There is a new house on the block, made possible by Habitat for Humanity and 24 teams of volunteers. The extraordinary efforts of the 131 participants built a beautiful home.  Each team member is encouraged to raise money for the project. The team who surpassed their individual goal of $360.00, despite Covid-19, was headed by Bridget Turan, director of Gulf Coast HUB for Volunteers & Nonprofits. Each team consisted of seven participants, and Turan led two teams – both raising a whopping $6,722, well over their collective goal of $5,000.
     “I am overjoyed with the outcome me and my teams did and being the No. 1 team out of all the teams who helped in the efforts,” said Turan. “I never do anything to win, but it feels great that we, together, raised the most money!”
    Turan and her teams, a.k.a. Team ENRGIZD, experienced the phenomenon of a Habitat build for the first time this year. They were at the open house, showcasing a beautiful home in Gautier, Miss., on March 13, 2021. The teams greeted visitors with jubilation. These women had reason for joy. The charming three-bedroom, two-bath home, staged for the event by Habitat for Humanity Restore, was evidence their hard work paid off.
     “This was my first year to participate and be a team captain,” Turan said. “I was a little nervous about what I had signed up for, especially when we learned we did not get to actually build the house due to the COVID restrictions. But in the end, my teams came together and went beyond our goal. It was not about getting to actually build the house, but helping in the fundraising efforts to be sure the house could be built and completed.”

     Due to Covid-19, the planned building program for the Gautier home had to be halted. The newest home was constructed using the funds collected from fundraisers done by last year’s Women Build 2020. The build-up was to begin March of 2020. The 24 teams energized their best abilities and conducted fund raisers. “The teams were denied the build component,” stated Lindsay Freise Avery, director of resource development for Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Rather than the teams being able to spend a day with hammers and paint themselves, professional builders constructed the home. The teams went into the home, one group at a time, and wrote blessings and good wishes to the future homeowners in the walls before the insulation was installed and the walls completed. 
     Once more, Habitat for Humanity fulfilled its goal of supplying an affordable home to a family who participated in nonprofit’s homeownership program. That dream of a “Home Sweet Home” has seemed to be out of reach to so many.  A solid path to home ownership has been developed by Habitat. With a desire to give “strength, stability, and self-reliance” to the prospective homeowner, the path is comprehensive. Habitat for Humanity believes that knowledge is power, in fact a “super power.” Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast has free classes teaching financial education and providing financial coaching at no charge to the general public. Groups and individuals are encouraged to find a site: Church facility, community group location or employer, to host the program’s classes offered to anyone, again, free of charge to all. Classes are designed for the financial development of prospective homeowners. Weekend and evening hours are available for the classes.      

  
     Developing financial stability is important and how one acquires it can be learned. Homeownership is a multi-faceted undertaking that has a steep learning curve. Habitat realizes this and sets the prospective homeowners up for success with a solid path forward. 
     The first step on the path are free financial education classes. Financial Foundation classes supply the exposure to the framework needed to qualify and keep a home. Homeownership is not like renting. Once you have become a homeowner, you are responsible for every facet of the home; from daily maintenance to big ticket items like air conditioning units.
     Financial Recovery is a second step to enlightening individuals on a pathway to heal from previous missteps that could prevent homeownership. This step includes understanding the credit game and how to play and win and step into homeownership. Discovery of what “wants and needs” means and how knowledge plays a big role in adjusting from how we think to cleaning up credit scores and smoothing out the path to the goal of homeownership.   
     Third is One-on-One coaching to help form an individual action plan designed to help clients meet their personal financial goals and stabilize their steps to home ownership. Setting up a budget, including pre-move-in costs, day-to-day living expenses and projections into the future, could include the necessity for a new appliance or even the need for baby furniture and doctor expenses.  
     Homeownership 101 is an important fourth step. And because this is a new road, the route must be mapped out for success. A Habitat home is all brand new. Seeing to the daily maintenance keeps it in top shape, but age does become a factor for a homeowner. Roofs take on age and must be replaced as well as other parts of the home. With coaching, an individual progresses out of the mindset of a renter and into a homeowner. You can’t, or won’t, fix it if you don’t see it. Through education, you have the eyes of a happy homeowner.
     The Benefits of Banking, become a fifth step, with an eye on giving insights into the banking world and why the paper trail of monthly transactions is helpful to the homeowner. This course is offered to any person who is attempting to understand the ins and outs of the banking world.
Power Hour: Spending Planning 101 becomes the sixth step with explanations on how to use your funds to your best advantage and opening the possibilities of homeownership. 
     With the vision in mind to expand the “strength, stability and self-reliance” into the future, there are young adult classes for ages 15-25, educating them on their role in the successful path to homeownership for the family. 
     The foundation of fulfilling the dream of affordable housing became Habitat for Humanity with the headquarters formed in Americus, Georgia, in the 1970s.  The dream path for “partnership housing” has become an international endeavor. Today, there are 300 Habitat centers throughout the world and more than 2 million volunteers a year to help build, advocate and raise awareness about the worldwide need for shelter.  Working side by side with volunteers to build decent, affordable houses, Habitat for Humanity has branched out and now includes home preservation to tackle the crisis caused by natural disasters and the damage to homes in the path of hurricanes and tornados. Establishing this outreach has led to the stabilization of families who might otherwise lose their homes and contribute to stress and fear and directly impact children, who are the foundation of the future.
     After working for Habitat for Humanity International, Chris Monforton became CEO of Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. He said, “Every chapter is supported by local donors, and we only solicit in this area. Since Katrina, Habitat has done 2000 rebuilds and new builds.” 
     Lindsay Freise Avery, was “working in the corporate world, and I wanted to do something different.  Habitat is definitely something different that is very fulfilling.”
     All of the possibilities offered by Habitat for Humanity of the Mississippi Gulf Coast can be found at   www.hfhmgc.org  or by calling (228) 678-9100. Its offices are located at 2214 34^th St., Gulfport, MS 39501.

Susan Weller

Years of living along the Gulf Coast with a penchant for capturing photographs of smiling faces and beautiful places has brought Susan Weller to Seaside Social News. “This tenure will enhance my opportunities to capture and promote the exciting venues and activities generated by our lovely Gulf Coast and the people who live and celebrate life’s joys.”