Guest Blogger: Mackenzie Irving
Habitat For Humanity is an amazing charity that believes everyone deserves a place to call home. They build homes all around the world. They don’t just work in developing countries, but in neighborhoods like yours across the country. I can say firsthand how incredible Habitat for Humanity is because my family lives in a Habitat home.
Coming from a single parent family, money has always been really tight. Before my family and I were awarded our Habitat home in 2009 we were living in a tiny shoebox apartment. It was so small that when you opened the front door it hit the couch. Living on Aquidneck Island is expensive, so it was all we could afford.
I was ten years old when Habitat awarded my family the house. The best part for me was doing small things to help build it. I can vividly remember helping tile the bathroom, stain the stairs, caulk the walls, etc. It took about a year to complete after that. Everyone that was a part of the process was so kind. So many people from our community volunteered and the end product was absolutely amazing. We have been living here for nine years now.
Now, every day, I get to work alongside the people who helped build my home, supporting Habitat through Cars for Homes.
General Manager Kelly Furtado, helping build my Habitat Home!
Being someone who has directly benefited from Habitat for Humanity it is really rewarding to be able to work somewhere where I can help other people receive a helping hand from Habitat. Habitat doesn’t just give people houses to live in, they give a place to call home. To me, they will always be the best charity.
A Habitat home isn’t a free home. The recipients still have to pay a mortgage, but it is interest-free and based on income. Affordable and safe housing should universally available, and Habitat works hard to build that world. In addition to an interest-free mortgage, homeowners work on the construction of their home, or other builds in the area. They must volunteer at least 400 hours of sweat equity, whether on a build or at a ReStore.
By donating your vehicle to Habitat for Humanity you can help other families like mine have a beautiful place to live. Habitat doesn’t just build houses, they build homes.