Habitat San Antonio Blog

College Day is 'Fitting' for Habitat Site

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:00:00 GMT

Tomorrow is College Day at Coleman Ridge.

More than 150 college students from the University of Texas at San Antonio, St. Mary's University, San Antonio College, Our Lady of the Lake University and Trinity University will gather to help us build homes with families in need.

We have always had tremendous support from our area schools, colleges and universities, but we are really excited to have so many students on site at one time.

What a perfect way to continue our work and a unique way to emphasize the benefits of home ownership.

Did you know that children of homeowners are 116% more likely to graduate from college than children of renters? We think that is amazing and how fitting to have college students help build homes in partnership with our families.

The students - and all of our volunteers - are doing more than just building homes. They are building hope. They are helping these families build a foundation for a better life full of opportunities for the future.

The benefits of homeownership are numerous and go far beyond just providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for our families. CLICK HERE to read more.

We applaud these families who are working to build a better life and the students and volunteers who are the heart of our organization.

To learn more about volunteering, CLICK HERE or call 210-223-5203.

By Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Staff

Start 2012 By Volunteering

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:59:10 GMT

We want to say thank you again to all the wonderful volunteers and supporters who helped make sure that 737 families in San Antonio were able to celebrate the holidays in simple, decent and affordable homes of their own.

At Habitat for Humanity for Humanity of San Antonio we are anxious to get back to work in our newest community, Coleman Ridge, but we can't do it without you.

We are signing up volunteers now. If you can help, drop us an email now with your contact information, which day you'd like to work and number of possible volunteers and we'll confirm with you. Volunteers are urgently needed on Fridays, January 13, 20 and 27.

Again, THANK YOU for your continued support. Volunteers are the heart of our organization.

We hope your holiday season was wonderful and we can't wait to work with you in 2012.

by Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Staff

Today Is The Last Day To Contribute in 2011

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 05:00:00 GMT

Today is the last day to donate to Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio in 2011.

We are in urgent need of your support now more than ever. There are hardworking families right here in San Antonio in desperate need of a decent place to live. And, it's not too late to lend your support in 2011.

If you give TODAY, your contribution will help us complete homes already under construction and prepare for more homes in the new year. We can't do it without you.

You can donate online right now through our secure servers and you will receive a tax deduction (to the extent allowable by law) for 2011.

Remember, because of the success of our Home Centers, 100% of your donation will go to build homes. If you have already given us your support - again, thank you.

THANK YOU for your continued support. If you have already made your contribution, thank you and feel happy in knowing you are helping to make a difference in the lives of hardworking families in need.

Happy New Year!

by Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio staff

It's Not Too Late To Help

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:55:23 GMT

Wow! The year is almost over and we at Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio are preparing to take a short break to celebrate the holidays with our families.

We'd like to take a moment to say thank you to our thousands of volunteers and supporters who help make what we do possible. Because of YOU 737 families will celebrate Christmas in a home of their own. We cannot say THANK YOU enough times and in enough ways to truly express how grateful and blessed we are.

Although our offices will be closed through January 2, it's not too late to help ensure more families are able to have a chance at homeownership.

We are actually in urgent need of your support now more than ever. There are hardworking families right here in San Antonio in desperate need of a decent place to live. And, it's not too late to lend your support in 2011.

If you give by December 31, your contribution will help us complete homes already under construction and prepare for more homes in the new year. We can't do it without you.

You can donate online right now through our secure servers and if you donate by December 31 you will receive a tax deduction (to the extent allowable by law) for 2011.

Remember, because of the success of our Home Centers, 100% of your donation will go to build homes. If you have already given us your support - again, thank you.

It's also not too late to start thinking about volunteering for us next year. We are signing up volunteers now. In fact, we have a need for volunteers on Friday and Saturday, January 6-7. If you can help, drop us an email now with your contact information, which day you'd like to work and number of possible volunteers. We'll confirm with you when our offices reopen on January 3.

Again, THANK YOU for your continued support.

We hope you holidays are happy and blessed! Merry Christmas.

by Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Staff

Nominate HFHSA for "12 Days of Giving"

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 05:59:00 GMT

Who said write-in ballots are only for politics?

Walmart is getting in the spirit of the holidays and is empowering Facebook users to write in - or nominate - local nonprofits to receive part of $1.5 million in grants this holiday season. Through its "12 Days of Giving" campaign, the company will accept submissions via Facebook with an eye for local organizations that are providing basic needs such as food, shelter, clothing and baby supplies.

We think this is a perfect fit for us as we are providing not only simple, decent and affordable homes to families in need, but our affordable mortgages allow our Habitat families to focus more of their resources on the basic necessities in life.

