Habitat for Humanity

Habitat offers families a hand up, not a handout, and probably the most important thing Habitat provides families is stability. Once a family successfully owns and maintains a home, the rest of their lives generally get much easier. We are very excited to announce that the Faithful Builders Coalition, of which Holy Cross is a significant part, will build a new family home this summer at 4009 N. 26th Street. Professionals will excavate the basement and pour the foundation. Volunteers will begin framing on July 30th and we plan to be done with paint and cleanup in mid-October. You can support this build in three ways:

(1) Volunteer your time to help build – this is the most fun and rewarding way to help. The best way is to sign up online at https://cerv.is/0119gT9tmnB. You’ll have to set up an account if you don’t have one (it’s pretty easy!) but contact Jim Schneider with questions.

(2) Volunteer to register workers and serve food, snacks, and refreshments. Holy Cross is responsible for the first build day, Saturday, July 30. Contact Peg Schneider to help.

(3) Donate money for materials.  Holy Cross has pledged $1,500 this year; because of your generosity in the past, we always seem to exceed our pledge and I know we can do it again! One easy way to donate is online at https://habitatomaha.org/donate/faithful-builders/. Another is to drop a check at the church office, or with Jim or Peg Schneider. No matter how you donate, please be sure your contribution is clearly marked “from Holy Cross Lutheran” and “for Faithful Builders Coalition” so everybody gets proper credit. Donations are fully tax deductible.

You might be surprised how much Habitat has grown over the years, how many lives it touches, and in how many ways! In 2021 Habitat for Humanity of Omaha built 53 new homes, and undertook 153 home improvement projects (weatherizing, repairs, installing energy-efficient appliances, new windows, etc.) in Douglas, Sarpy, and Washington Counties. Also, Habitat Omaha helped 106 families get “mortgage ready” to buy their own home. Habitat helped them learn to budget and save, helped them restore their credit, and helped navigate all the bank loan, title, and insurance paperwork. Habitat also makes sure every family is trained and able to maintain their home.

In 2022 Habitat of Omaha will again build about 50 homes – but is also undertaking two significant new projects: Bluestem Prairie is a project near 50th and Sorenson which replaces a razed apartment complex with 85 new homes, both single-family and multi-generational, and rehabilitates 15 existing homes in the neighborhood. Capriana is a project near 204th and Maple to build 11 new single-family homes adjacent to a new apartment complex, to create a diverse neighborhood with amenities like parks, walking trails, and nearby stores and restaurants.

Habitat has long been an important mission of Holy Cross Lutheran – please reach out to Jim Schneider for more information.