Category

News

Mar 13
1

Greater Indy Habitat’s Response to COVID-19

By | From the CEO, News | No Comments

Our Plan in Response to COVID-19

Updated as of: Thursday, June 11, 2020

As Indiana is progressively phasing back to work, we are adjusting to the continued presence of COVID-19 as part of our foreseeable operations. While the virus hasn’t left us, we’ll persevere to serve our mission. Alongside of you, we are builders at heart, whether providing a new or rehabbed home, preserving a home through repairs, or providing home goods in our ReStores for people to affordably repair and update their own homes. We will build back. Here are the protective measures we have updated.

Habitat Offices

Habitat offices are now open and our staff has returned. At this time, we are not accepting walk-up visitors. Please use this website for valuable information related to your inquiry and give our staff a call with additional questions. If you need to visit one of our staff in person, we encourage you to schedule an appointment. Here’s our staff webpage with contact info.

Our Habitat ReStores 

The Greater Indy ReStores in downtown Indy, Fishers, Avon and Greenfield have been open since the end of April. Normal business hours of 10 am – 6 pm, Monday through Saturday are in effect. All stores are practicing social distancing measures to mitigate risk to our donors and customers. If you have questions about those specific practices, please call one of our stores listed below and review our update about safety measures here.

Avon Restore:
317.707.7530

Downtown Indy:
317.777.6098

Fishers ReStore:
317.896.9423

Greenfield ReStore:
317.318.9458

Habitat Homebuyers

  • We are still accepting homebuyer applications and are hosting virtual information sessions for you to learn more about becoming a homeowner.
  • Our homebuying in-person education classes are cancelled for the remainder of 2020. Please reach out to our Homeownership team at 317.777.6080 or homeownership@indyhabitat.org with specific questions.

Building and Repair Work Begins – Can we Volunteer?

While bringing people together is at the heart of our mission, the virus is still present and volunteer safety is an utmost priority to us, so we have created a modified volunteer engagement plan for the remainder of the year. We will begin building with contracted labor and Tiger Team members starting in June.

We have plans to finish another 11 homes before the end of the year, and though we won’t be able to utilize volunteers in the same manner and keep social distancing guidelines in place, we plan to work with build site volunteers starting in September. To maintain safety for our homebuyers, volunteers, and staff, there will be fewer volunteer opportunities and our team has adapted volunteer projects and processes. Please sign up for a volunteer account here if you would like to learn about volunteer opportunities for the remainder of the year.

Habitat Annual Events 

While we don’t have what might be considered traditional nonprofit events, all of what we do is organized like an event. There are specific themed projects that we hold dear that have changed for the rest of the year.

  • Panel Builds– We will not host panel builds for the remaining 10 new homes we plan to build in 2020. We will revisit whether we might be able to host some panel builds much later in the year to allow for panels to be ready for 2021 early builds. Please contact our development team if you are curious about how your company, church or organization might want to participate in a panel build in the future.
  • State Fair Ag Build– As you might be aware, the traditional Indiana State Fair has been cancelled for this year. This would have been our 11th year in partnership with the State Fair, building two homes with the Agricultural community. While we completely understand this difficult decision, we will miss being there this August along with many of you.
  • Monumental Build– We will not host this combined panel build on Monument Circle this summer.
  • Women Build– The Women Build still is pushing forward to build two homes this year. The Women Build teams are working on finalizing when they will be participating in the field to complete the two homes this year. You can financially support the build here.

Repair Restarts

Our homeownership repair team is back at it and hasn’t missed a beat in attempting to pick up where they left off prior to COVID-19 in helping to preserve affordable homeownership for families in Hamilton and Marion counties. If you have questions about homeowner repair, please contact them here.

How can you help?

While our volunteerism will be reduced this year and our production will be reduced greatly because of COVID-19, we have been overwhelmed by the positive response and continued financial support from both organizations and individuals. Thank you for your continued support of our homeowners and mission.

We had a goal of providing 29 homes this year and are now planning to provide 16 total homes; the lowest total in over 20 years.