Our supporters can help us by visiting Walmart's Facebook page to nominate us for the "12 Days of Giving." ��The only catch is, we only have until November 30 so please nominate us soon and help us spread the word to others who can nominate us as well.

Here's how it works:

Visitors nominate local organizations by submitting a 200-word description, including the nonprofit's impact in its local community.
Participants must also submit photos illustrating how the nonprofit helps families make ends meet; a gallery on the page will highlight submissions throughout the campaign.
A panel from the Wal-Mart Foundation will review submissions and select the winners.
Grant recipients will be announced on Facebook daily from Dec. 12 to Dec. 23.

It's really simple and can make a huge impact on our ability to continue building simple, decent and affordable homes.� Please go to Walmart's Facebook page and nominate us.� If you have no photos of your experiences with us, please visit our Picasa web galleries and feel free to download photos to submit.

To learn more about Wal-Mart's "12 Days of Giving" Campaign, CLICK HERE.

Also, it's not too early to start thinking about your end-of-year giving. To learn more on ways to donate to Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio CLICK HERE or DONATE ONLINE.� Your donation will help us buy quality building materials for our homes.

Have fun nominating Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio to help us continue our mission of eliminating poverty housing in our community. And, as you celebrate this holiday season in your home, remember your support helps ensure more families in need know the joy of doing the same.

Have a blessed holiday!

Volunteers "Take Our Breath Away"

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 10:37:00 GMT

While sorting through some old photographs Friday in the Habitat office, I ran across this photo.

I don't know who took it, who is in it or even when it was taken.

What did strike me is the wording written on the top of the window frame -

Life is not measured by the number of "breaths" you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.

I've heard and seen this quote many times. I've seen it attributed to many people ranging from Maya Angelou to George Carlin to a greeting card company. I've even used it as a caption under photos of my children in scrapbooks, but on this day it really hit home.

It hit home because on Friday I had just left the construction site of our newest subdivision. The commitment of our families and the dedication of our volunteers and supporters never cease to amaze me. More than 150 volunteers and 19 Habitat families braved the August heat to help build homes, and we had more than 200 come out on Saturday.

It is amazing to me that so many people will give up free time to work in the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter to help Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio continue its mission of eliminating substandard housing in San Antonio. I know that they join us in our belief that everyone deserves a simple, decent and affordable home.

If you have not volunteered for us I encourage you to do so and witness first-hand some of the moments that can take your breath away.

To volunteer, give us a call at 210-223-5203.

By Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Staff

We Need Volunteers

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Long before I worked for Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio (HFHSA), I was a volunteer.

Through the years I have volunteered for Habitat for Humanity with various organizations. When I picked up that hammer or that paint brush, I did so knowing I was doing something good; knowing that I would be helping a family achieve their dreams; and knowing that I could be helping a small child who may have not yet have known the security of living in a safe and comfortable home.

For me, volunteering for Habitat for Humanity was very rewarding and fun. Now that I work for the San Antonio affiliate, it means so much more to me. I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of families who come to HFHSA seeking a way to better their lives. I have a so much better appreciation for their hard work and for what led them to HFHSA. I have also learned what a great need there is in San Antonio for affordable housing.

With that great need for affordable housing is also an URGENT NEED FOR VOLUNTEERS to help us build those homes. HFHSA will soon begin its newest community -- Coleman Ridge. We are still working to schedule enough volunteers to construct the 24 homes that are set to be built this year in the neighborhood at Old Pearsall Road and 410.

Fridays and Saturdays are currently our biggest need, but we also have weekday opportunities. Volunteering for a construction crew is not only rewarding, but is also a great way to learn about our organization and meet some of the families who benefit from our home ownership program. NO CONSTRUCTION EXPERIENCE IS NECESSARY.

If you can, give Volunteer Services a call at 210-223-5203 to sign up. You can also email at sarah@habitatsa.com. We'd love to get you involved!!

Just to give you an idea of the mammoth number of volunteers we need: we need approximately 30 volunteers for each house under construction on each Friday and Saturday to keep our homes on schedule. For the Fridays and Saturdays in August alone, we need almost 500 volunteers per weekend to sign up to give us a hand.

We need YOU! To learn more about volunteering for HFHSA CLICK HERE.

If construction is not something that interests you, please consider being a lunch crew member. Lunch crews provide and serve lunches to our volunteers. For more information on our lunch crews CLICK HERE. Lunch crews are a great way to ease into volunteering with HFHSA with a minimal commitment of time.

We hope to hear from you soon.

By Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio staff member

HFHSA Mourns the Loss of Our Co-Founder

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Fri, 27 May 2011 17:39:22 GMT

The staff of Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio was saddened today to learn of the death of our co-founder and beloved supporter - Bill Lytle.

