New Faces at Habitat

Meet Kate Hilberg

We here at Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver are excited to bring on Kate Hilberg as our new Real Estate Manager. Here is what she has to say about her experience working at Habitat so far.

What is your history with Habitat? “I volunteered for quite a while on the construction sites, as well as as a member of the Women Build Committee.”

What does the Real Estate Manager do? “I’m responsible for finding and purchasing land for the houses and making sure that we’re being a good neighbor. I do diligence on the properties to make sure that they’re something we can actually use, as well as any zoning or planning approvals that need to be put in place before we can build on the land. I hire or oversee the engineering and design work for the properties. Then I make sure that we get the infrastructure in place on the properties before the construction teams take over.”

What is your favorite part about working at Habitat? “The people. They’re really fun, engaging, nice, really committed to what they’re doing.”

What are you looking forward to? “Sable Ridge. That’s the really large, four-acre site with 51 units. It’ll be a challenge.”

Habitat Denver is nation's first affordable builder to partner on EPA's New Homes Programs

Jim Martin (EPA) presents Heather Lafferty (HFHMD)
with the 2011 EPA Partner of the Year Award.

September 14^th, 2011 was a cold and gray day in Golden, CO, but not even the threatening rain clouds could wipe the smile off of Wendy’s face at the groundbreaking for her new Habitat home. Not only did this day mark the beginning of a new life for Wendy, but it was also the first step in a revolutionary partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver (HFHMD) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Wendy’s home will be the first affordable house in the nation to implement all three of the EPA’s home building standards into a single home. These three measures, ENERGY STAR, WaterSense and Indoor airPLUS, are meant to provide a cleaner home and environment, as well as drastically reduce utility costs for residents.

HFHMD has committed to building all future homes beginning in 2012 to the EPA’s New Homes Programs. We have been building our homes to the ENERGY STAR criterion for over a decade, which has saved residents an average of $200 to $400 in energy costs each year. By combining this with the WaterSense and Indoor airPLUS design, HFHMD hopes to create even more efficient and safe homes for our residents.

Dozens of EPA and HFHMD members joined together with Golden residents to celebrate this momentous occasion at the groundbreaking ceremony. Golden Mayor Pro Tem, Karen Oxman, was there to welcome Wendy to the neighborhood. EPA Regional Administrator, Jim Martin, and HFHMD CEO, Heather Lafferty also spoke about the importance of building energy efficient homes.

Wendy said she is so grateful to be working with HFHMD and becoming the first homeowner involved in this initiative. “I couldn’t ask for anything more!” she said.

Habitat's Women Build Featured in the Denver Business Journal

Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver’s Women Build program was featured in the Denver Business Journal’s “Outstanding Women in Business” last month. The journal recognized the incredible support Habitat receives from this group of over 600 women.

Women Build’s goal each year is for at least one home to be completely built and funded by women volunteers. Since 1995, the group has completed 20 homes for low-income families in the Metro Denver area. This year, they are taking on a two-story duplex, east of Sloan’s Lake. Such an ambitious project has required twice the normal amount of daily volunteers, but Habitat has seen no shortage in turn-out. “We’ve had an amazing amount of support this year,” said Jill McClure, chair of Women Build, in the article.

Click here to read the full article and to discover the remarkable impact the Women Build program has on families and its women volunteers.

Click here to watch a video featuring activity on the Women Build site and details about this fun program.

Summer Home Dedications

To build a Habitat home, volunteers, staff, partner families and sponsors come together to make a difference for a low-income family who dreams of owning a home. Using hammers, nails, paint brushes and power tools, selfless individuals build doorways to brighter futures. Habitat partner families come together to help build their homes and the homes of others and create a sense of community that may have been absent before. This summer, join Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver as we celebrate each beautiful home and the amazing accomplishments of many hard working individuals.

Habitat will host 7 total home dedications in Denver and Aurora this summer. Partner families will have the opportunity to speak about their work with Habitat, cut the ribbon on their new front doors and receive the keys to their homes. After the ceremony, stay for a tour of the homes and celebrate with Habitat staff, friends and family.

For information on when each home dedication will take place, click here. Also, connect with us on Facebook to hear about more upcoming home dedications, other Habitat events and how you can become involved with our organization.