While 2021 planning will likely move at the pace of the virus, you can help move plans forward and get us off to a good start financially as we recover from our anticipated loss of more than $1.4 million of contributed and earned income through our home building sponsorships and ReStore revenue this year. Please consider making a one-time or recurring gift today so the families who are waiting on a home this year can purchase their first home in 2021.

Jim Morris, President & CEO
Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity

Updates as of: Friday, May 1, 2020

Updated as of: Friday, May 1, 2020

ReStores Open, with Safety Measures in Place
Please click here to read about the opening of our ReStores.

Updates as of: Thursday, March 26, 2020

Updated as of: Thursday, March 26, 2020

This is an increasingly difficult time for people, businesses, and organizations all across the country and our community. As a nonprofit that relies on the support of others, please know we are making these difficult decisions prayerfully—but we need your help.

In a time when very little is certain, you can help build stability and certainty for your neighbors with a gift to Habitat. 

As part of the Habitat family, you understand the power of community action. Thank you for your continued support during this time. When we emerge from this crisis, let us emerge stronger, together.

Here are the protective measures we have enacted at this time:

Habitat Offices

  • Our Habitat main office and construction warehouse are now closed to the public for the foreseeable future.
  • Our staff will be available and actively working remotely, replying to phone calls, voicemails, and emails during this time.

Here’s how you can help: We urgently need your financial support. As businesses throughout our community are impacted by closures, so are many Habitat homeowners who make their family’s living in the service industry. These families will certainly be concerned about continuing to make their mortgage payments. We are committed to working with each family during this uncertain time, but we need your financial support to sustain us in that. Please consider any financial support possible and click here to give a gift online or see other ways to give. When you give, you’ll help us do more to help them.

Our Habitat ReStores 

  • The Greater Indy ReStores – in Downtown Indy, Fishers, Avon, Greenfield – are now closed to the public until end of business April 6.
  • Until April 7, we are pausing donation drop-offs and are working to reschedule donation pickups that are currently scheduled. Please know, we rely on your donated items, so please keep reading to see how you can help.
  • We will continue to evaluate our April 7 reopening date in the hopes that we can reopen sooner, but also extending if necessary. We will respond to the any further direction by the Governor’s office.

Here’s how you can help: ReStore is a key part of how we build homes with local families and this downtime will certainly be a hit to that effort. We will urgently need your donated items when we return. If you’re planning a donation drop-off, please hang on to your items and drop them off when we open again on April 7. You can continue to request free donation pickups on our website or by calling our donation lines (listed below), but please remember that we aren’t able to resume pickups until we reopen. Click here to learn more about donating items and schedule your free donation pickup.

Avon Restore:
317.707.7530

Downtown Indy:
317.777.6098

Fishers ReStore:
317.896.9423

Greenfield ReStore:
317.318.9458

Habitat Volunteers 

  • We are canceling all volunteer work on the build site, in the warehouse, ReStore and office through May 31.
  • We are contacting all currently scheduled volunteers to reschedule or cancel their assignments.

Here’s how you can help: Take steps to stay healthy—we have a busy build season ahead of us and we’ll need your help to build homes!

Habitat Homebuyers and Homeowners 

  • We have cancelled upcoming homebuyer education classes through April 7 and will communicate those cancellations directly with affected families and facilitators.
  • Our Habitat Homeownership Information Sessions are cancelled through April 7.
  • You may continue to make your mortgage payments online here.

Here’s how you can help us: Stay in touch with our Homeownership team if you have questions or concerns during this time. Call 317.777.6080 and they will be available to assist you.

Join Together in Prayer 

  • This disease most vigorously affects the most vulnerable in our communities, so please join us in praying for those who are already ill and those who may become ill. Pray for our government leaders and medical professionals. Pray for protection over our entire community and all those who come into contact with this Habitat ministry.

We will continue to monitor, respond and enact recommendations from the CDC. If you would like to receive updates in your inbox, please sign up for future updates here.

