Special tradition at Clemson lasts long after homecoming weekend

The nails are hammered in, the wood is cut and the roof is shingled. Over the last eight days, a house has been being built on the campus at Clemson.

Jon Goyert is a supervisor, and one of the hundreds of volunteers hard at work.

“We don’t get paid in money. We get paid in knowledge that we’re doing good stuff," Goyert said.

And that’s what it's about. This is the 30th “Habitat for Humanity” house constructed at Clemson. The structure will go to a local family in need.

Ashley Henthorn just graduated in the spring. This is her third time being a part of the homecoming week tradition.

“It’s great to help the community, help a family out and have fun doing it," Henthorn said. "It’s awesome to be out on the field watching all the fraternities build their floats. To be on the middle of campus, I just had someone ask me why I’m out here building a house."

A couple hundred yards away, the homecoming floats were getting their final touches. But while those will be torn down, the home will stand. It's a staple event on the campus, started in 1994.

“An art student and a construction science student felt like they wanted to do something for homecoming that wouldn’t be thrown away," Bob Hogan said.

As the advisor for the student chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Hogan has seen thousands of students step in to hammer nails over the years. It’s a unique homecoming tradition, but one that will make a difference well after the weekend comes to an end.

“When they come back for homecoming, they come by the house. They say, 'Yeah, I worked on it as a student.' I love the tradition, and it keeps us connected to all those people," Hogan said.

For more information go to:

Special tradition at Clemson lasts long after homecoming weekend

Homecoming build returns to Bowman Field for 30th Habitat for Humanity house

Construction gets a boost from Boston University students

Our usual construction crew got a boost this week from 9 Boston University students who were participating in the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge.  A lot of progress on a new home was made during the first two days, starting with putting the foundation and crawl space in place.  The decking was put in place day one and all of the framing was done by day two.  The students also worked on wiring and installing cabinets in another Habitat house nearby on Wednesday. 

For more information on the Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge go to:

https://www.habitat.org/.../travel.../collegiate-challenge

Oconee Habitat Newsletter March 2021

As everyone is painfully aware, coping with Covid-19 made last year very challenging on many fronts.  The good news is through the dedicated efforts of our over 180 regular volunteers we were able to keep home building moving forward, help homeowners through some lean times, review and approve new home applications and achieve outstanding store sales even though it was closed from March 14 until June 10th to protect the health of customers and volunteers.  We were also able to provide leadership, construction assistance and funds throughout most of the year to repair damage caused by the tornadoes in April.  I’m happy to say that through it all, the state of Oconee County Habitat For Humanity (OCHFH) is very good.  Our most pressing need is to continue to recruit new volunteers and grow futures leaders.  You will find more detail on all of these and other important activities below.

My primary work here at Oconee County Habitat For Humanity was mostly in the store for the past several years.  Like many of you, I was only able to get a glimpse of all the things that are necessary to keep OCHFH functioning.  It has been eye opening to see the wide array of things that must be done and the skills that are needed for us to achieve The Habitat Mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope in our local community.  I hope this longer than usual newsletter will help you to see the bigger picture.

Vital Statistics

-          Homes completed last year: 4

-          Homes under construction: 4

-          Homes we plan to start this year: 4

-          Volunteers: 183

o    Store: approximately 90

o    Truck crews: 25

o    Construction: 30

o    Family Selection: 14

o    Family Partners: 11

o    Board of Directors and Officers: 13

Financial Status

According to Habitat for Humanity International, we are the largest and most successful all-volunteer affiliate in the country. Thank you for contributing to the success of our organization!  Our financial status is extremely sound due to the all-volunteer make-up of our organization.  This means that all our income goes to building homes for our clients and not to salaries for executives, store managers or other employees.

Our affiliate has two primary sources of income, which include our 83 mortgages and the net profit from our retail store.  The income we make each year allows us to build about four new homes.  During 2020, we completed four homes in the West Union area for Amber Charles, Cheney Davis, Pam Evans, and Donna Kemp.  This year we are on track to close on our last 4 homes in West Union, which will bring our total to 14 homes in that subdivision.  We will be moving some of our operations later this year to the Mt. Nebo area in Seneca, where we have 5 lots to start building there for homeowners who have already been selected and who are working on their sweat equity.

