Tag Archives: HFHI

Letter from Shelby Cochran, 2011-12 ReStore VISTA

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As today is my last day here at Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity, I wanted to take a little time to reflect on the experience I have had this year as an AmeriCorps VISTA and thank the Habitat family for welcoming me into their community.

One of the events coordinated by Shelby this year was Habitat ReStore’s Appreciation Picnic in July.

For those of you unfamiliar with the AmeriCorps VISTA program, VISTA stands for Volunteer in Service to America.  I was among of thousands of individuals in the United States that pledged to spend a year in the national service program helping to fight poverty.  The program was founded in 1965 and each member’s goal is to increase the capacity of the nonprofit organization they work with.   VISTA members work full-time for their host organization and their benefits include a living allowance, loan forbearance and an end-of-the-year award.   This year, I was one of 12 VISTAs serving at Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Minnesota.

My goal for the year was to build the capacity of Habitat ReStore, which in turn would build the capacity of Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity to build more homes and help more local families.  While at Habitat, I was involved in public relations/marketing, volunteer coordination, strategic planning and event coordination for Habitat ReStore.  For each of these tasks, I could not have accomplished what I did without the help of dedicated volunteers, committee members, and the staff at Habitat.

Shelby had a great time participating with Xcel Energy in the Holiday Lights Parade.

While my AmeriCorps VISTA position with Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity is ending today, I hope to stay connected with the Habitat community.  I plan to continue living and working in the Fargo-Moorhead area and would like to become involved with Habitat as a volunteer in the future.   I strongly believe in the mission of Habitat for Humanity and have thoroughly enjoyed watching our partner families achieve their dreams of homeownership.

To all of you who have worked with me, inspired me and put your trust in me, thank you.  I will certainly miss working with you and encourage you to stay in touch!

 Shelby Cochran

 

Habitat ReStore Celebrates 6th Anniversary—And You’re Invited!

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Over the past 6 years, everyone at Habitat ReStore has been working hard to make a difference for people in our local communities and fulfill our mission:

  • To generate funds to support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity in building simple, decent, and affordable homes in partnership with families in Cass and Clay counties
  • To keep usable building materials, home improvement products and appliances out of local landfills
  • To sell new and gently used home improvement materials and applicances at affordable prices

And over the past 6 years, with the help of generous donors, shoppers, and volunteers, we’ve done just that. This past year, we’ve raised $ 335,327 for Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity and diverted 1,057,687 pounds of usable materials from local landfills! These great accomplishments have positively impacted our community, our partner families, and our environment, and they wouldn’t have been possible without you. That’s why we’re inviting you to celebrate with us!

Handy the Habitat Bear appreciates your support of Habitat ReStore!

Stop by the ReStore from Monday, July 16th through Sunday, July 22nd for our 6th Anniversary Sale. You’ll find special deals on new and gently used home improvement materials, appliances, and furniture during our biggest sale of the year! Then join us for food and fun at our ReStore Appreciation Picnic on July 20 from 11a-1p. It’s just a small way for us to show you our appreciation—and to kick off many more years of success!

Habitat ReStore is located at 210 11th St. N. in Moorhead and is open Monday – Saturday 10-6, Sundays 12-4.  All proceeds from Habitat ReStore support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity’s programs and local building projects.  Material donations are welcome! For more information, call 218-284-5253 x1 or visit our website.

Learn New Skills While Volunteering with Habitat!

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Are you interested in getting involved with Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity, but haven’t found the right volunteer opportunity?  Have you thought about working on the Habitat build site, but have never worked with tools before? We’ve got a great project for you!

Next Tuesday, July 17th, from 9am -12pm, Habitat ReStore is hosting a Picnic Build Day as a part of Habitat ReStore’s 6th Anniversary Celebration.

Our Build Site crew leaders will work alongside of volunteers to build simple, quality picnic tables to be used for the ReStore Appreciation Picnic at the end of the week.  After the event, the tables will be sold at ReStore to benefit Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity. The activity will take place outside of Habitat ReStore, 210 11th St. N. in Moorhead.

 

Volunteers will get to learn the basics of construction with our experienced crew leaders as well as help us to get ready for our Anniversary Celebration.  It’s a great activity to take part in no matter your level of experience or involvement with Habitat!