As part of the Habitat family, you understand the power of community action. Thank you for your continued support during this time and for playing your part in promoting the well-being of our entire community.

Thanks for all you bring to this work of building homes, communities and hope.

Jim Morris, President & CEO
Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity

Updates as of: Monday, March 23, 2020

Updated as of: Monday, March 23, 2020

Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity is responding to effects and demands on our community by adjusting its operations. Last week, Governor Eric Holcomb issued an executive order to shut schools until May 1 and just today issued another executive order for a “Stay at Home” for non-essential businesses through end of business day April 6.

Habitat International has also made recommendations for operational changes and our leadership team has communicated with numerous affiliates of our size from various metropolitan markets to better understand how each affiliate is responding.

While the general encouragement is to remain fluid and respond accordingly, our volunteer-driven operations require significant lead time to prepare to build/rehab a quality home and provide a quality volunteer experience. As such, we are making adjustments to our general operations and the 2020 build schedule to accommodate meeting our quality standards as best we can. This will inevitably impact our ability to provide the same amount of homes for 2020. We will work to minimize the effect on families and our team.

General Operations

  • The Habitat offices at Meridian Street and the construction warehouse will be closed for the foreseeable future. Staff are still accessible by email, phone and text, if specific questions arise.

Home Building

  • Remaining homes: We only have one home remaining to complete and close. We are still committed to finishing this home and a contractor will be finishing it. Construction by professionals is considered an essential activity by the state.
  • The remaining schedule will be delayed until the end of May. The Development, Construction and Homeownership teams have been charged with coming up with Best, Likely and Worse-case scenarios based on this change. More information about the schedule will be forthcoming.

ReStores

  • Our four ReStores will be closed starting Wednesday, March 25, and will remain closed until end of business day on Monday, April 6. We will respond to the any further direction by the Governor’s office.

“Faith and fear, like light and darkness, are incompatible. Fear is the polio of the soul which prevents our walking by faith.” – Clarence Jordan, Habitat for Humanity’s spiritual founding father.

Jim Morris, President & CEO
Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity

Updates as of: Friday, March 13, 2020

Updated as of: Friday, March 13, 2020

In light of current public health-related concerns surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease), we at Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity are sharing our response, effective immediately. While these decisions will impact our work in the near term, our policy reflects our commitment to love our neighbors and enact practices that hold your health, the health of our team, the health of Habitat homebuyers and the larger community as a top priority.

We reviewed recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are adhering to Governor Holcomb’s recommended steps. This disease most vigorously affects the most vulnerable in our communities. If the spread of the disease can be slowed down, then it “flattens the curve” and prevents sick people from overwhelming the healthcare system. That means those who need help can get it. Put another way, the more we socially isolate, the fewer people who will die.

Here’s our plan, effective immediately:

  • All volunteer construction days through Sunday, April 5 are cancelled.
  • All Tiger Team volunteerism in the construction warehouse, including individual work and Tiger Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sunday, April 5 are cancelled.
  • Habitat homebuyer education classes through Sunday, April 5 are cancelled. Our Homeownership team will communicate those cancellations directly with affected families and facilitators and will determine if and when they will be rescheduled.
  • The Habitat Homeownership Information Sessions will be cancelled through Sunday, April 5.
  • The Habitat offices and ReStores will remain open at this time. If you have an appointment or plans to visit us, please exercise an abundance of caution. If you are even slightly ill or are worried about being in contact with someone who is, please reschedule your appointment or visit for another time in the future.
  • We will continue to monitor, respond and enact recommendations from the CDC such as encouraging “social distancing,” limiting the size of gathered groups, etc.

Please join us in praying for those who are already ill and those who may become ill. Pray for our government leaders and medical professionals. Pray for protection over our entire community and all those who come into contact with this Habitat ministry.

