For decades, we’ve dreamt of building a community where our children can return, live, and thrive. We’ve made great strides in bringing jobs and opportunities to our area, but there’s another critical piece to that vision that has become an obvious hurdle—ensuring that the people who are the backbone of our community can afford to call it home.

The reality is that, while many of us work hard and earn good wages, the current economic landscape has made homeownership more challenging. Did you know that 1 in 6 American families spend more than half of their income on housing? Rising property values, while a sign of growth and opportunity, are creating barriers for families who contribute so much to the fabric of our community. The cost to cover a home has made it nearly impossible for them to live here.

Everywhere you look—cities, suburbs, rural areas—the stability that home should bring remains out of reach for far too many families. This is what moved me to get involved. With a mission to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. Habitat for Humanity partners with people to help them build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. With our support, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and for their families, not through charity, but through a structured, attainable loan program designed to work with their specific needs.

Zerik Samples, CEO of the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity, explains it best, “We’re not just providing houses. We’re building hope and helping families achieve the dream of homeownership in a way that is sustainable and empowering.” Families aren’t just given homes—they earn them through their partnership with Habitat, meeting requirements that demonstrate their commitment and ability to make homeownership a reality. Through various required courses prior to being approved for a Habitat mortgage, buyers learn how to build wealth, save, and invest in their futures. They must be able to save for the escrow payment, put 350 sweat equity hours into the construction of their home—alongside community partners, and create their last will and testament.

Let’s face it… people want to live in our community. It is safe, beautiful, and the schools are amazing. We want those who are fighting fires, keeping thieves out, and teaching our children to be our neighbors, and to enjoy the lifestyle they are helping make possible. However, when you research starting salaries for the aforementioned occupations and compare them to the price of rent in our area, let alone the price to purchase a home, there is an obvious gap. People are living to pay their bills, and most are struggling to save for a vacation, let alone a 20% down payment on a $350,000+ home (the median home cost in Richmond Hill). Habitat helps bridge the gap between hardworking families and the joy and pride found in owning their own home.

We can all play a role in this endeavor. Whether it’s through volunteering, contributing financially, or simply spreading the word, we have the power to support an organization that is lifting up hardworking families and helping them achieve something many feel is out of reach.

In the spirit of community and forward-thinking, I’m asking you to join me in the effort to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to build their future. Habitat for Humanity is here, and it’s making a difference. Now it’s our turn to step up and help ensure that everyone who wants to call this place home has the chance to do so. See Community Calendar on page 13 for more information.