I love the way Habitat builds dignity in all of the people that are involved. We take a homeowner who was living in poverty and give them an opportunity to build their own home, and we take high school students and give them a really meaningful way to give back to the community. It’s a true community-building endeavor that really builds us each up as people.
–Kerry Thompson, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County
This Community Minute highlights two Bloomington Habitat for Humanity organizations: Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County, and the Bloomington High School North Chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
The mission of Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County is to eliminate substandard housing by building simple, decent, affordable homes in partnership with qualifying families. Habitat homeowners pay interest-free, no-profit mortgages, which are used to build more Habitat houses. Because houses are principally built with volunteer labor, mortgage payments are affordable for low-income partners.
Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County has built 106 homes in the area, at an average of 13 homes per year. The organization coordinates a number of special home-building weeks, including the popular Habitat Women Build and Builders’ Blitz. For one of their newer projects, Indiana University students and partner families build a home in the parking lot of IU’s Memorial Stadium, which is then moved to a residential neighborhood.
The mission of the Bloomington High School North Habitat for Humanity Chapter is to support Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County by fundraising and providing volunteers to work on homes or feed hungry builders. The co-president of the BHSN Chapter also serves on Habitat’s selection committee, helping to choose partner families. The BHSN Chapter has raised funds to build ten homes in ten years, a trend they hope to continue.
Learn More And Get Involved:
Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County
Kerry Thompson, Executive Director
Email: info@monroecountyhabitat.org
volunteer@monrocountyhabitat.org
213 E. Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47408
Phone: (812) 331-4069
Bloomington High School North Habitat Chapter
Pat Wilson, Club Sponsor
pwilson@mccsc.edu