 

If you’re interested in volunteering for this learning activity, please sign up at VolunteerUp or contact Shelby Cochran, Shelby@lakeagassizhabitat.org, 218-284-5253 x2.

Interested in build site opportunities? There are still openings for volunteer build days this summer.  Visit our VolunteerUp Project Calendar to sign up!

 

ReStore PR/Marketing Committee Spotlight

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Sometimes time and expertise are the most valuable donations one can make to a non-profit organization like Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity. The LAHFH ReStore PR/Marketing committee is just one way to do just that. It’s a diverse, volunteer-driven group composed of area professionals with backgrounds in public relations and marketing.

You make a living by what you get.

You make a life by what you give.

-Winston Churchill

Committee members meet monthly to brainstorm, create and manage innovative campaigns that support Habitat ReStore’s goals to sell gently-used home improvement materials to the general public, divert materials from landfills, and raise funds to support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity.

The ReStore PR/Marketing committee is composed of professionals who work in marketing, writing, and public relations roles. The committee is currently seeking new members to join, especially those who work in the graphic arts field.

If you’re interested in connecting with other area professionals and donating your time to a nationally recognized non-profit organization, please email Shelby Cochran at shelby@lakeagassizhabitat.org.

 

Prepare for Cleanup Week: Donate to Habitat ReStore!

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Fargo-Moorhead’s Cleanup Week is May 7-11. Every year, residents of Dilworth, Moorhead, Fargo, and West Fargo have this week to dispose of tires, appliances, and other large items at no charge on their regular garbage collection day.

This Cleanup Week, there’s a great opportunity to get rid of unwanted items in an environmentally sustainable way that also supports the local community.  Before you put anything out on the curb, consider donating it to Habitat ReStore and receiving a tax deduction!

Habitat ReStore is a home improvement thrift store that accepts donations of building materials, appliances (in any condition), and furniture.  By giving these materials another life, Habitat ReStore is able to divert almost 500 tons of materials from area landfills annually!  All proceeds from Habitat ReStore support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity as they build simple, decent, and affordable homes in partnership with families in Cass and Clay counties.

Cleanup Week Rules

Each city has their own specifications, which can be found on the Cleanup Week website.

1.Separate items of the same type into distinct piles (tires, appliances, furniture, brush, household garbage, etc.). Separate trucks collect the items.

2.Place garbage in disposable containers, except for oversized items.

3.Items will be collected on your normal garbage pickup day. Do not set items out more than one day early.

4.Crews will not return to pick up garbage set out too late.

5. Remove refrigerator and freezer doors. Do not place food or any other waste inside appliances.

 6. Items must be from residences; no commercial waste will be accepted. Keep household garbage at least four feet away from other Cleanup Week items.

If you have items that are still usable or are not accepted by the city, consider supporting your community and the environment by donating tax-deductible materials to Habitat ReStore!

How do I donate to Habitat ReStore?

Drop Off: Bring your donation to Habitat ReStore, 210 11th Street North, Moorhead during store hours, which are 10-6 Mon – Fri and 10-4 Saturday.

Pick Up: Call (218) 359-0812 to schedule a FREE donation pick-up.

For a list of accepted donations, please visit our webpage.

Habitat Names Rob Rich Executive Director

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Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity named Rob Rich the organization’s new Executive Director.  Rich has served as the organization’s Construction Manager since 2008.

“Rob is committed to Habitat’s mission of building homes, hope and community,” said Leann Wolff, President of Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity’s Board of Directors.  “Rob brings years of experience in construction and working closely with volunteers.  He is an asset to the organization and will lead Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity to build more homes and serve more families in our community.”

“Habitat is a remarkable organization and I have enjoyed the opportunity to work directly with our Partner Families and countless volunteers from the community who make Habitat for Humanity possible,” said Rob Rich, Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity Executive Director.  “I look forward to building on the success of this organization and addressing the need for affordable housing in our community.”

The organization also announced their plans to build 2 homes in Fargo during their 2012 build season.  The first is a single family home sponsored by the Home Builders Care Foundation of Fargo Moorhead.  This is the first time the organization will serve as the primary sponsor of a Habitat for Humanity home.  The second is a single family home sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.  This will mark the 12th home built by Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity as part of the Thrivent Builds program.

