Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity

“A second chance; a peace of mind.”  This is the answer the mother of our Habitat partner family gave to us when asked, “What does Habitat give to families?”  This mother, husband and four adopted children currently live in a local, rundown rental home where they scrape by on just 30 – 60% of the average median income for Emmet and Charlevoix Counties ($15,300 - $30,600 annually).  With help from our local community – from people like you – NW Michigan Habitat is rehabilitating a Petoskey foreclosure to provide a second chance and peace of mind for this family.  We’re providing a means for a hand up, not a hand out, to this family in need of safe, affordable housing.

Those who support the Habitat mission to eliminate poverty housing in Charlevoix and Emmet County realize that giving a break to a family in need is what is most needed.  It is a sad fact that poverty levels are rising in our area -- more than 12% of our local Emmet County residents, and 13% of our Charlevoix County residents live below the national poverty level. The Char-Em United Way ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, but Employed) report states that nearly 38% of all families living in our two county area live on income beneath what is required to finance safe, decent and affordable housing.

Over the last 25 years we have learned that it is possible to break the cycle of poverty living. In that time, NW Michigan Habitat has built 36 homes locally, and funded 25 homes overseas through our tithes that support Habitat’s international mission. All of our new homes are Energy Star Certified and handicap accessible using state-of-the-art construction methods. Even refurbished homes receive energy efficiency improvements! During 2016 we will complete our first home and start another in our Alanson Lantern Walk subdivision.  We will be refurbishing a home in Boyne City for another Partner Family, and we’re on track to increase our capacity to serve even more families through our Critical Repair/Weatherization programs for local low-income homeowners needing housing repairs. 

As you look around your home where you feel safe and comfortable, we prayerfully ask you to consider giving a gift of any size that might help us make the dream of safe, decent and affordable housing a reality for our Habitat Partner Families. We are asking you, and our community, to help us continue our mission through a generous donation that will be restricted for program services in 2016.  We are committed to improve our capacity to serve our community through wise, fiscally responsible use of your donation for our affordable housing programs. 

Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity is a Christian 501(c)3 non-profit, missional organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope in Emmet and Charlevoix Counties of Michigan.  Together with you, we share a vision of a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live, and where housing poverty and homelessness are eliminated.

Join our cause by creating your own personalized fundraising page to support Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity!  Click on the green “Get Started” button on the right-hand side to start now!  When you sign-up, it will walk you through how to personalize your page and begin raising funds.  Share your page through social media outlets, like Facebook and Twitter, to spread the mission of Northwest Michigan Habitat for Humanity.  Together, we can raise funds to build homes, communities, and hope in Emmet and Charlevoix Counties.