Our new homeowners are paying approximately $400 per month, which includes their mortgage payment, property taxes, and homeowner’s insurance.  Habitat does not charge any interest on our mortgages which is why homeownership is affordable to so many people in our community. However, this year we have seen that the rapidly rising cost of raw materials may result in higher mortgage payments for future homeowners. Because of Covid-19, we have also had difficulty getting our appliances due to the disruptions in manufacturing.   Our mortgages are set now at 30 years, although they may be paid off early at no cost to the homeowner.

Our sound financial position allowed us to provide a very meaningful response to the tornado damage this past year that impacted so many people in Seneca and our county.  You can read more about our response to this disaster in this newsletter.

During 2020, we had four homeowners who finished paying off their mortgage.  This is quite an achievement!  So far this year, one additional homeowner has paid off her mortgage. 

Just over 10 years ago, Bill and Grace Holzhauer started the Holzhauer Education Fund, which provides grants to our homeowners and their children who are interested in attaining a GED or post high school degree.  To date, we have given out 191 grants, totaling $136,370.  Donations made to Oconee County Habitat for Humanity may be designated to this fund to enable us to continue to support our families.  There will be more information on the Fund in a subsequent newsletter.

Our affiliate’s reach goes far beyond just our local county.  We contribute a tithe to Habitat for Humanity International which is 10% of our income from donations and net profits from the Resale store to help support several international priorities.  One is the global mission which is used to help families outside the U.S. secure decent shelter.    Another is to support orphans and vulnerable groups who face persecution.  For the final priority, we support the response to international disasters as they occur.

Resale Store Update

The Resale sales for last year were down compared to 2019 because the store was closed for three months and was open only part-time for several months after it re-opened.  Additionally, we had higher expenses to get the store in compliance with CDC guidelines regarding Covid-19.  Remarkably, the monthly average sales were almost the same as 2019.

The store returned to normal hours in early January.  They are Wednesday – Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM & Saturday 10 AM to 1 PM.  We got off to a great start with January sales up 12% compared to January last year.

We are starting to see the return of volunteers that were more vulnerable to the virus, but we still need more volunteers to reduce the workload and provide adequate backup to cover for vacations and unplanned absence.

Changes to the perimeter of the property to improve security are underway and include moving the boat yard fence to provide better protection for the back of the store and new dusk to dawn outside lighting.  We are also investigating resurfacing the parking lot while the store is closed for the summer break and upgrading the security camera system.

 

Construction Update

Our current site in West Union is almost completed.  There are 14 homes on that site.  The construction crew works 3 days a week from 7:30 AM to approximately 11:30 AM Monday, Thursday & Saturday, weather permitting.  If you are interested in working at the construction site, the West Union homes are on Eastpointe Drive behind Ingles.  We will be starting to construct homes in Seneca at Mt Nebo soon.  Contact Jon Goyert 850-621-3395 for more details.

Placing first roof truss on the final house in West Union.

70 minutes later all of the roof trusses were in place.  Construction teams are getting this down to a fine art.  Great job!

Tornado Relief Program

On April 13, 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, a series of tornados swept through Seneca, tearing off roofs, porches, siding, and knocking down hundreds of trees.  A number of homes and businesses were completely destroyed.  Following the storm, the city of Seneca, FEMA, United Way, and numerous church organizations set up programs to help in the storm recovery process.  In addition, a number of our Habitat volunteers jumped into the early recovery effort as individuals or as part of the church groups doing mostly tree removals from roads and buildings. 

The city of Seneca set up a program to provide emergency assistance and Habitat donated $5,000 to the effort.  But our Board recognized that we could do more for the victims of the storm and initiated a tornado relief program to help fund some of the repairs to homes. In this way, the program will enable Habitat to serve more people in our housing ministry. In addition, the program would increase opportunities for volunteer engagement and expand our base of donors and partners. A number of Board volunteers put together a plan for implementation and a budget for the Tornado Relief Program (TRP).

Specifically, applicants were eligible for up to a $10,000 grant for repairs not covered by insurance or other funding resources if the need for repair of their current housing was caused by the April 13th tornado and they both own & occupy the home.

In addition to providing funding for storm victims, HFH volunteers also worked with the Oconee County Long Term Recovery Group to help perform and coordinate repair efforts across multiple programs.  Over a dozen OCHFH construction volunteers worked in groups to repair and replace tornado damaged home decks and railings, roof trusses and decking, vinyl siding, soffit, fascia, sheetrock, windows, roof coverings, kitchen cabinets, plumbing, handicap ramps, and numerous other tasks.

