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Our success is directly tied to your incredible generosity!
Because of you and your kindness, we have volunteers to help our neighbors in need, to donate to our ReStore retail stores, and to donate much needed resources!
Thank you very much!
CHIP program will be back for it's 6th Year in 2018!
Interested Home Owners please click on the link. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxWETU7di7QwOWwxX0otNENSUTA/view?usp=sh...
Deadline for the first event is June 2nd, 2017
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Coming home: New Habitat house dedicated to family
We sometimes take simple things for granted, like having a roof over our heads in a heated home. But for Yaredi Gonzalez-Merlin, such things will never be taken for granted.
The single mother of three wiped tears from her cheeks during the dedication of her new home on Friday morning. As the family explored the house, her older sons Bryan, 10, and Marvin, 8, eagerly opened every door. Bryan was quick to point out which bedroom was his.
The home was built by Habitat for Humanity Freeborn/Mower with help from students at Riverland Community College. It was the 34th home built by the local Habitat for Humanity.
“It’s very beautiful,” Gonzalez-Merlin said. “I’m very happy.”
“I wasn’t 100 percent sure at first about getting approval because it’s a long process to get qualified,” said Gonzalez-Merlin, who contacted Habitat for Humanity in 2015.
Before approval, Habitat for Humanity conducted a visit to her old residence.
“There were characteristics of the home that deemed it substandard, which is a requirement for us to agree to help,” said Brigitte Fisher, Habitat for Humanity’s executive director.
Fisher cited lack of heat vents and electrical outlets in some rooms as some of the reasons for the decision.
According to Fisher, 20 volunteers helped build the house.
“For us to pull off this kind of work, we couldn’t do it without our volunteers,” she said.
Among those volunteers were carpentry students at Riverland, led by second year carpentry instructor Walt Alms.
“The students see real-life work, but the other part of it is they experience the need that somebody else has and provide that benefit,” Alms said. “It’s an awesome project for us to go from start to finish.”
This is the second home in Austin built by a partnership of Habitat for Humanity and Riverland Community College.
Several students and volunteers were present on Friday morning to see the fruits of their labor. Riverland President Dr. Adenuga Atewologun attended.
“It’s amazing to see the impact in the community,” Atewologun said during the dedication. “At Riverland, we have a mission. Our heart is to be dedicated to our students and our community.”
“May you enjoy the blessings that come from owning a home in Austin,” he said to Gonzalez-Merlin.
Fisher wished Gonzalez-Merlin well in the family’s new home.
“This home represents a fresh start,” added Fisher.
It is a sentiment with which Gonzalez-Merlin whole-heartedly agrees.
“I’m thankful for everybody who participated,” she said. “I’m very blessed.”
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Freeborn-Mower Habitat for Humanity Expands Beyond Building Homes
Elise Romas
March 15, 2017 06:28 PM
Copyright 2017 - KAAL-TV, LLC A Hubbard Broadcasting Company
After Gormaz and his family moved to Austin, he began helping with habitat for humanity. He didn't realize he'd be getting some help in return. After applying to Habitat for Humanity, Gormaz was one of five people to receive a hand-crafted ramp so he could easily get in and out of his home.
"Claudio was just a natural one to receive a ramp,” //director [at] habitatfreebornmower [dot] org ">Brigitte Fisher said. “He has done so much for habitat and we know that things were getting harder for him and getting out of the house was becoming more of an impossibility."
Now the organization is expanding its efforts into a neighborhood revitalization program in Gormaz’s neighborhood in northwest Austin.
"Our goal is to find out what the concerns are in the neighborhood, what they think is lacking who are leaders in that neighborhood," Fisher said.
Fisher also said the new program requires them to go door-to-door and personally hear from residents how to make their community a better place.
"From there we'll be forming a neighborhood coalition to bring about change from the inside out," Fisher said.
Because no matter how big or small the projects are, the end results are always appreciated.
"There have been a lot of things that have occurred to me, since I’ve been here in Minnesota that have just fallen from the sky. Changed my life; and that ramp is a real example of that," Gormaz said.
The neighborhood revitalization program started in Austin in the fall and is will kick off in Albert Lea this spring with plans of door-knocking on hundreds of homes.
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A First for Freeborn-Mower Habitat for Humanity
February 16, 2017 07:38 PM
( ABC 6 News ) -- When you think of Habitat for Humanity, you probably think of building homes. However, for the first time, a new house for the Freeborn-Mower chapter came on a truck.
The project started when habitat was contacted by a family in St. Ansgar, IA last fall.
"They had purchased the home and really wanted to donate it to habitat, so called us and asked us if we'd be interested in taking the donation and moving it off of the property. They were wanting to have the land," Executive Director //director [at] habitatfreebornmower [dot] org ">Brigitte Fisher said.
So the house was moved from St. Ansgar to its new location on the 700 block of 12th Street NE in Austin, MN. Habitat for Humanity plans to put in a basement with a couple of bedrooms under the house. They're currently in the process of selecting a family for the home.
The goal is to have a new family moved in sometime this year.
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Reuse at the ReStore
By Daily Herald
Published 6:17 am Thursday, October 27, 2016
Habitat for Humanity ReStores can be a hidden gem for people looking for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects or looking for that one piece of furniture to complete a room.
The Freeborn/Mower County ReStore moved in December 2014 to the Sterling Shopping Center, which increased the number and variety of donations it receives.
“We were in a warehouse [by Packer Arena], we didn’t have a lot of those things,” ReStore manager Lynn Nuckolls said. “Now we’re in a part of town where a lot of people know about us.”
