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Groundbreaking News from the West Grove Site!
In partnership with the Chester County Commissioners, the Chester County Department of Community Development, and the Borough of West Grove Habitat is overseeing the infrastructure work on and surrounding our 6.8 acre property in West Grove. Habitat purchased this lot in 2010 with plans to build 40 affordable, owner-occupied homes.
The infrastructure work: storm water management, street improvements, paving, etc., was made possible by two generous Community Revitalization Program grants, awarded to the Borough by the County Commissioners. Habitat’s engineering firm, Edward B. Walsh & Associates, is working with the site subcontractor, Meco Constructors, to carry out the activity.
The 40 homes will forever change the lives of everyday, hard-working families who struggle with the high cost of rent and do not qualify for a conventional mortgage. Teachers from the Avon Grove School District, hospital employees from Jennersville, and many others within the low- to moderate-income range are all great candidates for housing. We are very excited for the opportunity to enlist a new neighborhood of residents looking to add value to the community around them.
An official ceremony will be announced for the spring, and the housing application window will open later this year.
Fond Farewells and New Faces
Kate Weidner started as a ReStore volunteer in 2013 and took on the role as Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator in our administration office in 2014. Kate was dedicated to making Habitat the best that it could be through her commitment to the volunteers and taking on any challenge that came her way. Thank you Kate for all your hard work and we wish you good luck on your new venture!
Latifa Brown has been with Habitat since September and is actively looking for ways to increase our volunteer base. She previously worked in the market research industry for 8 years and is excited to use her marketing skills in the non-profit sector. When she’s not in the office, she can be found in the gym coaching volleyball.
Becki Lapotsky joined Habitat for Humanity as the Marketing and Communications Manager in late October. With a background in marketing for non-profit organizations and startups, her goal is to share all the good that Habitat does for the community.
Building a Thirst Brewery Ticket Book Sales
We have re-enlisted the help of nine Chester County breweries to participate in our 2nd Building a Thirst brewery ticket book fundraiser. Each book contains tickets redeemable for a free beer at each brewery. All the proceeds go directly to the construction of more homes, providing a hand-up to deserving, hard-working families.
Last year’s books sales generated $11,000 in funds that went directly to the purchase of building materials. This year we are on track for a repeat performance with successful sales dates at Locust Lane, Stable 12 and La Cabra brewing. Be sure to visit our Facebook page for an up to date list of remaining events and a reason to visit these great local craft breweries.
A special thanks to the brewery participants:
Build A House…Build A Dream! 2019 Contest
Calling all fifth-grade builders, artists, architects, and engineers! Along with presenting sponsor Fox & Roach and Trident Charities, Habitat for Humanity of Chester County is excited to announce the 16th annual Build a House…Build a Dream! contest for kids.
In this competition, fifth-grade students in the Delaware Valley work individually or in pairs to build their own three-dimensional, model dream home. Students bring these models to our contest on the morning of Saturday, March 23, 2019, at Church Farm School in Exton for display and judging. There will be three rounds of judging with winning contestants advancing after each round. Participants will arrive at 8:30 AM and the first round will start at 9:15 AM. All three rounds and awards will last until approximately 12 PM. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries, but raffles, food, and fun are guaranteed for all who attend.
Visit https://hfhcc.org/buildahouse2019/ for more information.
Kennett Square ReStore Closing
Habitat for Humanity of Chester County has made the difficult decision to close our Kennett Square ReStore location effective March 9, 2019. The decision to close the ReStore was not entered into lightly and came only after we reviewed every option to maximize the impact of our mission and best serve our community. The Caln (Coatesville) ReStore will continue to operate and accept donations from the Chester County area.
Habitat has decided that we can do the most good for the Chester County area by focusing on a single store and, most importantly, the construction of decent, affordable homes in the county. We will continue to keep the community informed of updates and timelines as we draw closer to March. We are grateful for the support that our shoppers, donors, volunteers, and staff have shown the Kennett Square store for the past 7 years.
Volunteer Spotlight: Scott Cornell
Scott has been volunteering with Habitat for Humanity of Chester County since February 2010. His first build was on Bolmar Street in West Chester after he found the opportunity online. Upon returning home from a 2006 mission trip doing relief work for victims of Hurricane Katrina, Scott was inspired to continue volunteering locally and even took some residential electricity courses at Delaware Community College. When we asked him why he continues to volunteer he replied “I would say that two aspects grew in importance. The first was witnessing the Habitat homeowners realize their dream. I got to see a number of them go well beyond their ‘sweat equity’ requirements and I was pleased that I could help make their dream a reality. The second was the camaraderie among the regular volunteers. Lunch hour at the shed is often the most interesting and light-hearted moment of the day.” Scott says his favorite part of being on the site is that with the recent retirement of a number of volunteers from the electrical crew, he hopes that he can be a resource for the electrical aspects of future homes. He feels that his retirement years are being devoted to the work that pleases the Lord and, of course, the friendships made on the site with the “regular” volunteers. Scott finished by saying “At the end of the day, you will be dirty, you will be tired, you will have some aches and pains, but you will feel good about your day,” and that “regardless of (your) level of skill, Habitat will find a role for you.” We would like to thank Scott for all of his hard work and dedication he continues to put into these homes that change peoples lives!