Along with his late wife, Faith, Rev. Lytle brought the idea of partnership housing to San Antonio. Together they founded and put Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio on the map in 1976, making it the first affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International in the United States. It was through the Lytles concern and commitment to our community that HFHSA began its mission of eliminating substandard housing in San Antonio.

Since that time, HFHSA has worked with thousands of volunteers and supporters to build more than 700 homes in our community and is one of the largest producers of new Habitat homes in the nation. There are more than 700 hardworking families in need who owe their lives in their Habitat homes not only to the volunteers and supporters who helped build them, but to the Lytles for putting their faith into action and finding a way to build simple, decent and affordable homes with very deserving families year after year.

Mr. Lytle was preceded in death by Faith, his late wife in April 2005. There will be a memorial service at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at Madison Square Presbyterian Church.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Lytle family and friends. Rev. Lytle is a perfect example of what a truly remarkable person can do with nothing more than faith and a desire to help. We join you in mourning this incredible loss.

He will be dearly missed.

The Faces of Habitat

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:21:25 GMT

In this month's issue of Vision, the quarterly newsletter of Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, we brought back a feature that proved to be popular in last year's may newsletter -- The Faces of Habitat.� In turn, we've made this a regular feature of our website.

Also worth bringing back was the blog that announced the new feature.� Use the link at the end of the blog of access the 2011 "Faces of Habitat."� Read on:

Throughout my employment with Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio I have watched as a neighborhood in our Palo Alto community has taken shape and as lives have been changed by something I'm sure many of us have taken for granted -- owning a home.

As I've watched, I've realized I'm seeing more than people purchasing and moving into a home. I'm seeing more than construction crews laying foundations, raising walls and putting a roof over what will some day be the home of a well-deserving family. I'm watching more than houses pop up and line the streets of a new neighborhood.

What I've been watching are the many faces of Habitat that ultimately come together to make our mission of eliminating substandard housing in San Antonio possible. These are people from all walks of life and from varied backgrounds coming together for one common goal - making sure as many people as possible have a chance to own a simple, decent and affordable home.

I've seen the thousands of volunteers who give freely of their time to help build these homes; I've seen the hard-working families who are determined to "build" a better life; I'm watching a small group of very dedicated individuals who are committed to overseeing the operations of HFHSA and help make it run as smoothly as it does; and I'm also watching as local businesses, congregations, corporations and other groups join our efforts by manning our construction crews and also providing the funding necessary to build these Habitat homes.

In May's issue of our quarterly newsletter Vision we featured four of the "faces" of Habitat - a homeowner, a volunteer, a house sponsor and a HFHSA board member. Due to space limitations, we were only able to publish a portion of the Q&A. You can see the rest of their comments here. Please take a moment to read what they have to say. You'll find it truly inspiring.

And to the four people interviewed and to the thousands of others out there who have joined us in our efforts, our hats - or should I say hard hats - are off to you.

Thank you!

by Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Staff

Volunteers Make the World A Better Place

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:41:18 GMT

It's National Volunteer Week and we cannot let the week go by without giving a big THANK YOU to the thousands of volunteers that make the work of Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio possible.

We cannot express enough - not just this week, but all year long - our gratitude to the wonderful people who give of their time and money to help build homes with families in need in our community.� YOU make a tremendous impact on the lives of many.

I was revisiting a few past blog posts and ran across this one, where we explored the "what if's" of a perfect world and making the world a better place.

The reality is the world is not a perfect place.� But our volunteers are making great efforts to make it that way!

There are families right here in San Antonio living in conditions that no one should have to endure.� Through the work of our volunteers, more than 700 San Antonio families have been able to better their lives, pull themselves out of bad situations and move into their own, brand new Habitat homes.� To us, that's getting pretty close to perfect.

However, there is still so much to do.� By the end of this year, we will have built 55 more simple, decent and affordable Habitat homes. That brings our total to 737 in our 35-year history.� And, it's thanks to our volunteers - and they won't stop there.� There's no doubt in our minds that our volunteers and our community will continue supporting the mission and daunting task of HFHSA - to eliminate substandard housing in San Antonio.

With their help, we will finish 55 homes this year, 24 of which will be in a brand new community:� Coleman Ridge.� And, with the untiring help of our volunteers, will continue building next year and for many years to come.

We are blessed and have much to say THANK YOU for.� The world is not perfect, but our volunteers are!

To learn how to become a part of our amazing force of volunteers, CLICK HERE.� If you want to learn more about our mission, CLICK HERE, or register for one of our free HAB-I-TOURS.

�

By Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Staff

�

Dough for Habitat

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 10:58:00 GMT

Don't forget�that�today and tomorrow (March 23 and 24),�Domino's Pizzas across the city are offering a large, one-topping pizza for only $5.99 (carryout only).� For every special pizza you order, Domino's will donate $1 to Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio.

