Walker Rotary learns about Habitat for Humanity

The featured speaker at the Aug. 6 Walker Rotary meeting was Heidi Gould, Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity coordinator for volunteers. Their theme is building strength, security, stability and self-reliance in communities. The Brainerd Unit builds in Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard and Wadena counties. It takes 1,300 volunteer hours to complete a partner family home. The adults getting the home must put in 200-plus sweat equity hours as their contribution. The truth is that one in six families spend over 50 percent of their income on housing, leaving little for food, transportation, medicine, etc. Some families spend 80 percent of their income on housing. There are application meetings for the selection process with a waiting list. Volunteers play a vital role in helping with the builds. They do not have to be skilled in doing jobs other than HVAC, shingling, plumbing and sheetrock work. Those are taken care of by professionals. Applicants have to provide a $750 down payment and the mortgage is set at 25 percent of their income. Another big factor in the success of Habitat for Humanity is the Restore. The Brainerd Restore is a retail outlet that deals in recycling new and like-new building and home improvement materials sold at discounted prices. Volunteers collect these home supplies on a planned route. The Restore is open to the public and sells merchandise at up to 75 percent off standard retail prices. All net proceeds support the Habitat mission. Brainerd Restore has served over 100 families in 25 years and saved over 800 tons of materials from landfills. If a family dynamic changes and they must sell the house, Habitat buys it back. For more information on how you can help, contact Lakes Area Habitat anytime at (218) 828-8517 or Gould at (218) 454-7021, heidi.gould@lakesareahabitat.org or P.O. Box 234, 415 8th Ave NE, Brainerd, MN 56401. The rewards will be yours.