Habitat for Humanity: Planting Smiles This Spring
Families are the heart of Habitat for Humanity of Lincoln. Since 1988, Habitat has built more than 188 homes through their mission to build strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter for families in Lancaster and Seward counties.
Habitat homeowners are typically first-time home buyers with incomes between 30-50% of the area’s median income in Lincoln. They are coming from living situations that can include overcrowding, leaky windows, mold, and unaffordable, increasing rent. They are
hard-working families who want a hand-up, not a hand-out.
Cash and Whitney were childhood friends who reconnected as adults wanting to bring their families together. They were living in a home with windows that leaked, and although Cash is quite the handyman, he was never able to keep up with the repairs their aging home needed. The blended family of six now lives in their very own home which is nearby a park so the kids are able to run down the block and play with their brand new friends.
Habitat homeowners build their homes alongside volunteers and then are able to purchase the home through a low-cost, affordable mortgage. As homeowners, these families now have an investment in their future and endless opportunities for their children. They are invested in their new neighborhood, pay taxes, and are able to develop friendships and relationships that make our entire community stronger.
Habitat is able to offer these low cost mortgages to families because of the work of our construction volunteers and through financial support from donations and funds raised through the Habitat ReStore. The Habitat ReStore, located at 5601 S. 59th Street in Lincoln, is a home improvement thrift store offering new and used household items at a fraction of retail prices. Families can shop at the ReStore for furniture, home decor, appliances, building materials, lawn and garden items, and more. All proceeds go back to the mission of Habitat.
There are several ways that kids and families can help the mission of Habitat. While safety reasons require our construction volunteers to be 18 years or older, kids can help fuel the team by making sandwiches and lunches for the crew — the team loves a good peanut butter and jelly. The minimum age to volunteer at the Habitat ReStore is 16 years, but younger children can hold donation drives in their neighborhood for furniture and other household items to be resold at the ReStore. The ReStore will even pick up the donations. And kids of all ages can connect with their neighborhoods to do yard work for neighbors and neighborhood clean up, ensuring that everyone has a decent place to live.
Starting March 1, Habitat will be kicking off the Planting Smiles program. Families with kids are encouraged to pick up 4-inch terra cotta pots at the Habitat offices at 4615 Orchard Street in Lincoln, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They can then decorate them however they wish and return them to the office. Habitat will then find new homes for these pieces of art. Some of the pots will be filled with beautiful flowers and gifted to new Habitat homeowners. Some of the pots will be resold to the public at the Habitat ReStore and help to fund our mission. And some of the beautiful pieces will be given as “thank yous” to the incredibly dedicated volunteers who do so much for Habitat families.
The Planting Smiles program is an exciting way for kids and families to give back to the mission of Habitat for Humanity this spring sharing inspiring artwork and “heart-work” with the community.