What a deal -- you can�have some dough and some "dough" will be donated to help us build more simple, decent and affordable homes with families in need.

�

We hope you enjoy some pizza.

�

Thanks Domino's.

�

We Need You!

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:01:05 GMT

We don't just need you to support us financially. We don't just need you to man our construction sites and continue being the heart that keeps Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio in motion toward its mission of eliminating substandard housing in our community.

These things are tremendously important and make a huge impact on the lives of the families served by Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio. We continue to need you daily for these things.but also for so much more than that.

By volunteering you are helping hardworking families realize a dream - a dream of homeownership. You are helping families at an income level that without HFHSA, they would never be able to own a home of their own.

By volunteering you are doing more than building a house. You are building communities. You are building better lives. You are building a foundation that will help these families thrive.

And, right now.WE NEED YOU MORE THAN EVER. We have an URGENT need for volunteers on FRIDAYS throughout the month of February. By volunteering you will be helping us finish these homes on time so that the families who are already working on them and anxiously awaiting their completion can move in and continue realizing their dreams.

While we have Saturday and other weekday opportunities available, Fridays are our most urgent need. If you can volunteer, give us a call at 210-223-5203 or email sarah@habitatsa.org or volunteer@habitatsa.org. You will be glad you did.

What will you build?

By Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio staff

Start the New Year with HFHSA

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:01:56 GMT

It's 2011! Why not start the year out with us??

VOLUNTEER
Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio is currently in need of volunteers on Fridays and Saturday's throughout the month of January.

We have 12 homes under construction and without enough volunteers we won't be able to finish them on time. What a disappointment that would be to the families who are working so hard to make a better life for themselves.

To volunteer, call Volunteer Services at 210-223-5203 or contact them via email at sarah@habitatsa.org or volunteer@habitatsa.org.

You won't regret the decision to volunteer once you experience working alongside one of our families or our other volunteers. For more on volunteering, CLICK HERE.

TAKE A TOUR
If you aren't sure if volunteering for HFHSA is for you, attend one of our Hab-i-tours to learn more. This one-hour, guided bus tour will give you a unique look at what HFHSA is all about. You will learn about our history, our work, our families, our neighborhoods and the volunteers who make what we do possible.

The next tour is set for 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 21 and leaves from our office at 311 Probandt. It's free and only one hour. You can REGISTER HERE.

We hope to see you soon.

By Shelly, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio staff

A Gift From the Heart Builds Houses

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 10:52:44 GMT

It only seems like yesterday that I sat down to write this very same blog and again� the holidays are in full swing and Christmas is almost here!

�

At Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio, we like to take a moment to remind you each year that we offer a great gift solution for that hard-to-buy-for-friend or family member, or for that special someone you just want to honor in a unique way.� We can also offer you an escape from the hustle and bustle of holiday season, giving you time to really sit down and remember what the season is all about.

�

Rather than fighting the crowds to find that perfect gift for your loved one, why not make a donation in their honor to Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio? Then all you have to do is sit back and relax.� Habitat will take care of the rest! The recipient will receive a card notifying them of your donation in their honor.� Amounts are not disclosed.� You can also make a donation in memory of someone.

�

And to top it all off, you both get the satisfaction of knowing that your gift from the heart will help us build a house!

�

For more information, give us a call at 210-223-5203 or visit the�How to Donate section of our website.

�

Don't forget, all donations made by December 31, will count in 2010.

�

This year, we are very excited about another gift-giving opportunity.� We have partnered with GiftsthatGive.com.� They offer a wide range of unique gifts.� When you order from their website and choose us at checkout, we receive 20% of the merchandise price.� What a great way to shop and give back at the same time!

�

We hope you'll check it out.� Remember, 20% of your total purchase will be donated to Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio when you select us at checkout.

�

Happy holidays and happy gifting.�

�

by Shelly,�Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio staff�

Yo Gabba Gabba Live! to Benefit HFHSA

Habitat for Humanity San Antonio — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 09:00:00 GMT

We are so excited about a live party coming to San Antonio! And better yet, part of the proceeds will benefit Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio and will help us continue to build simple, decent and affordable homes with families in need.

Yo Gabba Gabba! Live! will be at the Freeman Coliseum at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 9.

This is not only an exciting and entertaining show for your children, but $1 from every tickets sold will benefit Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio.

DJ Lance Rock and all his friends will bring the excitement of the popular Nick Jr. television show to life on stage for children to enjoy.

We are so excited to be a part of this exciting event. You can look for representatives from HFHSA as well to answer any Habitat questions you may have.

We hope you will be able to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity and at the same time help HFHSA continue its mission of eliminating substandard housing in our community.

For ticket information and more information about Yo Gabba Gabba live! CLICK HERE.

We hope to see you there.