Benefactors of Indian River Habitat for Humanity were thanked for helping families in need build better futures for themselves during the annual Donor Appreciation Night at Northern Trust Bank last Tuesday evening.

While feasting on hors d’oeuvres catered by Adrienne Drew and listening to music by Jerzi and Josiah, donors chatted and hammered home their belief in Habitat’s goal of building homes, communities and hope, by helping families build stability and self-sufficiency as homeowners.

Sheryl Vittitoe, IR Habitat president/CEO, related an illustration of Habitat’s axiom, “If you tell a man a fact, he’ll learn something. If you tell him the truth, perhaps he’ll be a believer. But if you tell a man a story, it may actually live with him forever.”

Vittitoe shared the story of Habitat homeowner Fabienne Noel, who has been able to build upon Habitat’s helping hand to lift herself and her children from the clutches of generational poverty into a place of self-reliance.

Noel said that for her, things were set in motion when her daughter asked where she was going to go to school the next year. Confused, Noel asked her daughter why she thought she would have to change schools. Her daughter’s reply, “Every year we go to a different school because we have to move.”

“That touched me,” said Noel. “That’s what encouraged me to apply again; that was my third time applying. It’s not just a house; it’s our home, it’s stability, it gave me confidence. Thank you to everyone who donates. I’m still overjoyed and thankful.”

The mother of four moved into her Habitat home in May 2015 with children ranging in age from 16 months to 19 years old. Noel and her 19-year-old daughter are also both Habitat Scholars; Noel is attending Indian River State College and her daughter is attending the University of Central Florida. Noel’s son is enlisting in the Air Force.

“Your support has been very tangible and very real for her [Noel] and her family,” said Vittitoe. “What I loved best about tonight is that we’ve triangulated this thing. It’s a partnership that we partner with you as a family, and we partner with you as donors. We at habitat have the honor and the privilege to actually connect families and donors who actually want to give back to those in need in Indian River County of affordable housing.”

Habitat helps qualified buyers purchase new homes, assists with neighborhood beautification and revitalization projects, and aids in the repair of damaged homes for individuals in need who want to age in their own homes but cannot afford to make the repairs themselves. Habitat is currently slated to build 18 homes this year and hopes to increase the number to 20 per year in the future.

“This year we will be intentional in why we do, what we do, when we do it, how we do it and who we do it for,” said Vittitoe, noting it is the same way Habitat families are intentional in achieving their dreams of becoming homeowners.

For more information, visit irchabitat.org.