While the heartbeat of our mission is “bringing people together,” we realize that this is a time for pause. Our 2020 plans are to complete 29 homes for families to purchase, preserve up to 18 homes through critical repairs and support up to 23 homes internationally with our Habitat partner affiliate in El Salvador. We will need all of you when this pandemic passes to help us fulfill these goals. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to building strength, stability and independence through affordable homeownership. If you have any questions concerning our COVID-19 plan, please email us or call us.

Jim Morris, President & CEO
Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity

 

Sep 25
0

Meet Brad, Construction Superintendent

By | News | No Comments

Brad Evans HeadshotThis summer we welcomed Brad Evans to our Habitat family as a Construction Superintendent. Brad joined us from Habitat for Humanity of Hamilton County and has been a huge asset to our team. Learn more about Brad below!

What are your primary roles at Habitat?
As a superintendent, I see my role as a facilitator and advisor for the Tiger Team and volunteers. While it is ultimately my responsibility to deliver a quality home for the homebuyer, I simply make decisions about how things will be done, then explain those decisions to the Tigers (if necessary) and volunteers. Additionally, it is my responsibility to ensure that there are adequate materials and tools on site for these two groups to do the fantastic work they do. Lastly, I coordinate with and schedule many of the contractors we hire for professional services (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, roofing and gutters).

What makes your space “home”?
I am a severe minimalist, and live in a small apartment.  I have moved many times in my life, so home tends to be wherever I lay my head.

What’s your favorite tool to use?
My favorite tool is probably the cordless nail gun.  It saves my thumbs from abuse with a hammer, and really speeds up the process.

Why do you build homes, communities and hope?
I’ve been involved in this type of work for many years. When I started (around 15 years ago) with an organization called Rebuilding the Wall around 20 years ago, I realized what a difference affordable homeownership makes to a family. It is something many of us take for granted:  1) It gives stability to the family by breaking a sometimes frequent cycle of transitional living. This means children can develop friendships in their neighborhood without the fear of having to “leave” friends whenever they move. Children can attend the same school/school system throughout their school years which also adds stability to the school. Generally speaking, it allows children to focus on that part of their future they should be focusing on, and not focused on worrying about where they will be living. 2) Our homes attempt to give each child his/her own bedroom, a space they can call “their own.”  3) Homeownership gives parents an additional opportunity to set an example for their children by setting goals and working hard to achieve those goals.

I truly believe everyone deserves affordable quality housing, especially children.  That is why I do what I do.

Please join us in welcoming Brad to our Habitat family! 

Sep 11
0

Meet Janine, Impact Giving Officer

By | News | No Comments

Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity Janine Robertson HeadshotThis August we welcomed Janine Robertson to our Habitat family as our Impact Giving Officer. Learn more about Janine below!

What are your primary roles at Habitat?
My primary role is to work with individual donors. Meet with, learn more about their passion, specific interest within Greater Indy Habitat and help them fulfill their philanthropic goals. In other words develop the relationship which will lead to growing their gift as well as their engagement with our organization.

What makes your space “home”?
We have been in our home for over 20 years and have made it ours. Two of my favorite places are the fireplace in the winter (nothing like candles, a throw and good book) and our deck in the summer with our family.

What’s your favorite tool to use?
I like to paint and garden/dig in the dirt. Very therapeutic!

Why do you build homes, communities and hope?
I’ve worked with a number of families and individuals in my prior life teaching financial literacy. There is nothing like experiencing families achieve their dreams and accomplish what they thought was impossible.

Please join us in welcoming Janine to our Habitat family! 

May 10
0

Meet Marlene, Greenfield ReStore Manager

By | News, Staff | No Comments

This spring we welcomed Marlene Liu to our Habitat family into the role of Greenfield ReStore Manager. Learn more about Marlene below!

What are your primary roles at Habitat?
My primary role at Indy Habitat as the Greenfield ReStore Manager is being responsible for the overall operations of the retail store, actively supporting the HFH mission by building relationships in our communities with donors and customers, planning growth in sales revenue while minimizing operating costs, managing donations and pickups and merchandising new and gently used construction materials and household goods. I provide leadership and motivation to the store staff and volunteers as well as working collaboratively with the other ReStores both in our affiliate area and in surrounding counties.