8 New Ways to Go Green this Earth Week!

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It’s Earth Week and that means you can expect to see lots of green.  But before your unplug your Prius and head to the grocery store with your reusable bags, Habitat ReStore has a list of 8 ways to go green that you probably haven’t heard about.

1. Drive Less

Trading in your car for a bicycle probably isn’t going to happen anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean you can’t reduce your vehicle’s energy use.  Think twice about driving to the grocery store a second time this week.  Plan your errand routes so that you’re driving the least distance possible.  Carpool with a friend to work or the gym.

2. Become a member of a CSA

The distance your food travels from the field to the produce section in your local grocery store is probably greater than you think.  Community supported agriculture (CSA) helps reduce transport energy by connecting local farmers with individual consumers.  Become a member of a reputable CSA farm and start receiving local fresh goods while saving energy.

3. Buy digital media instead of printed media.  (Books, movies, songs, etc.)

Almost every traditional printed media has gone digital.  By eliminating manufacturing and shipping costs of printed media – DVDs, CDs, and books – you’ll be saving lots of energy.  If you’ve needed a reason to go completely digital, this is it.

4. Buy used instead of new.

Next time you need new clothes, household items, or home improvement materials, think twice about shopping a retail store.  Local thrift stores like Habitat ReStore have many of the same gently used items at dramatically reduced prices.  As an added bonus, most thrift stores use their revenue to help fund nonprofit organizations, so you can feel good knowing that your money is going towards a good cause.

5. Use a reusable container for morning coffee.

Your morning cup of Joe comes in a disposable cup that always ends up in the trash.  Have your favorite barista fill you up using a reusable container.  Some coffee shops even give discounts for reusable cups.

6. Switch to LED light bulbs.

Not all light bulbs are created equal. New LED light bulbs can last literally a lifetime and use less energy than fluorescent and incandescent bulbs.  LED bulbs have life ranges of 18-46 years and produce clear and bright light.

7. Wash in cold water instead of hot.

Cold water uses less energy than hot water.  Wash your clothes in cold water with a concentrated cold-water formulated detergent.  Energy savings will start to add up quickly.

8. Stop receiving unsolicited junk mail.

Most of the annoying credit card offers go from mailbox straight to the trash, right? Contact companies that frequently send you junk mail and ask them to stop.  You’ll be saving paper resources and the energy the postal service uses to get it to you.

Habitat ReStore is a home improvement thrift store that sells gently new and use home improvement materials, furniture, and appliances to the general public. All proceeds from the store support Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity in building homes and hope in partnership with families in Cass and Clay Counties.  To make a tax-deductible donation of materials to Habitat ReStore, bring your donation to 210 11th St. North, Moorhead during store hours or call 218-284-5253 x3 to schedule a donation pick-up. The ReStore is open Monday-Friday from 10-6 and Saturdays 10-4. 

Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity joins $9.2 million national home-building effort in 2012

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Thrivent BuildsLake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity learned recently that it has been awarded $70,400 to build a home in Fargo in 2012.

This grant, providing 55 percent of the cost of construction, comes from Minneapolis-based Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ unique partnership with Habitat for Humanity International: Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity.

Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity is celebrating their award in conjunction with an international announcement made Dec. 5, 2011, in Minneapolis, Minn., when the partnership’s $160 million mark was surpassed with a $9.2 million commitment for 2012, the seventh year of a strong alliance between the two organizations. 

Habitat for Humanity’s relationship with Thrivent Financial brings the financial, volunteer and advocacy resources of Thrivent Financial together with the affordable housing construction leadership of hundreds of local Habitat for Humanity affiliates. To date, more than 480,000 volunteers have donated more than three million hours to construct 1,600 homes in the U.S.

The 2012 commitment will fund the construction and rehabilitation of 142 Habitat for Humanity homes in 32 U.S. states, including the home built by Lake Agassiz Habitat in Fargo, ND.

“The Thrivent Builds alliance is helping Lake Agassiz Habitat increase the number of families served in our community,” said Leann Wolff, President of the Board for Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity. “We are so grateful for Thrivent’s support of our efforts to provide decent, affordable homes in partnership with families in need.”

Observing World Habitat Day: Monday, October 3rd

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World Habitat Day is Oct 3rdMany people in the Fargo-Moorhead area know that Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity works to eliminate substandard housing within our community.  In fact, by the end of the current build season, we’ll have built 45 homes in the area.  But did you know that we also contribute on a much larger scale?

