ComingHomeFall 2007 HABITAT HAPPENINGS FOR OUR FRIENDS AND VOLUNTEERS in this issue Home Dedications… Women Build News 2 The Heart of Habitat Hands of Hope Blitz 3 Building a Legacy 4 Dedicating homes and handing families their keys is arguably the best part of the From the Director 4 Habitat mission. On July 12 at the 7pm Thank You Notes 5 dedication ceremony, we welcomed four ReStore 7 families into the Emerald Hollow Volunteer Spotlight 8 community, and what a warm welcome they received! Including the public who Neighbor to Neighbor Update 9 attended the event and their new neigh- bors—some of whom visited with the new homeowners after the sun had set and all of the chairs had been put away— upcoming events more than 100 attended this celebration. SEPTEMBER 8 + 22 The ceremony didn’t follow a script, and A ReSale will be held at our big red barn at neither did the families. Everyone spoke 1733 Creamery Road in Quakertown from 8am- from their hearts about their gratefulness noon. Contact Trish at for the opportunity to own a home. They [email protected] or 215.348.2204 thanked God for blessing them so gener- x303 for details. Stephen Ngaruiya, Mercy Mwangi and their children, Tabitha, ously. and Brian, check out the key to their new home! SEPTEMBER 10 For these four families, the thread is their root in BCAR’s Golf Outing to support the Neighbor to Neighbor program starts at 11am at the Yardley Africa. In their native country of Kenya, James Ndungu in media coverage. Finally, their income is between 45 Country Club. See page 9 for details! and Margaret Mungai, Stephen Maina and Mary and 80 percent of the county median income. OCTOBER 6 + NOVEMBER 10 Kamau, Stephen Ngaruiya and Mercy Mwangi, lived in “Owning a home is the pride of every parent who The last ReSales of the season will be held at villages where people are so connected and important wants to provide their children with a peaceful, safe our barn, 1733 Creamery Road, Quakertown to one another. The native-born Kenyans say that the and unpolarized environment to retreat to,” Stephen from 8am – noon. Contact Trish at country is a safe haven for their neighbors because it is Maina said. “To us, we think our ability to achieve our [email protected] or 215.348.2204 x303 for details. so peaceful. Joseph Deng, who lived in a refugee camp full potentials and goals in life, had more barriers than in Kenya after he fled Sudan as a six-year-old, experi- OCTOBER 11 opportunity in our country. It would require more enced this directly. The 2nd Annual American Idol REALTOR® than double the effort there than here in the United Talent Show and Affiliate Expo to benefit Some of the new neighbors had met before they moved States.” Neighbor to Neighbor. Don’t miss this ridicu- in, either in their previous apartment buildings, or on Stephen Ngaruiya echoed this. “Although we had lously fun event! See page 9 for details. the Habitat construction site while they worked to college education, it was so hard to succeed due to OCTOBER 13 fulfill their sweat equity requirement. Others met for limited opportunities. But here in the U.S.A. there are will be held at all Macy’s Shop for a Cause the first time at the ceremony. They are joining a locations. 100% of proceeds from shopping numerous opportunities for us and our children. There passes will go to Habitat. See page 7. community-in-progress at Emerald Hollow, one that is are challenges, but if one stays focused, there is hope OCTOBER 13 – 20 diverse, where some of the homeowners have grown up for success.” Women Build-a-thon Week 2007 will be held in Bucks County; others have moved to the area from For Joseph Deng, homeownership means that his at Emerald Hollow. Your participation in this surrounding states; while others have moved here from family will be able to join him in the United States. He event will allow you to volunteer, donate and Kenya, Sudan, Egypt, Germany, Puerto Rico, said goodbye to them at a refugee camp in Kenya in advocate for affordable housing, all at once! Dominican Republic, Panama, Honduras, Pakistan, See page 2 for details. 