What makes your space “home”?
Two things that help make my space home: original artwork and gardening. I am fortunate to have some very creative artist friends whose work I support and fill my walls and shelves with. Bringing my outdoor space into my home makes me happy! I have several flower and bulb gardens as well as raised vegetable and fruit beds so having cut flowers and bowls of fresh produce make my home smell great. One of the first things I did in Greenfield is to rescue some forlorn plants inside and we are cleaning up the front flower beds so our outside is inviting to our customers.

What’s your favorite tool to use?
I am always looking for my hammer and screwdrivers; mostly to hang up pictures or fix a piece of furniture. The screwdrivers can sometimes double as handy weed extractors!

Why do you build homes, communities and hope?
When I was 19, I went with friends of mine to their small home town in Jalisco, Mexico for a vacation between school semesters, but spent the whole time helping to build an elementary school and a teacher’s dormitory. A few months after I got home, I got an envelope full of letters and pictures from parents and students with notes of appreciation. Nine years later, I received a letter from one of the students who attended that school and was inviting me to his college graduation where he was getting his degree in industrial engineering. He told me that he and other classmates had been volunteering since they were 13 helping to build homes and schools near their home town. Knowing that I had a small part in helping to encourage others to assist in providing shelter has led me to volunteer with HFH builds where I lived. And now, working with the ReStores in educating our staff, volunteers, donors and customers as to how their donations and purchases support the vision and funding of building homes is the best way I can continue to provide hope in our communities.

Please join us in welcoming Marlene to our Habitat family! 

Apr 11
1

Breaking New Ground in 2019

By | News | One Comment

Habitat National Conference 2019Written by Shana Lewis, Volunteer Coordinator, Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity

As the Volunteer Coordinator here at Greater Indy Habitat, I got the privilege of experiencing my first Habitat National Conference a couple weeks ago. There was a lot to take in between the amazing sessions, meeting new people (there were over 2,000 board members and staff from affiliates across the country that attended), and navigating between the two conference hotels to make it to my sessions on time!

Greater Indy Habitat sent nine staff members from various departments to the conference this year. Jim Morris, President and CEO, presented “Managing the Distance: Success Serving Through Chapters and Outlying Areas” and Andy Duncan, ReStore Development Coordinator, presented “Daunting ReStore Donation? Converting Colossal Connections into Cash.” It was great gaining knowledge from all of the presenters during their sessions!Habitat National Conference 2019 Andy Presenting

The theme for this conference was Breaking New Ground. A significant focus of the conference was surrounding the fact that 1 in 6 households in the US pay more than 50% of their income on housing. For comparison, a reasonable, average amount of a household’s income recommended to be spent on housing is 30% or less. Breaking New Ground is centered around Habitat putting a renewed focus on advocating for affordable housing. Breaking new ground means using our collective voices to further Habitat for Humanity’s mission– to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

For Greater Indy Habitat, this means taking a step towards educating our volunteers supporters, and partners about the issues surrounding affordable housing. Habitat will continue to be a bipartisan organization focusing on housing, and this certainly does not mean we are jumping into politics. However, it does mean that we see an opportunity to be more vocal about policies that will affect our work to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope.

Greater Indy Habitat continues our focus on education in regards to issues surrounding affordable housing in our communities and neighborhoods. In 2017, The Sagamore Institute completed a 30-Year-Impact Study to analyze Greater Indy Habitat for Humanity’s impact over the last 30 years since our founding in 1987. The research study took a look at how Greater Indy Habitat homeownership has empowered families in achieving strength, stability, and independence. Under the direction of Dr. JoAnna Brown, the Sagamore Institute examined the connection between the ownership of decent and affordable housing and the families’ quality of life.The study revealed that 71% of homeowners started, completed, or plan to complete higher education or professional training since purchasing their Greater Indy Habitat home. This is just one way that Habitat homeownership has benefited our homebuyers. To read up on the study, you can visit https://indyhabitat.org/study/.