ReStore got its start because Habitat for Humanity would receive a lot of gifts, such as manufacturers donating unwanted doors, as well as other excess materials donated by people, so they started selling the items, Nuckolls said.
Once Habitat for Humanity saw it was becoming a trend, they decided to brand it with the ReStore name and start a support group for other stores.
The support group is the “brain power” finding out which methods work best and then relaying them to the other stores. Individual stores send in reports on how they’re doing and the support group compiles them together and then guides the stores through the best ways to market. They even have ready-made templates so all stores need to do is insert their name and location.
“Any question you have, they’ll find an answer,” Nuckolls said.
Donations
Everything in the ReStore is donated and generally comes in gently used or new condition. “Everything” can be defined as furniture, such as couches, chairs and dining tables, household goods and accessories like decorations or plates, building materials, appliances and most items in between.
“Every ReStore is very different because every ReStore sells what’s donated to them,” Nuckolls said. “You go to one ReStore and it’s nothing but building supplies. We’ve learned from year to year what people are going to buy and what they aren’t going to buy.”
The most unique item donated to them was a World War II-era black out candle used in England during the Blitzkrieg.
Nuckolls said they try their hardest not to throw anything away unless absolutely necessary, meaning it’s either broken and can’t be fixed or isn’t selling.
“We have stuff out there that’s been free, but no one has bought it, so we have to throw it away and we hate that,” Nuckolls said. “If we can’t sell it, we have no alternative because our floor space is very valuable to us.”
For the DIY-er, things such as cabinet doors, wood trim and wooden furniture can be used for refinishing, painting projects and... This a very interesting article; to read it in its entirety, simply click here on Reuse at the ReStore link.
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Habitat for Humanity Builds House for Austin Family
By
Dan Conradt
Updated: 09/15/2016 2:18 PM
(ABC 6 News) – Owning a home is still part of the American dream, and for one Austin family, that dream is a step closer to reality.
On Wednesday morning, ground was broken for the 34th home to be built by the Freeborn - Mower chapter of Habitat for Humanity .
"I really believe we can do things for our community and help families enjoy life better," Riverland Community College President Dr. Adenuga Atewologun told those gathered at the construction site in northeast Austin.
Yardely Gonzales will own the home, and live there with her 10-, 7- and 1-year-old sons.
"Our board voted Monday night to accept her family's application," Habitat for Humanity’s Brigitte Fisher explained.
Speaking through an interpreter, Gonzales explained why she’s most looking forward to her new home.
“It's [my] home right now, [my] apartment is too squished. [I] want [my] kids to have freedom their own rooms privacy to be happy, playing with their brothers, enjoying their lives within their house with their family," she said.
This will also be the second home the Freeborn - Mower chapter will build with the help of carpentry students from Riverland Community College .
"It was a big success for Riverland, the ability for us to have a house for our students to perform their work, learn their trade," carpentry instructor Walt Alms said.
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Thank You St.Olaf Youth for a generous donation of $121.04 toward HFH.
This little house was created to hold all the coins the youth brought in for the week of the fundraiser. What a great idea!
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CHIP gives back to Freeborn and Mower County residents
Published: Updated:
AUSTIN, Minn.- The Community Home Improvement Program (CHIP) in Austin is hoping to fix up many houses over the course of the summer.
CHIP is looking to fix up 30 houses over the next three months.
The program teams up with volunteers to reduce the cost of home repairs for families who qualify through Habitat for Humanity.
Today, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church helped fix a home in Austin.
The improvements on your home could include painting, patching roofs or fixing windows and doors. This program is a good alternative than purchasing it yourself.
“They would most likely have to pay this out of pocket,” said Brent Johnson, Community Development Coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Freeborn/Mower . “Today we’re helping a couple of seniors and many seniors are on fixed incomes. So they had a choice of spending a couple thousands of dollars to paint their house or have us come in and help out to little to no cost.”
Habitat for Humanity Freeborn/Mower is looking for homeowners who are interested in having them help touch up their houses.
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Ameriprise Gives Back
AUSTIN, Minn.- Many companies like to lend a helping hand in the community by either donating money or their time and Ameriprise in Mower County is no different.
250 Ameriprise firms throughout the United States are lending a hand in their community today.
Employees at the branch in Austin are teaming up with Habitat for Humanity and the Community Home Improvement Project , C.H.I.P., to help improve the quality homes.
They’re scraping off old painting and putting a fresh coat on.
“We strive to give back in the community so our office takes part in the Amerprise National Day of Service,” said Abby Heimer, Marketing Manager for Ameriprise Financial. “We have 10 volunteers today so we’re out here helping a former veteran and also participating in a local community organization.”
Habitat for Humanity Freeborn/Mower is hoping to help fix up 29 more homes with year.
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Habitat Builds Ramps for the Needy
Published:
AUSTIN, Minn. – Habitat for Humanity is an organization that builds homes for people in need, but now they’re doing something a little different.
Habitat for Humanity of Freeborn and Mower counties is putting in handicap ramps for some residents.
These ramps are free of charge and six homeowners are already chosen for this year.
Claudio Gormaz is a homeowner who is receiving a ramp and he has ALS. He says this ramp is going to make it easier for him to get down the back steps.
“Going up and down the stairs is hard,” said Gormaz. “So the possibility that I can get a ramp so that I can hop in the car is wonderful.”
If you want to apply for a ramp at your home, you must meet the following qualifications: Own a home, demonstrate you need a ramp, low income and you’re willing to participate in media surrounding the project.
If you’re interested, then apply at the Habitat for Humanity office in Austin . They are located at 1415 First Avenue SW.
September 14, 2016
June 24, 2016