen homes from Bank of America, said Nancy Melton, the group’s vice president for marketing and development.

“The properties are all in decent shape,” Melton said. “They’re going to require a range of rehabilitation, but potentially we want to get families into the homes by next September or October.”

Veterans accepted for the program aren’t responsible for down payments, and their mortgages will carry no interest. They will have to complete homeowners counseling and do 200 hours of volunteer work for Habitat for Humanity.

Melton said the properties are in middle-class neighborhoods across the metropolitan area, from Chesterfield to Henrico.

“By rehabbing these and placing families in them, we’re turning them into something that could benefit the community,” Melton said.

Modeste, a former Marine, will be able to move into a home in the Walton Park neighborhood of Midlothian by next fall. He said currently lives in a three-bedroom home with his mother and three children.

“Getting picked for this program was like winning the lottery for me,” said Modeste, 46. “There’s no way I could see myself buying a home without it.”

The seven properties the Richmond branch has acquired:

• 5411 Edgefield Street, Richmond
• 6638 Hopkins Road, North Chesterfield
• 13142 Winamack Road, Midlothian
• 1417 Ransco Road, Chesterfield
• 12331 Sir James Court, Short Pump
• 8800 Emory Oak Lane, Chesterfield
• 1125 Elmshadow Drive, Henrico

Richmond, VA (Dec. 11, 2012) — Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity is one of 158 Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country selected to receive a large quantity of property donations from Bank of America over the next three years.

These donated properties will be rehabilitated as a part of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity’s new Habitat for Heroes program.  Local heroes who are currently serving, were honorably discharged or are family members of the fallen, and who meet Richmond Habitat’s income and need for housing guidelines will purchase these homes.

Once completed, the qualified veterans and their families will move into their homes and will pay an affordable, 0% interest mortgage, will receive discounted pricing on their home and will not be required to pay a down payment.

“Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity is honored by the opportunity to serve those who have served and protected us during their time in the military.  By providing safe, affordable homeownership opportunities to local veterans, we are able to do our small part in honoring the impact these courageous men and women have made on our lives,” said Jane Helfrich, CEO of Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity.

“We are so grateful for Bank of America’s commitment to providing safe, affordable housing in our community.  Because of their generous support, we are able to make even more of an impact on our community,” said Helfrich.

So far, Richmond Metropolitan Habitat for Humanity has accepted seven local properties from Bank of America.  Richmond Habitat anticipates acquiring several more homes for rehabilitation over the next three years.  The homes are located in middle class neighborhoods with good school districts, ranging from a townhouse in Short Pump to a colonial style home in Midlothian.

Richmond Habitat is currently in the process of identifying and recruiting local veterans who qualify as Habitat partner families.

“Habitat and Bank of America share a mission of providing families in need of affordable shelter with the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of homeownership,” said D. Steve Boland, national mortgage outreach executive for Bank of America. “This initiative makes affordable homes available in partnership with the families at the same time that it combats neighborhood blight that may occur around vacant properties and helps to stabilize and revitalize communities.”

“Through our foundation, Bank of America has been a financial supporter of Habitat’s mission for 25 years, and this effort builds on that legacy and takes our partnership to another level,” Boland added.

In addition to the property donation program through Bank of America Home Loans, this year the Bank of America Charitable Foundation made grants totaling $22 million to nonprofits that support housing needs nationwide, including $3 million to Habitat for Humanity International and its affiliates. Since 2002, the foundation has contributed more than $22 million to Habitat’s work around the world, and bank employees annually contribute more than 30,000 volunteer hours to help rehabilitate and build homes.

Under the new strategic alliance, Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the country will turn up to 2,000 Bank of America donations of low-value and of-value distressed properties – vacant single-family residences or lots – into affordable housing.

Click here to see the article posted in the Richmond Times Dispatch!

Nothing adds life to a boring piece of wood furniture like a little bit of bright green paint (Habitat green, I might add!).  Here’s a short how to for you on how I made this little table pop!

STEP 1:  Pick your piece of furniture and give it a good polish to make sure no dirt or dust is present.

STEP 2:  If there is varnish on your piece of furniture, rough up the finish a bit with some sand paper.  Wipe off excess dust.  Lucky for me this table was unfinished so I got to skip this step!

STEP 3:  Pick a bright, fun color of paint, grab a paintbrush and start painting!

TIP:  It’s easiest to start painting from the bottom up and paint in stages.  For our table – we flipped it over and painted the legs and bottom first, let it dry and then flipped it to paint the top.

STEP 4:  Reapply several coats to ensure full coverage.

STEP 5:  To keep your furniture looking good – apply a coat or two of varnish to seal in the paint.

STEP 6:  Enjoy your awesomely, awesome new table!

We can’t wait to display it in the store – it will look perfect with a neutral couch and some fun decorative items displayed on top!  We definitely don’t recommend you go crazy and paint every piece of wood furniture in your house – but a few pops of color can really make your room fun!

And it’s so easy!