1995, leaving them with the hope that he would help Brazil and Ukraine. NOVEMBER 24 them change their lives from Sudanese refugees to The tradition continues this year with the 6th Despite their diversity, there are some core require- Sudanese-Americans. Annual Habitat 5K Race in Quakertown. See ments all families must meet. Habitat Bucks families Joseph, along with 20,000 boys who escaped attacks page 7 for more information. have lived or worked in Bucks County for at least one from northern Sudan, is one of the Lost Boys who DECEMBER year before they are accepted into the homeownership arrived at refugee camps without parents during the Stay tuned to our online calendar at program. They also are willing to partner with Habitat now 21-year-old second civil war. www.habitatbucks.org/calendar.php for details Bucks in fulfilling sweat equity hours and participating about our December Home Dedication. continued on page 2 2 ComingHome Fall 2007 continued from page 1 “In the end, it all comes down to this: People reaching out in a singleness of purpose to help other people in need.” The elders in Kenya told the Lost Boys that they are the future of Sudan. They told them to get --Brian Buffini, Buffini & Company an education, work hard, make sure they help others, and not to forget where they came from. Joseph graduated from Souderton High School in 2002, and has been working as a computer Everything You Need to Know About… technician since then. He is now specialized as a networking technician. For Joseph, being a part of Habitat means that he doesn’t have to move again. “I’m here and I’m at home. I didn’t see it coming, a long time ago, but now I’m here.” Since its launch in 2005, 350 women have contributed more than 6000 hours through Habitat for Humanity Women Builders take a break from building the tables and stepstools that will be sold to benefit of Bucks County’s Women Build program and this year’s program. have raised $150,000. Of those women, 155 have been trained in construction and 13 became crew of our mission—volunteers, funds and advocacy. leaders (one even became a staff member!). Most Participants gather pledges from family, friends, of this training is thanks to an ongoing partner- neighbors, co-workers, etc., to sponsor them to ship with Lowe’s. Two area stores, the Quakertown build. In doing so, they are also spreading the word and Warrington locations, offer free training about the mission of Women Build and Habitat clinics on a variety of relevant topics multiple for Humanity. Build-a-thon Week 2006 raised times throughout the year. All of the training and nearly $16,000, and we think we can do even planning culminates in an annual women-only better in 2007! Our goal is to collect 2000 hours week on the construction site. During Women (equivalent to one house) and $30,000 (seven days Build-a-thon Week 2006, 71 women raised nearly of building) during Build-a-thon Week 2007. $16,000 and contributed more than 900 hours building on nine homes at Emerald Hollow! Women Build empowers women, through various training and building opportunities, to enter the That’s quite a history and the program continues realm of construction. By doing so, it also creates to be a success as Women Build 2007 got off to a much-needed affordable housing options for great start. Five sponsors have committed support; families in need, a group largely composed of Capmark Finance and Jones Apparel are both women and their children. Volunteers organize all returning as sponsors for the third year, while aspects of the program, inviting women to enter Genuardi’s, Patricia Kind Family and Fourjay non-construction leadership roles as well. Foundations are new to the program. Additionally, Women Build was chosen as a beneficiary for the Women Build is a way for women to begin seeing Makefield Women’s Association raffle, and the themselves in a new light while creating top: Legacy Circle members, Janet and Paul Landes Women Build crew leaders are constructing meaningful, positive change in our community. present Joseph with his key. handcrafted wooden flower pot stepstools and Please join us! For more information about bottom: James, hugging Susie, and Margaret, folding barbecue tables for sale. This year’s Women Build, to receive registration materials for holding Winnie Ndungu-Mungai just moments before Build-a-thon Week 2007 or to purchase a Women- receiving their key. $100,000 goal draws ever closer! built barbecue table or stepstool, contact Laura at Preparations for Build-a-thon Week 2007, being note: Maina-Kamau family pictured on page 4. [email protected] or 215.348.2204 held October 13-20, are already underway. This x302. very special week, dedicated solely to women on our construction site, incorporates the three facets Habitat For Humanity of Bucks County 215.348.2204 • www.habitatbucks.org 3 “Our mission: to impact and improve the Ring! lives of others. Our goal: significance.” Ring! It’s savings for you—and That is the motto of Buffini & Company, and so The group purchased a barbecue grill for use it was, at the Emerald Hollow community for during their stay, and then donated it to a a donation to Habitat! one week in June, as a group of nearly 70 volun- partner family with whom they worked during teers from Buffini and Fox & Roach Charities the week.