This past February, we partnered with the Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic to host author Matthew Desmond to discuss the hidden housing crisis not only in the US, but right here in Indiana too. (Indianapolis is #2 in evictions in the nation, which is not a statistic to be proud of in our great city.) Matthew was joined by a panel of local experts to discuss the impact of evictions here in Indianapolis and how the community can come together to make a change.

If I had to say one thing that I took away from conference, it’s this: Habitat’s affiliates are truly experts in housing. We see the underlying issues in our work every day. We are in a position to use our collective voice to make a difference, not only for our homeowners but for current renters that may apply for our program as well. There are many ways that affiliates can advocate for affordable housing. It doesn’t have to be a daunting as it sounds for us to start acting.

If you want to be a part of the bigger picture with Greater Indy Habitat please sign up for our enews to stay up to date on the latest Habitat happenings, events, and more.

Nov 06
0

Recap: Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project

By | News, Tiger Team, Volunteer | No Comments

This fall a handful of our volunteers, Tigers, donors, and staff traveled up to South Bend to participate in the 2018 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County. What an experience it was! Our involvement began on Monument Circle where we built the wall panels for one of the 22 homes constructed (watch the Monumental Build action here).

For a glimpse into the experience, read reflections from participants below and view more of our photos!

“A quote from Jimmy Carter that speaks to one of the reasons why our experience with Habitat volunteering is so special: ‘Habitat gives us an opportunity which is very difficult to find: to reach out and work side by side with those who never have had a decent home—but work with them on a completely equal basis. It’s not a big-shot, little-shot relationship. It’s a sense of equality.’
I really loved working with volunteers from different parts of the country. We were all so different but were totally connected by a common cause. The energy of this build was very inspiring. Many are not retired and were taking vacation time while traveling at great expense to help those that are not as fortunate in life. It really gives one a lot of faith in humanity to see the love and dedication of these people.” – Scott McDonald

“Best Stories – Building the entire roof structure on the ground and raising to the top of the house walls using a crane and practicing a wedding recessional for two of the volunteers who were getting married in three weeks.” – Paul Reising (recessional pictured at right)

“Participating in the Habitat Carter Work Project at Mishawaka this year was one of the highlights of my life. The devotions, fellowship, meals, and hard work contributed by all the participants resulted in a beautiful productive week. Hanging out with President and Mrs. Carter was inspiring. The Carters have been and continue to be such important leaders for our country.
The Habitat program works. You see how well the program works no matter if you are volunteering in Indianapolis or in another community across the state, nation, or world. Working with Habitat for Humanity allows people in need of affordable housing to focus on a plan where their hard work and commitment is translated into high quality housing for their family. The security of affordable housing often allows the family to focus on other important aspects of life including obtaining a better education for their children. The volunteers who participate are able to connect with those in need and feel satisfaction and fulfillment that comes from sharing their time, talent, and treasure in a way that multiplies their love and provides the help that is needed by another family. It builds community in a manner that gives all involved a big rush of joy. No matter if you participate on a panel build, a local build or a massive blitz build you realize that you end up taking away much more than you were able to share.” – Tim Burkholder

“What an honor and joy to participate in the 2018 Carter Build as part of the Greater Indy Team. The Carters are absolutely amazing and for 35 years have helped spread the word about Habitat…along with spreading The Word of Love to All! Twenty two wonderful families will long remember the many people who came to Mishawaka…and I am so humbled to have been in their presence! Thank you Greater Indy!” – Diane Newton

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA (08/30/2018) – Volunteers from around the world pitch in to help build twenty-two houses in Northwest Indiana as part of the 35th Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter Work Project. (Habitat for Humanity International / Annalise Kaylor)

 

Sep 28
0

Meet Anna, Homeowner Support Coordinator

By | News | No Comments

In April we welcomed Anna Blackmon to our Habitat family into the role of Homeowner Support Coordinator. Learn more about Anna below!

