Groundbreaking set for ninth Habitat for Humanity home

Greater Fairfield Area Habitat for Humanity is set to begin building its ninth home this spring and will be seeking more donations and support to help get the job done.

?Housing costs have gone up, and this year, we?ve found we need help,? said Jody Loin, president of the local Habitat for Humanity board.

The organization will be kicking off its first-ever fund-raising campaign during the groundbreaking ceremony for the new home at 5 p.m. Monday at 912 N. Ninth St., which is adjacent to other Habitat for Humanity homes.

Loin said everyone is welcome to attend the ceremony and meet Michelle Kindle and her family ? 5-year-old Adrianna, 2-year-old Brady and 1-year-old Samantha ? who will help build and then purchase the new home.

Loin explained the selection committee members review applications looking for a partner family who meets three criteria: first, a need for adequate housing.

?This is more than just needing another bedroom or more space,? explained Loin. ?It is for a family in substandard living conditions.?

The second criteria the committee looks for is a willingness from the family to partner with the organization.

Loin explained the adults in the family are expected to put in ?200 sweat-equity hours? helping with construction or other tasks that need completed.

The third criteria the committee looks for is the ability for the family to repay the no-profit, no-interest mortgage.

According to Loin, the Greater Fairfield Area Habitat for Humanity services its own mortgages and has not taken out a bank loan to build its other eight houses.

?That?s the goal for this one also,? she said. ?The mortgage payments go to build the next house.?

Loin said the organization doesn?t have a lot of money to spend on its first fund-raising effort, so it will have ?one little event by invitation only for past donors,? and it will place an ad in The Fairfield Ledger and use ?a lot of word of mouth? to let people know it is trying to raise $75,000.

For the complete article, see the Wednesday, April 28, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.