Indian River Habitat for Humanity threw a two-day house party to celebrate 25 years of assisting families to attain safe, affordable homeownership.
“Our anniversary slogan, ‘Much to Celebrate – More to Come,’ embodies the pride we have in our accomplishments over the last 25 years and the desire Indian River Habitat for Humanity has to continue serving Indian River County in the future, through not only building and rehabbing homes but in assisting our homeowners in constructing the framework in building better lives,” said Connie Poppell, board chair.
Last Monday evening, Habitat celebrated the tremendous efforts of the many volunteers who make the nonprofit’s work possible. Then, on Tuesday night, more than 100 donors perused the recently renovated and expanded ReStore, with quite a few unable to resist purchasing some of the incredible items available.
“Twenty-five! Yes, it’s only a number, but when you attach the word anniversary to it, it becomes more, a lot more. The 25th anniversary of anything makes you pause and reflect, not only on the past 25 years but what the next 25 will bring,” said Andy Bowler, Indian River Habitat president and CEO.
Highlighting their accomplishments, Bowler said, “We started by building one house a year with all volunteer labor and a very small budget. Today our ministry employs 40 staff members who supervise nearly 1,500 volunteers. And, we process millions of dollars of donations, grants and revenue generated by our ReStore in order to serve nearly 90 families a year.”
Over the past 25 years, the nonprofit has helped 671 families locally and has pledged to assist 500 local families over the course of the next five years. With changes in the housing market, the group plans to focus more of its attention in the area of neighborhood revitalization.
To help celebrate the auspicious occasion, Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford was on hand and shared his pride in the local affiliate’s accomplishments.
“If we can keep people in their homes, that is actually a significant cost savings to society,” said Reckford. “We want to be a partner and a catalyst for worldwide access to safe, decent and affordable housing.”
The cost for a two-bedroom rental apartment in Indian River County is roughly $850 per month, meaning that someone earning minimum wage would need to work a minimum of 80 hours a week to be able to afford decent housing.
Bowler challenged guests to help end the social injustice of unsafe housing, asking, “Have you got what it takes? Anybody and everybody in this community can support Habitat for Humanity by donating, shopping and volunteering in the ReStore or volunteering on the worksite.”
