Calendar
Family Selection Closes
Friday, August 29
Call Joan at 237-4102
Saturday, August 29 at 10:00 AM
Her Family Dedication
317 Grove Avenue
Crossroads Subdivision
Thursday, October 9 starting at 5:30 PM
A Brilliant Evening
Hosted by Warner Co. Jewelers
7010 N. Palm Avenue
Call (559) 320-1120 for more details
Saturday, November 22 starting at 10 AM
Final 3 dedications
Crossroads Subdivision
Stay turned for more details
Thursday, December 4 starting at 5 PM
Holiday Open House
Habitat Office
2219 San Joaquin Avenue
For more information, please contact
the Habitat office by phone at 237-4102,
or by e-mail at joan@habitatfresno.org |
|
A special thank you to Floodgate Productions, in particular Jason Rowe for designing Habitat’s very fancy ReStore website.
We encourage you to visit our new ReStore website at www.ReStorefresno.org. Take sometime and see what all the excitement is all about and why you are at it, register for our monthly e-newsletter too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Planning for Tomorrow
By: Tom Key, President of the Board of Directors
The Crossroads subdivision is nearly completed. Habitat for Humanity Fresno County and our benevolent volunteers, financial supporters and affordable homebuilding partners have completed seventy-five homes at the subdivision with only 5 left for Habitat to build.
Our new twenty-week build schedule has helped us to place over four hundred people into decent, affordable homes. The benefits of providing people with affordable housing include:
- A positive impact on Fresno County’s desire to meet the need for affordable housing units.
- Four hundred more people have a strong investment in their home, neighborhood and community; four hundred more people with pride and dignity have hope for a brighter future for them and their families.
- A permanent testimony that affordable housing can be attractive and a benefit, not detraction, from a great City. It is the opportunity for thousands of community members from the city, county, state, country, and world to give of themselves, to learn new skills, while becoming more more connected with their community. It also helps develop an ethos where we are all vigilant in supporting our neighbors.
With the Crossroads era coming to a close, the Habitat for Humanity Fresno County Board of Directors, staff and community stakeholders have been investigating exciting options for future development with funding received from the Cowell Foundation.
- The first phase was to meet with six stakeholder groups to gather insight and information about what is working, where the opportunities for growth are, and what the future could look like.
- The second phase was to perform an organizational scan to help us determine what is working well, internally, and what needs to be supported and strengthened.
We are looking at Habitat for Humanity International’s Strategic Planning materials, staffing, and financing options so that our affiliate is as informed as we can be to make the best decisions about our future.
This is an exciting time for Habitat for Humanity Fresno County and everyone involved in our operations feels the future of our affiliate is going to be vibrant, powerful, and an important player in our City and County. In our discussions, we have talked about infill projects, which allow us to improve entire neighborhoods and to set an example of what hard work can bring to the community. Other suggestions include multi-story buildings, building in rural communities in the County, and “green building” projects.
Our long range goals include exploring the possibility of beginning a new large subdivision like Crossroads as well as smaller subdivisions. For the immediate future, we plan to build clusters of five to ten houses in and around existing neighborhoods in the Fresno/Clovis area. We are also investigating the possibility of building on individual and multiple lots in existing neighborhoods.
The future of Habitat for Humanity Fresno County is looking bright. We anticipate the time when we can build 50 houses a year to help fulfill the need for affordable housing. We have been blessed by generous sponsors, enthusiastic volunteers, a dedicated staff and Board. This powerful combination will be taking an aggressive approach to help the needy citizens of Fresno County to achieve the life-changing dream of home ownership. We look forward to developing our vision with you and fulfilling it in the years to come. |
|
|
|
WARNER CO. JEWELERS CELEBRATES WITH HABITAT
 In recognition to the many wonderful people in our community who have given of their time and talent to help bring decent and affordable housing in Fresno County, Habitat for Humanity Fresno County has joined forces once again with Warner Co. Jewelers to host the annual “A Brilliant Evening.” This evening will highlight key volunteers, donors and advocates who have made a serious contribution to the cause.
This year’s event will take place in the beautiful courtyard of Warner Co. Jewelers. Habitat would once again like to thank Warner Co. Jewelers for agreeing to cover the entire expense of the event – allowing everyone who purchases a ticket to realize a 100 percent contribution to Habitat.
Our goal is to raise at least $50,000 at this year’s event. All funds raised go directly into building our last home at the Crossroads Subdivision that will be officially dedication on Saturday, November 22.
For more information on this event or to register, click here.
|
|
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD!
 The Cruz family will shortly be moving in their new three-bedroom home, and it is truly a dream come true for them. On Saturday, July 19, 2008 their home was dedicated. Acting Council President Cynthia Sterling was there to join family, friends, and enthusiastic volunteers as they received the keys to their new home.
The Cruz family home was sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans is a faith-based fraternal benefit society called to improve the quality of life to its members, their families and communities by providing solutions that focus on financial security, wellness and caring for others. In 2006, Thrivent Builds partnered with Habitat Fresno to sponsor and build their first home. Now, in 2008, they are dedicating their third home to the Cruz family. The completion of this home raises Thrivent Builds’ investment in our community to over $270,000! But it isn’t just money. Thrivent also donates over fifty percent of the man power needed to build a home.
Francisco and Alejandrina Cruz have three daughters who are passionate about learning. Elizabeth Cruz, age 19, attends Fresno City College and the Milan Institute in Clovis with the goal of becoming an optometrist. Mercedes is 10 and would like to become a pharmacist or veterinarian. Alma, who is 7, would like to become a 1st grade teacher. Their new home gives the girls a quiet, safe place to study, and gives their parents peace of mind and pride in homeownership.
|
|
|