As part of the repair program, a number of church organizations (Catholic Charities, Foothills and Seneca Presbyterian Churches, St. Paul the Apostle Church) donated money directly to HFH to be used exclusively in the tornado repair program.  At this time, nearly $27,000 from these organizations has been donated and we have spent close to $41,000 for materials, rentals, and subcontractor support.  At the start of the program, there were nearly 200 homes identified that needed some level of repair.   Over the past year, the number has been reduced to less than a dozen with a couple homes still needing major repairs.  We anticipate spending another $10,000 to $15,000 before we are finished with the program.  We are grateful for all the volunteers that contributed to this effort of expanding our housing ministry, increasing volunteer engagement, and expanding our donor and volunteer base.

35th Anniversary Celebration

The Board is planning to have an outside event for volunteers and spouses this summer to celebrate the 35th Anniversary.  Kathy O’Brien has offered to chair the committee.  If you have suggestions, pictures or stories that you would like to contribute please contact her.  Her email address is: kacoinc2@yahoo.com.  More information will be provided as the plans develop.

Board of Directors

Since the previous newsletter, we recently added David Stafford to the Board of Directors.  We are still searching for volunteers for the positions of Secretary and 1st VP (Loan officer).  We are always in need of new volunteers, so invite your friends, church members and neighbors to volunteer and don’t be afraid to volunteer to take on new or different responsibilities.  Thank you for the selfless service you provide to our community.

Cecil Murray

President, Oconee County Habitat for Humanity

Habitat Happenings

April 21, 2020

A lot has happened over the last few weeks since we provided our last Habitat update. A “home or work” order was enacted April 7th and modified just yesterday. Devastating tornadoes struck throughout the South on Easter weekend, including Seneca and Oconee County. In the wake of these events, the Oconee County Habitat Board has been busy trying to meet the needs of our community. One of those needs is to continue to communicate with our many volunteers and supporters and let you know that while we remain apart, you’re on our minds and in our prayers.

Tornado Disaster Relief

In response to the tornado disaster, many of our Habitat volunteers have reported that they are working hard to provide disaster relief via tree removal and feeding disaster victims. Habitat has been coordinating with Seneca’s Emergency Management Center and has offered store items to those in need. Additionally, we have purchased some of the most needed items and delivered them to the Shaver Complex, which is the designated relief center. Yesterday, the Habitat Board approved a donation of $5,000 for the disaster relief fund and food for disaster victims. Our construction team has registered with the EMC and is standing by awaiting our assignments to assist in emergency board-ups or repair work. We will continue our prayers and volunteer efforts over the coming weeks as our friends and neighbors work to recover from this devastating event.

Store Reopening

Despite Governor McMaster’s announcement to re-open many retail operations, the Habitat Board has determined that the store will remained closed for the immediate time being as so many of our volunteers are among the more vulnerable age group. While no specific time frame has been established, the consensus is that it will likely be another month or possibly beyond before we reopen. When we do reopen, we will have a number of safeguards in place for sanitizing, personal protection, and social distancing. We will be sending out a survey to our volunteers in the coming weeks to get input on what safeguards our volunteers would like to see initiated prior to opening. Rest assured that you will all have a voice in this decision.

Construction

While our construction activities remain officially closed at this time, some work is being carried out in a manner consistent with government distancing guidelines. In the coming weeks, as we begin to expand construction operations, we will expand our program beyond three mornings per week. This will provide an opportunity to invite more volunteers back while still maintaining distancing practices.

Thom McCluskey
President, Oconee County Habitat for Humanity

Coronavirus Crisis Update

As most of you are aware, the OCHFH Re-Sale Store is closed at least until further notice. Please continue to monitor our notices so that we can keep you apprised of potential closure extensions. At the same time the Board of Directors would like to assure all of our volunteers, supporters, and families that Habitat’s work is continuing.

Store and Truck

Despite the closure, work on improving back of the store lighting has progressed, as well as HVAC maintenance. Some needed maintenance (including new tires) has been performed on the truck. We had begun securing bids for parking lot repairs and re-surfacing this summer, but we recently put that on hold as a cost saving measure in view of diminished revenue. Some thought has been put into added safety precautions when we do re-open, but it’s simply premature to establish any definitive policies.

