Volunteer group Catholics for Habitat has historically committed to raising $100,000 for a house and provide volunteers for the home’s construction.
Ascension St. Vincent is making this $40,000 gift specifically for them. With this recurring donation, can actually build two houses every year instead of one.
Habitat for Humanity is the faith-based non-profit organization that works with candidates to build reduced-cost homes.
Billy Thompson is faith relations manager with Habitat. He said their organization needs such partnerships to carry out their mission.
“The housing issue in Evansville, and in Posey County is a lot larger than what habitat is able to do on its own,” he said. “Depending on the studies that you look at, we're about 8,000 housing units short of what the need is for the community right now; Habitat is currently building about 27 homes per year in Evansville and in Posey County.”
Thompson said materials costs have risen over the prior three years, making these partnerships even more important.
One of the homes sponsored by Catholics for Habitat is under construction in the Tepe Park Neighborhood.
Alex Chang is president of Ascension St. Vincent Southern Region. He said Habitat’s mission is in line with theirs.
“It helps further their mission — habitat has done such great work,” Chang said. “We want to bolster that, and see that more families are being taken care of.”
He said this can hopefully draw attention to the housing challenges of the city.
Currently it costs about $160,000 for Habitat to build a house with a combination of paid and volunteer labor.
Thompson said they’ll fund the remaining $120,000 to support the additional home being built.
He said Ascension has been a Habitat supporter in the past, but called this a more “proactive” role for the hospital system.
“With Habitat being a non-profit, we are desperate for these types of sponsorships,” Thompson said. “We absolutely have to have the local community supporting the work that we're doing.” He said they receive government grants, but receive much of their support from individuals.
Chang said he hopes to continue this support annually. He said they receive many requests or support from on non-profits which he agrees have “noble” missions.
“Sometimes you do donate and then you don't know exactly where it all goes,” he said. “But to see that there's a specific family and specifically, that's very important for us. And we can embrace that.”
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