Please Visit Our new website at U.S. Postage Paid Monroe, CT www.habitatcfc.org Permit No 173 A special thank you to Blair McCaw, President, Constellation Management Group and WSAA especially David Cushman, Senior Art Director and Renee Mandis, Owner, for generously sharing their time and talent to make our new look possible. We are also deeply grateful to the Massoud family for their generous support of this project and all the work of Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County. Logo Women Build encourages and empowers women to address the critical shortage of affordable housing in Fairfield County The number of single mothers and their children struggling to succeed in neighborhoods challenged by crime, substandard housing and some of the highest rents in the nation are cause for grave concern in Fairfield County, CT. Paying as much as 50% of their income for rent each month, keeps many low-income families impoverished. Tenuous rental situations detract from families’ stability, impacting children’s grades, quality of life and prospects for the future. Save The Date! September 19, 2011 18th Annual Golf Outing Country Club of Fairfield WOMEN BUILD 1542 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT, 06610 Phone: (203) 333-2642 www.www.habitatcfc.org 1785 Stratford Ave, Stratford, CT , 06615 We accept donations of new & used furniture, appliances & building materials. Call Our Donation Hotline 203-3838-4358 or visit www.fairfield county restore.org Free Pick-Up Available The Habitat Restore sells still-useable , donated furniture, appliances and building materials , keeping them out of our landfills. All proceeds are used to build houses in partnership with hardworking, low-income families who need a safe, decent place to live. At then end of the summer we will bid farewell to our wonderful AmeriCorps volunteers who skillfully led construction teams over the past year. David Cremer, Mikaela Dennison and Chelsea Lee Williams were indispensable and we wish them well. Julianna Calvin who spent the year building the ReStore’s marketing capacity will remain with us as a member of our development team. We are currently seeking candidates for AmeriCorps positions which begin this summer. We have opportunities for two construction leaders and one resource development team member. Habitat CFC’s partnership with the AmeriCorps program leverages our resources while allowing young people to gain experience, commit to a long-term project, live in a new place and take on new challenges…all while receiving benefits that include a modest living allowance, medical coverage and an educational award to use for school or pay off student loans. To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit the website at: www.habitat.org/americorps. For the past 6 years, Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County’s (Habitat CFC) Women Build program has taken on the challenge of poverty housing one family at a time. They meet this challenge by raising funds for and actually building the new home side by side with the future homeowner. All Habitat CFC homeowners are rigorously screened to assure their success in taking on a 30 year 0% interest mortgage. They also invest 500 hours of “sweat equity” as a down payment on their future home. In addition, they are required to take courses in financial management and conflict resolution which help them become responsible homeowners and community members. “Every aspect of a family’s life is impacted from health to kid’s grades. The odds of children completing high school and moving on to college increase and their prospects for a better life are much improved. The community benefits and blighted properties are returned to the tax rolls.” This year, Women Build is partnering with single mother Nicole Murphy of Stamford. Nicole was born and raised in Stamford. She grew up in the projects on Connecticut Avenue, graduated from Stamford High School, got married and started a family. Since her divorce in 2007 Nicole struggles to pay her rent on what she earns working locally as an administrative assistant in the field of education. She and her son Jerry age 7, live in a high-rise building which had been slated for demolition and rebuilding prior to the economic crash. Many of her neighbors were moved out in preparation for the demolition and the building has fallen into a state of disrepair. “We live on the 10th floor and the elevator is broken a lot so Jerry has to help me carry groceries all the way up ten flights to our apartment. In the winter, the heat isn’t always reliable , but the worst thing is that there is nowhere for my son to play. The neighborhood isn’t safe so he can’t be outside and he is too young to really understand why mom is so protective.” “When you understand the impact owning a home has on a family, it’s a project that’s almost impossible to say no to” explains long-term Women Build volunteer Amy Gilles “My son is my motivation for everything I do.” Nicole Murphy Women Build (cont’d) Nicole found out about the condos that Habitat for Humanity