Extreme Makeover: Habitat Edition

On Saturday, July 30^th, thirteen families in the Globeville neighborhood partnered with 100 Habitat volunteers to make a difference in their community. Working in conjunction with Extreme Community Makeover (ECM), Habitat volunteers and Globeville homeowners addressed repair needs by working on painting, yard cleaning, yard maintenance, fence repair and concrete. Stepping forward with positive, can-do attitudes, Habitat volunteers made a tangible difference in the lives of these Globeville families.

“This partnership between Extreme Community Makeover and Habitat for Humanity is a great example of the impact we can collaboratively make by engaging community members – volunteers and homeowners – to improve the neighborhoods in which we live,” said Extreme Community Makeover Executive Director Angela Bomgaars.

Extreme Community Makeover coordinates volunteer teams to partner with underserved people to improve their own homes and neighborhoods. Partnering with ECM on this project has allowed Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver to engage our volunteers in a new way, serving additional families and expanding our scope of project work.

Click here to learn more about Extreme Community Makeover.  Or, click here to sign up to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and help us continue to build homes and change lives throughout Denver.

Blues & BBQ for Better Housing this Weekend

This weekend, experience some of the best BBQ in Colorado and support Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver at the same time! Head out to Olde Town Arvada to experience great BBQ, shop for arts and crafts and hear blues and rock acts while helping to provide low-income families with a brighter future. On Sunday, July 17th starting at noon, the 14^th Annual Blues and BBQ Festival will feature 16 of Colorado’s best blues and rock acts on two stages and over 70 food, jewelry, arts and crafts vendors.

Proceeds from the festival will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver. As our longest running fundraiser, the event has helped raise over $50,000 for our organization. Help us make this year our best yet and come out to enjoy food, music and arts and crafts in the summer sun. Purchase tickets online or at the entrance for only $20.

New Faces at Habitat

Meet Corey Biechele

You may have seen Corey's friendly face around the Denver Outlet or construction sites during his time spent with AmeriCorps, but we are ecstatic to reintroduce him as Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver's new Deconstruction Supervisor!

Habitat History: Originally from Massachusetts, Corey studied Sports Management at the University of Massachusetts - Amherst.  Corey volunteered in New Orleans about six months after Hurricane Katrina.  After observing the hope and perseverance amidst everything else in New Orleans, he knew he wanted to be a part of the rebuilding effort.  This led to him becoming involved with Habitat through AmeriCorps after graduating college in 2008.

  

Favorite part about working with Habitat: "I have met some of the most interesting, generous, smart, and engaging people through my work with Habitat for Humanity. I enjoy working with my co-workers, the volunteers, donors, and partner families to address the need for affordable housing in our community. Habitat provides me the opportunity to use my skills to directly impact deserving families and my community as a whole."

The Deconstruction Program (Q&A with Corey):

What are the size and scope of deconstruction projects you are involved with?

Our deconstruction projects range from small to large. We deconstruct kitchens and baths all the way to entire houses that are scheduled for demolition. We have projects that range from quick and simple to elaborate and extensive.

How many volunteers do you have currently?  Do you need more?

We have about 40-50 regular volunteers and we are always looking for more. The deconstruction program is rapidly expanding. To meet the growing demand we are consistently looking for volunteers who are interested in assisting Habitat in a unique way. However, we do ask that our volunteers do have some experience using power tools such as drills and saws.

How does the deconstruction program benefit HFHMD and the Outlets?

The deconstruction program not only benefits HFHMD and the Outlets but it also benefits the community and the environment. Our deconstruction program brings quality building materials to the stores that will be sold at a reduced price. The items in our stores allow individuals and families to make repairs, upgrades or remodels to their homes at an affordable price. The proceeds from the Outlet stores offset the overhead and fundraising costs of HFHMD so that all donations go directly to the building of homes. The Outlet stores are vital to being able to build wonderful new homes for families in our community.

In addition, the deconstruction program gives a second life to building materials that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Rather than throwing away perfectly good building materials, donors have the opportunity to donate to HFHMD in return for a tax donation receipt.

What opportunities do you see in the future for the deconstruction program?

The sky is the limit for this program. There is large opportunity to partner with individual donors, remodeling companies and other organizations to prevent quality building materials from going to the landfill and to provide the public with an affordable option for repairs, remodels or upgrades.

If you are interested in becoming a deconstruction volunteer, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Alice Goble, for more information – (303) 996-5468.