History of Alcona County Habitat For Humanity, Inc.
Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit, Christian housing
ministry, founded in 1976 by Millard & Linda
Fuller. Their philosophy was that every person on the planet
should have a simple, decent place to live.
Alcona County Habitat for Humanity officially started in 1992,
when we organized in conjunction with the
Alpena Area Habitat for Humanity.
We had a working relationship where money raised in Alcona
County was used in Alcona County.
The first Habitat (Alcona County Habitat for Humanity) house
built in Alcona County was in Lincoln in
1993. During construction, fifty-three people from Alcona and
Alpena Counties contributed 1550 hours of
volunteer labor.
In 1996, Alcona County Habitat for Humanity became a separate
affiliate, moved our first house from
Wurtsmith Air Force Base and renovated it with the help of the
partner family.
In 1997 four more Wurtsmith homes were moved and renovated.
We quickly learned that multiple homes in one year taxed our
financial and volunteer labor resources.
The Board voted to only build or renovate one house per year
even though there was a much greater need in Alcona County.
After renovating a total of seven Wurtsmith homes, we found it
would be more cost
effective to return to constructing 'stick-built' homes.
Since then we have built ten additional homes for low income
families. We currently hold twelve
mortgages, with the remaining six homes paid off.
Often our homes are located in areas where the public does not
notice, and therefore do not recognize our
ongoing work in Alcona County.
Depending on the family size, we build two, three , or four
bedrooms homes.
Habitat provides the family with simple, affordable house floor
plans from which the family can choose
the house they like best.
These houses are not a "hand out, but a hand up."
Each partner family adult is required to work 200 hours of Sweat
Equity on their own home and on Habitat
functions.
After fulfilling that part of the acceptance agreement they may
purchase the house with a no interest (no
interest was underlined) mortgage.
Alcona County Habitat for Humanity is governed by a Board of
Directors that usually numbers between
fifteen and twenty.
We are very proud to mention that none of the members in Alcona
County Habitat for Humanity are paid, we are all volunteers.
Habitat Board committees include: Family Selection, Fund
Raising, Construction, Financial, Church
Relations, and Payment Review.
We raise our money through various means.
Approximately 48% of our funds were from cash contributions and
Gift-In-Kind donations from individuals, churches, businesses
and organizations such as yours.
Another 29% of our funds were from grants with the remaining
coming from out yard sale, silent auctions,
quilt and chain saw raffles, and other fund raising efforts.
Most of our mortgages are for a term of 20 to 30 years.
In 2008, mortgage payments represented about a third of our
income.
Each year we work very hard to come up with sufficient funds to
build a home for a new family.
We took in approx. $47,000.00 last year. In 2009, it is
estimated about $60,000.00 will be needed to
build our next house.
We also assist the homeowner in locating grants which will help
them to repay a portion of their
mortgage.
The Family Selection Committee chooses the family for the next
available house and recommends this family to the Executive
Board for approval.
The family is selected by housing need, willingness to partner
with Habitat, and their ability to repay a
mortgage loan.
They must be an Alcona County resident for one year or longer.
The Family Selection Committee requests background and credit
checks on the perspective families.
Their income must be within Michigan Habitat guidelines of 25 to
50% of medium income in Alcona County for their sized family.
For example, in 2008, yearly minimum income to qualify a family
of four was 15,350.00 to a maximum of
$25,600.00.
We always need help with construction, but we realize not
everyone is able to do that type of work.
We currently are in need of members for our Board of Directors,
Committee members, a construction
coordinator and someone with some experience or desire to write
requests for grants.
Assistance with decision making on the Board and Committees,
supervising construction and finding new
funds through contributions and grants, can sometimes be just a
helpful as pounding nails.
Thank you for your interest in our Alcona County Habitat for
Humanity organization!
Would you be able to help us?
Do you have any questions?
Please contact any of our
board members.
