Celebrating 40 years of homes, communities, and hope
CELEBRATE
FORTY YEARS OF...
Habitat Chesapeake doesn’t just build homes — we also build skills and experience. By working with youth & educators, Habitat ensures that the next generation will be prepared to carry on the mission of affordable housing for all in Maryland. Habitat also builds on self-empowerment by guiding first-time homebuyers to resources to better educate themselves about finances and the housing market. We’re celebrating 40 years of education, from training youth leaders to future homebuyers, who make home ownership Built to Last!
Volunteering with Habitat is more than just a weekend of fun service for the Broadneck High School Habitat Club. For this teacher and his students, it’s a tradition over 15 years in the making. Listen to our podcast episode to learn about Scott Rundle, a math teacher at Broadneck High School in Annapolis, who took charge of the school’s Habitat Club in 2008 and has since led students in building homes and communities all across the country, including right here with Habitat Chesapeake. We also hear from Brandon, a Broadneck alumnus who is now serving with Habitat Chesapeake as an AmeriCorps service member.
Ever wonder about what it takes to be a Habitat homebuyer? In addition to earning their 250 hours of “sweat equity” on build sites and in the ReStores, homebuyers must also commit to complete our homebuyer education courses! These courses cover everything from personal finances to debunking myths and complexities of the homebuying process.
Habitat’s Homebuyer Education is divided into two sessions with six classes in each session.
The first six classes are mainly based on the fundamentals of personal finance. The first session of class is conducted as soon as Partner Families are accepted into the Habitat Homeownership Program. These classes reinforce the healthy financial practices that our Partner Families will be utilizing throughout the length of the program. Improving your credit and learning how to create and stick to a budget are fundamental practices that will be strengthened during monthly one-on-one’s conducted individually with every active partner.
The second session of Homebuyer Education is more closely tailored to the specifics of purchasing a home through Habitat Chesapeake. These classes are held when Partner Families are nearing the end of their process in preparation for settlement on their new Habitat home. The second session focuses closely on the components of a mortgage payment and goes into detail of how an escrow account functions, as well as the complexities around property taxes and tax credits that are vital to maintaining an affordable mortgage payment.
“The Habitat Homeownership Program is not only an alternative path to affordable homeownership,” says Lauren Hughes, Director of Homeowner Services at Habitat Chesapeake. “The program focuses on educating the homebuyer in a holistic manner and ensuring they are prepared to not only reap the benefits of being a homeowner, but are prepared for the responsibilities that come with owning your own home.”
Wondering if our Homebuyer Program is the right fit for you or someone you love? Learn more about what it takes to partner with us during one of our Homebuyer Information Sessions! Check out our upcoming sessions here or visit our website to learn more about the requirements for the program.
For 40 years, Habitat Chesapeake has helped train and educate youth of all ages on critical life skills, including minor construction, homeownership, and building strong community relationships. Experiencing a Youth Build event helps kids of all ages experience the power of community!
We’re expressing gratitude for our youth partners, including schools like Broadneck High School, and Johns Hopkins University. Check out our photo album of youth events across the years and share your own story with Habitat from your youth with us on social media!
FORTY YEARS OF HOMES.
HERE’S TO FORTY MORE.
Habitat Chesapeake would like to thank you for making 40 years of service possible. To help us bring homes and hope to families for decades to come, please consider donating time, services, or funds to help us carry our mission into the future.
