If you don’t know about Habitat for Humanity of Orange County (Habitat OC), you’re missing out on big news in the philanthropic efforts for affordable housing.
Thanks to their work, hundreds of families receive the assistance they need to transform their living situation. Whether it’s a shift out of financial instability, or a transition to a healthier and safer home, Habitat OC has been a leader in the movement for building community and hope for the Orange County families who need it most.
What is Habitat OC?
As part of a global, nonprofit housing organization, Habitat OC is our local version of a large-scale project to build, renovate, and repair homes to create healthy living conditions for our most vulnerable community members.
It’s not just about the physical home building, however. A major part of what the organization does lies in advocacy.
Habitat OC fights for fair housing policies and the eradication of substandard housing, and partners with groups and individuals who can advise on the environmenmental and financial sustainability of their work. They’ve really covered all the angles to make sure that their solutions are both effective and long-term.
Recent Projects
Building homes is no easy feat! Last year, the city of Fullerton became home to three new families through Habitat’s building project. The land, donated by the city, and transformed by donors, volunteers, and the receiving families, will soon host over 30 new houses.
Three residences recently went to the Ramos family, the Gomez-Garcia family, and the Silva family. Each family received their new key, and an affordable mortgage for their hard-earned home.
Due to the ribbon-cutting taking place in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were greeted with a socially distant car parade on Saturday, August 15th. A huge surprise came at the end of the parade when each family also received a car thanks to generous donations from the Automobile Club of Southern California!
It’s these heart-warming moments, when you watch a person’s worries fall away, that highlight the true impact of these projects.
Building Dreams Drive
To fund building projects like the one in Fullerton, Habitat OC hosts an annual Building Dreams Drive. Typically, it’s an in-person breakfast fundraiser to raise funds for their various home building and repair projects in the county.
This year’s fundraiser on Wednesday, March 24th at 9:00AM, will be a virtual event. To participate, visit habitatoc.org/drive to learn how you can be a part of fulfilling a lifetime of dreams for 4 OC families.
Get Involved with Habitat OC
This is a chance to be a part of something amazing, even if that participation is simply by joining a social media group to express your support or learn more about the organization.Speaking of which, there is still a lot going on at the Fullerton build-site! Stay informed on what’s happening and get regular updates by joining Habitat OC’s Dream Builders Facebook group. You’ll get access to video previews of in-progress homes and learn how Habitat OC simultaneously impacts families, volunteers, and donors.
If you’ve been inspired and wish to get even more involved, check out how you can volunteer with Habitat OC. If you believe you, or someone you know, qualifies for home ownership or repair through Habitat OC, you can review the qualifications and learn more about the process under the “Apply” tab on habitat.org.