Each year, our local affiliate tithes to Habitat for Humanity International.  And thanks to those efforts, we’ve helped build roughly 28 homes in other parts of the world.  So as World Habitat Day approaches on October 3rd, we’d like to take the time to remember and honor the mission of our international organization.

Today, 1.6 billion people live in inadequate shelter around the world.  Habitat for Humanity has a tried and tested partnership approach that makes families in need of shelter a key part of their own housing solution.  We work hard with volunteers and donors who invest time and money into the partnership- so that families in need of housing can help build, then buy, their own home on terms they can afford.

500,000th house

Habitat for Humanity’s 500,000th house built, rehabilitated or repaired worldwide will be dedicated in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, on World Habitat Day, Oct. 3rd.

World Habitat Day is designated each year by the United Nations as a time to reflect on the dire need for adequate shelter around the globe.  This year’s date is extra special, as Habitat for Humanity will be dedicating its 500,000th house in Maai Mahiu, Kenya, and raising the walls on its 500,001st house in Paterson, New Jersey.  A significant milestone in the work Habitat for Humanity has done to alleviate poverty housing in this community and around the world.

The theme of World Habitat Day 2011 is “Housing cities after a disaster,” a serious and growing problem around the world.  From Haiti and Japan to New Orleans and Memphis, urban areas face different and great challenges when responding to disasters.  These dangers and challenges require effective and creative policies from governments and humanitarian groups around the world.

Construction Volunteers 2011

Volunteer hard at work on one of the 5 homes Habitat for Humanity is building in Cass and Clay counties in 2011.

Since our local Habitat affiliate doesn’t have a build day scheduled for the 3rd, we’ll be observing World Habitat Day on Wednesday, October 5th, at the Thrivent Build site in Fargo.  As our volunteers work on trim and cabinet installations, we’ll be reflecting on the mission and goals of Habitat for Humanity International.

We invite you to join us for this humbling, yet very rewarding experience.  There is still time this season to join us on a build site.  Visit our website for a complete list of available volunteer dates.  For more information on Habitat for Humanity’s work around the globe, visit www.habitat.org.

With your help, we can change the reality for future generations in our community and around the globe.

Celebrating 20 Years of Building Homes, Hope and Futures

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A home is an amazing thing. It’s a shelter, a refuge, a sanctuary. To the families that Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity has helped over the past 20 years, it’s also a dream come true.

It’s hard to believe that 20 years ago we started building simple, decent and affordable homes in partnership with families in Cass and Clay counties. So here’s a little bit about us, where we came from and where we’re heading. 

Raising the Roof

Volunteers work together to raise the roof on a LAHFH Build

Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity began in 1991 when Concordia College Pastor Phil Holtan heard former President Jimmy Carter speak about Habitat for Humanity. Inspired by his words, Holtan began a Habitat chapter on Concordia’s campus. Interest in Habitat quickly grew and Holtan decided a local affiliate was needed. On June 1, 1991, Habitat for Humanity International officially accepted Lake Agassiz Habitat for Humanity as the 609th affiliate in the U.S.

In October 1991, Habitat’s Board of Directors selected the affiliate’s first partner family. Three months later, construction was completed and the first Habitat home in Cass and Clay Counties was dedicated with more than 75 people in attendance.

This past summer, Lake Agassiz Habitat celebrated 20 years of building in Cass and Clay counties. Since its 1991 beginnings, Lake Agassiz Habitat has served 40 families in five communities around the area. 2011’s Barnesville Build will mark the sixth community Habitat has served.

Habitat 20th anniversary ribbon cutting

Habitat Board Members, staff, and volunteers are joined by Chamber Ambassadors and local mayors at the 20th Anniversary ribbon cutting.

For the 2011 build season, the organization received a record 150 requests for applications. Of the 41 applications Habitat received, five families were chosen to receive new homes. We’ll begin work on the last of our 2011 builds on September 10 with the wall raising for the duplex.

So what have we learned these past 20 years? Well, a lot. But one lesson sticks out. What we do transforms lives. We’re building safe, affordable, well constructed homes. Those things are life-changing to these families.

Want to learn more about Lake Agassiz Habitat and how you can get involved? Visit www.lakeagassizhabitat.org.