When Punker, LLC's Hickory-based employees decided to participate in a team building opportunity, they looked no further than Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley. Not the traditional team building experience with ropes and personality tests, the team of employees spent the day working together and learning more about one another on a Habitat Catawba Valley worksite to help a family in need.
Eighteen families in Catawba County benefitted from a partnership between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley in 2016. Thrivent Financial provided grants totaling $45,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley to help fund repairs on 18 area homes while Habitat provided supervision and volunteers through its Habitat Repairs! Program.
“We are very grateful for our relationship with Thrivent Financial and their support of Habitat Repairs!,” said Mitzi Gellman, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley. “Thrivent was the first organization to understand and support Habitat Repairs! and they allowed us to launch this initiative.”
The Catawba Valley will be invaded by Villanova Nation October 8-15 as 16 students take part in Villanova’s Fall Break Service and Justice Experience Program. A reception for the group will be held October 13 at 5:30 at the Habitat ReStore. The public is invited to attend.
Habitat for Humanity of Catawba Valley is one of 16 organizations, domestic and worldwide that Villanova volunteer will be serving this fall. In all, 250 students will be participating in service trips this fall.
Here are some thank you letters and other words from our families:
This was a request for repairs:
"I need windows and my ceiling is leaking. I am on a walker and my porch needs fixed it goes back and forth. I am so sorry that I need all that fixed. I always wanted a house but I couldn't get one so I had to get this. Thank you and my bathtub is also leaking."
This a thank you:
"I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for the repairs that were done to my home. I am very grateful to you all for taking the time to extend your hard work and talents to beautify my home. You made this possible. I pray God blesses Habitat and every volunteer that worked on my home. I pray Habitat continues to bless other families as you have mine and many others."
While you might think that the majority of Americans feel stable and secure in their current situation, housing insecurity touches nearly half of adults at some point in their lives. Frequent moves, overcrowding and the threat of eviction or foreclosure creates stress, depression and hopelessness for far too many families.
Sometimes a helping hand is all they need to build a better life