What are your primary roles at Habitat?
I work on the Homeownership Team as the outreach coordinator. I am the future homeowner’s first point of contact by processing their application. I also work on partnering with other organizations in hopes of getting new homeowners.

What makes your space “home”?
Sitting around with my girls, either at the dinner table enjoying each other’s company or watching them play outside.

What’s your favorite tool to use?
I would say my hands because I use them to work on the computer, process files, and get our class information for our future homeowners.

Why do you build homes, communities and hope?
It’s rewarding to watch people grow in our program to become homeowners. Just working for Greater Indy Habitat has been a blessing in more ways than I can count… the different work that is done through the city and overseas.

Please join us in welcoming Anna to our Habitat family! 

Sep 18
0

Record Year for Salesforce Volunteers

By | Dream Builder, News | No Comments

Our Dream Builders, sponsors who donate $100,000 and more, not only promote their corporate social responsibility goals, but also provide stability for Greater Indy Habitat to continue building homes, communities, and hope. In 2018, our Dream Builders raised a combined total of $1,588,944. One of these Dream Builders is Salesforce. For those who are not familiar with Salesforce, in 1999, they pioneered cloud-based CRM software and have helped 150,000+ companies run their companies more effectively and has a history of helping companies, and the people behind them, grow.

In 2010, Salesforce (then Exact Target), first invested of their time, talents, and funds to participate in their very first Habitat home build, as well as partner with One America on a panel build downtown. Since this time, Salesforce has contributed more than $550,000, funded six full homes, six team build days, and two panel builds, volunteering more than 10,000 hours. In 2018, Salesforce had a record year of 420 employees participating on 13 different home builds, volunteering a total of 2,758 hours. Salesforce also has a team member who is helping to launch our first Young Professional’s chapter.

At the most recent Salesforce home dedications for the Hill and Pinner families in the Kennedy-King neighborhood, our board member Tim Horoho shared that at Salesforce they are an “Ohana of Trailblazers,” inclusive of their customers, employees, partners, and communities. Tim also shared that Salesforce employees take care of each other, have fun together, and work collaboratively to make the world a better place.

We are thankful to be part of this Salesforce family!

Sep 14
0

Meet Chase, Construction Superintendent

By | News | No Comments

In June we welcomed Chase Yanzer to our Habitat family into the role of Construction Superintendent. Learn more about Chase below!

What are your primary roles at Habitat?
As a construction superintendent for Habitat for Humanity, my primary role is to lead our Tiger Team and our volunteers through the construction of our homeowner’s new homes. This includes coordinating deliveries, scheduling professional trades, and working to ensure the safety of all who are on the build site. With the help of the Tiger Team, I direct volunteers in what to do and how to do it in order to start off with a flat piece of ground and end up with a beautiful home.

What makes your space “home”?
I purchased my first home about three years ago and the ability to make changes to it has been my favorite part. I’ve done several things to it since purchasing it that have helped to make it feel like my home rather than just a place to put my things. Out of all the things I’ve done, the one that I probably enjoy the most is the fireplace surround and mantle that my dad and I made to house an electric fireplace. I enjoy coming home from work and sitting on the couch and firing up the fireplace and relaxing.

What’s your favorite tool to use?
My favorite tool to use on the build site is ‘the persuader’. Generally this term is reserved for the sledgehammer, but I prefer to use the term more generally to refer to any implement that is used to ‘persuade’ something into place. This could be a hammer, a 2×4, a crowbar, a clamp – most anything will do. We often use these tools to knock walls into place and are a real joy to use. When the ‘persuader’ comes out, the tension usually goes away…

Why do you build homes, communities and hope?
I work for Habitat for Humanity because I truly believe every Hoosier deserves to have quality affordable housing. Working every day to help make that a reality in my home State is a dream come true. Not only that, but getting to see the amazing dedication of the Tiger Team and the Volunteers who work unbelievably hard to build these homes is truly inspiring. I am fortunate to call Habitat for Humanity my employer.

Please join us in welcoming Chase to our Habitat family!