was building on West Main Street, so she decided to apply to become a Habitat partner family. Partner families invest 500 hours in sweat equity, purchase their home at cost and repay a 30 year 0% mortgage. Nicole will never forget how happy she felt when she signed her letter of acceptance. “The neighborhood is so much better and Jerry will be able to play outside and ride his bike. My son is my motivation for everything I do. I want him to be happy and have a better life. “ To learn more about WomenBuild please contact Eileen Bakos 203-333-2642 x102 or [email protected]. Hoops for Habitat Hearts & Hammers On Saturday, March 26, more than 100 students participated in Hoops for Habitat, a Youth United event which took place at the McGiveney Center in Bridgeport. Special guests included Wes Matthews, former L.A. Laker, Chris Smith all time topscorer for U-Conn and Walt Luckett , All American player from Kolbe High School. More than $7,200 was raised to help fund the Habitat home on Jane Street in Bridgeport. Youth United is a coalition of young people ages 5 to 25 from all over Fairfield County who have take on the challenge of eliminating poverty housing in our community. For more information or to join Youth United please call Phyllis Machledt at 203-2688737. Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County’s 12th Annual Hearts & Hammers Gala honoring retiring Board Chairman Ken Paul and the law firm of Cohen & Wolf was attended by 240 guests. Held at the Hyatt Regency in Greenwich on March 5th, the evening featured cocktails, dinner, dancing and live and silent auctions. Honorary co-Chairs Cindi Bigelow, President of R.C. Bigelow, Stephanie Blackwell, CEO of Aurora Products and Jay Ireland, President and CEO of GE Asset Management, were recognized for their service. More than $140,000 was raised to help us continue building safe, decent homes in partnership with low-income families living in Stamford, Bridgeport and Stratford. Donations: Call 203-333-2642; online at www.habitatcfc.org choose WomenBuild in the designation field.; or send check in the enclosed envelope. Please note Women Build on check. Those who donate $500 or more can schedule a build day with us! Mary and Jim Himes with Habitat CFC Chair Sandy Blanchard behind future Habitat homeowners Tiena & Ed Cintron Volunteer Spotlight Amy Gillis– Women Build Amy Gillis of Southport began volunteering with Habitat CFC in 2005 and she joined Women Build 18 months later. She liked the idea of learning new skills while volunteering her time to help families move into safe, decent, housing. “I really enjoy working side-by-side with families, doing the heavy lifting together.” Amy has gotten her entire family involved in Habitat as well. Her husband Jack has volunteered many times as has her daughter Janet, who also brought her sorority Delta Epsilon Beta and Delta Chi fraternity to work a few times as well. About her work with Women Build Amy said “I’ve reached a point in my life when it ’s important to me to help other women, especially single mothers, who are struggling to provide food and shelter for their families. It’s very rewarding to see neighborhoods transform too. Neighborhoods that were drug and crime ridden now have families taking pride in their homes and kids playing in the yards . The kids do better in school and they are healthier and happier. I can’t imagine a better way to spend my Saturday mornings!” Pic of amy on Tractor Back (l-r) Walt Luckett, Wes Matthews, Chris Smith, Wesley Daniels , Cathy Burns Front: Beth Rafferty,Youth United coleader with 4 event participants. Building Communities Habitat CFC Co-president Keith Cook, Senator Richard Blumenthal, Hearts & Hammers Honoree Ken Paul, Co -president Bruce Berzin and Sandy Blanchard. Habitat CFC Board Member Phyllis Machledt receives the first annual Jim Lyle Memorial Award from Lorna Lyle. Dudley Williams and Juanita James of Stamford with Mary Himes. Currently 17 Habitat CFC houses are under construction, on deck or recently completed. We broke ground on Jane Street, the future home of the Velasquez Family , Washington Terrace the site for Nordia Blacks’ fully accessible future home, as well as Pembroke Street where Jennifer Duprey and her family will reside. We dedicated Taria Hunter’s home on Peace Street in Stratford and Ed & Tiena Cintron’s home on Bunnell street in Bridgpeort. The Vereen family home on Beach Street is next in line for dedication and The Kossuth Street property is next in line for groundbreaking. The 8 condominium unit Stamford project is on schedule for completion in early 2012. We are grateful to the many donors and volunteers who make this work possible! To make a donation please send your check to : Habitat CFC 1542 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport , CT 096610, visit www. Habitat cfc.org or call 203-333-2642 David A. Ball of behalf of Cohen & Wolf accepts the award from Sandy Blanchard Governor Dannel Malloy addressed the guests . Auctioneer Terry Betteridge of Betteridge Jewelers in Greenwich made the live auction a huge success.