Now more than ever, Home is the center of our lives.

Mitzi Gellman

In no other time has our Home been asked to do more. From transforming into a home office, to a school classroom, to a quarantine facility, to a full-time restaurant, our Homes have taken on the jobs that we used to do past our front door.

We are sheltering in place for the good of our community, but we are a country of “doers”. When there is a disaster, we sign up, we volunteer, we hammer, we roll up our sleeves and donate blood, we console our far-flung neighbors, we pray together for healing and hope.

Never have we been asked to help by staying home. And while there may be another person or two to look after – I have an ever-needy golden retriever and an aloof cat – we are isolating in our homes to help ourselves and our brothers and sisters.

Staying at home is hard. It’s not me. I’ve found myself wearing my Presbyterian Disaster Assistance t-shirt as a reminder of a time when I was a “doer” on a post Hurricane Katrina mission trip to New Orleans.

Unlike with a hurricane, there are no walls or roofs to replace with this kind of a disaster. But there will be lives to be rebuilt. Together, we build homes. But more than that, we build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter. So whether you or your neighbors are sheltering in place, sheltering your family, or sheltering your dreams for the future, Habitat has your back.

And when it’s time, we’ll be back as the nation of “doers” and Habitat will need your help. Until then, thank you for all you are doing to keep our community safe. Heroes really are made home.

In peace and partnership,

Mitzi Gellman