Construction

Construction activities are ongoing at this time, with many added precautions for our volunteer workers. We will closely monitor this and shut down if the need arises. At our West Union Site we have completed seven homes to date (one of which was just completed and will close in early April…we’re still in the discussions regarding a dedication event).

There are currently four homes under construction and all have been assigned to homeowner candidates. Additionally, we have one candidate who has accumulated sufficient hours to be assigned a home and for which construction has not yet begun. We have three candidates that are working on their hours and have not been assigned a home yet. Since there are three lots in our West Union Phase I subdivision remaining, all of the candidates that have been approved at this time will be able to live in the West Union subdivision. Future candidates will be at our next build site, which the Board has decided will be the Mt. Nebo subdivision near the airport. We anticipate putting in our first foundation at that location in early 2021.

While we have canceled our volunteer landscaping event that was scheduled for March, we have directed our landscaping contractor to have his workers do the work. He has agreed to do this at minimum additional cost to Habitat.

Habitat Homeowners

We have communicated to all of our 87 Habitat homeowners that for those whose finances have impacted their ability to continue paying their mortgages, we will defer those payments. There are several steps they need to take to receive that deferral, but it is available. Additionally, you should have been notified of our “adopt a Habitat family” initiative to have our volunteers contact all of our families to determine their current situation so that we can determine if there is more we need to do. We have found that many of the phone numbers that we have on file are obsolete, so we’re working on alternative means of communication.

We received two requests in February from Habitat homeowners for $1,000 scholarships from the Holzhauer Education Fund. Both requests were approved. The fund balance is in excess of $32,000.

We have received a lot of information regarding legislation to provide financial assistance to families from SC Habitat. At this time that information remains vague and conflicting. We’ve asked SC Habitat to clarify with our legislators when a concise and simple summary of benefits and how to apply for them is available so that we can pass that information along to our families.

Sustainability and other SC Habitat Affiliates

Even considering the lost revenue due to the store closure as well as diminished mortgage revenue, we are well positioned financially and should remain solvent even if the coronavirus crises continues until year end (hopefully it will not).

Recently we have been in close contact with the other SC Habitat affiliates via bi-weekly virtual meetings. With a few exceptions most of the Habitat stores, offices, and construction activities are shut down state-wide. Having listened to the issues that other SC affiliates are struggling with over the past several weeks, it is clear that, as an all-volunteer organization, we are in a much better position to weather this storm than our fellow SC affiliates.

We hope this update has been helpful. We value all of our volunteers, without which this organization and the resulting contribution to stable affordable housing in Oconee County would not exist. Please stay safe in the coming weeks.

Thom McCluskey
President, Oconee County Habitat for Humanity

Oconee County Habitat receives Malachi 3:10 Award

Habitat's vision: A world where everyone has a decent place to live.

 This summer, Oconee County Habitat for Humanity received the Malachi 3:10 Award from Habitat for Humanity International.  This award recognizes a $500,000 lifetime tithe milestone. Founded in 1986, Oconee County is only the 2nd affiliate in South Carolina, the 128th affiliate within the United States (there are over 1,200 affiliates), and the very first all-volunteer affiliate to meet this goal. Oconee County Habitat has, through its tithe, supported Habitat International’s Global Mission Fund which enables the gifts to be used where they are needed most around the world. The tithe represents helping over 140 families worldwide obtain decent homes, as well as community projects for safe infrastructure and water.

Susan Yow, Director of Affiliate Tithe and Global Engagement, Habitat for Humanity International; Jon Goyert, Oconee County Habitat President; Tom Bottin, Past President; Ken Cushing, Past President

The award was presented by Susan Yow, Director of Affiliate Tithe and Global Engagement, Habitat for Humanity International, to the Oconee affiliate's board of directors on June 10th. “The work here in Oconee County is as much a part of our big global mission is as the work in Zambia, Nepal, Ethiopia, Guatemala, and the other 70 countries around the world where we’re working,” said Yow. “I know you are all very blessed here in Oconee County, and our families around the world certainly are blessed with your support.”

This coveted award is named after a verse in the Bible, Malachi 3:10:  "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that it may be food in my house. Test me in this and see if I do not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."

For more information visit www.oconeehabitat.org.