Working with our families is the cornerstone of the Habitat process.  Helping families towards self sufficiency and home ownership is an exciting process.  Here are ways you can help:

1.)    Family Selection

Volunteers on the Family Selection Committee help find and select the families we partner with in the Habitat process.  In Hendricks County, we hold at least two public meetings at the Avon-Washington Township Public Library in the spring and summer, inviting people to come and learn more about Habitat and see if they have the necessary qualifications.  Once the prospective families determine they want to apply, the Family Selection Committee reviews their application and begins verifying information like employment and finances.  If all the information looks to be in order, teams of two volunteers visit the family and determines if the family is in need of housing.  The home visit process continues until the committee is satisfied that they have enough information to recommend the family to the Board of Directors.  (For more information on what the requirements are for becoming a partner family, see “Becoming a Partner Family”.)

2.)    Family Advocates

The Advocate is the essential link between the partner family and the Habitat organization.  Advocates are the “face” of Habitat; the one volunteer that stays with the family from beginning to end.  The Advocate helps explain all the in’s and out’s of the Habitat process, and becomes the first person the family calls when there is a question.  Advocates spend one on one time with the family and gets to know them well.  They become trusted friends that the family can turn to when they are in need.

3.)    Family Workshops

All partner families are required to attend a series of workshops designed to help them in the home ownership process.  Workshops include topics like budgeting and finance, home maintenance, spiritual growth, etc.  Volunteers are needed to help plan the workshops, recruit teachers for the workshops, baby-sit during the classes, interpret for families, coordinate schedules, and keep track of attendance.

All volunteers receive training for these roles, as well as supervision by a licensed social worker.  Some people choose to volunteer singly or as a couple.  Come and see what a rewarding experience it is to help a family in need! 

What is a Partner Family?

“Partner family” is the term Habitat uses for the family they are building a home for.  Partner is an essential word in Habitat language.  It means we are in this together, and together we will build you a home and give you a hand up.  Habitat is not a “give away program”.  A partner family earns their home, and pays for it.   Partner families may have had a hard time in their lives; they may have had set backs and problems that have kept them from moving into adequate housing.  Habitat exists to help those families that have “fallen between the cracks”---you may have the energy and determination to move up into better housing, but not quite enough income to qualify for a mortgage through a regular bank.

Becoming a Partner Family

Families interested in becoming a partner family need to fulfill the following selection criteria:

1.)    Demonstrate a need for housing as determined by your current shelter.  In other words, your home is too small, there are structural problems, insufficient heating, poor plumbing, leaking roof, etc.  If your current home is adequate for your needs, then you would not qualify.

2.)    Have the ability to pay for a Habitat house.  Many people are under the mistaken impression that Habitat gives homes away.  This is not true.  Partner families pay for their homes.  Their mortgages are lower and have no interest, but there are mortgage payments. Partner families must demonstrate their ability to pay those mortgage payments.  There are income guidelines the partner family needs to meet.  If your income is too low, you would not be able to afford the mortgage; if your income is too high, you could qualify for a regular mortgage on your own and not need Habitat.  The current income guidelines are below.

3.)    Be willing to become partners in the Habitat process.  This means that you understand that you are earning your home, as well as paying the mortgage.  How you do this is called “sweat equity”.  Couples must perform 350 sweat equity hours.  A single individual must perform 305 sweat equity hours.  This is done by working on the construction of your home and other homes, attending workshops designed to teach you about home ownership, going to meetings, and spending time with volunteers; the ways to earn sweat equity hours are varied.  A partner family needs to understand and be willing to work with Habitat in our mission to eliminate inadequate housing.

4.)    Be a resident of Hendricks County for at least one year.

Income guidelines

Family of 1   $11,552 - $23,104

Family of 2   $12,302 - $24,604

Family of 3   $13,052 - $26,104

Family of 4   $13,802 - $27,604

Family of 5   $14,552 - $29,104

Family of 6   $15,302 - $30,604

Family of 7   $16,052 - $32,104

Family of 8   $16,802 - $33,604

Family of 9   $17,552 - $35,104

How to apply

Habitat for Humanity of Hendricks County holds informational meetings to talk more about the application process and answer questions directly to see if people qualify.    We generally do not mail out applications because so many people would work hard on their applications only to find out they did not qualify.  The informational meetings help families have a better idea if they would qualify before going to the trouble of applying.  The dates for 2006:

May 6,  2006  Saturday        10am-11:30am

July 13, 2006, Thursday       6:30pm-7:45pm

Watch for the 2007 times and dates.

The meetings are held at the Avon-Washington Township Public Library:  498 North SR 267, Avon, IN  46123

If you have further questions, please call the Habitat office at (317) 272-1405 on Tuesdays or Thursdays.