Another season is starting and we want to make sure you leave room on your calendar to participate in our Faith Relations meetings. Three meetings are scheduled for this year. They will all be on Tuesday at 10 AM at Habitat’s office, 11145 Tamiami Trail East. Please save these dates and times:
Faith Relations Meetings 2018/2019
- Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 10 AM
- Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 10 AM
- Tuesday March 5, 2019 at 10 AM
So much has happened since our last meeting! 96 families in Collier County built and purchased an affordable home thanks to your helping hand. Additionally, your support provided repair services to more than 300 homes damaged during Hurricane Irma, some that were not even Habitat homes.
Our first Clergy Build Day took place on September 8. This day came together thanks to thoughtful input from members of the clergy who wanted to give back to the community in a different way than they do on a daily basis. They spent the morning building alongside a newly approved family, Perfecta and Roberta Sanchez and their children. The Sanchez family is so grateful to all who are helping build their forever home.
After building, the clergy took a mini Habi-tour. They saw first- hand the untenable conditions that applicant families live in when they come to Habitat desperate to find an affordable place to live. We ended with a tour of Legacy Lakes where we were invited into Tara and Hallie Baker’s home, built in partnership with Trinity-By-The-Cove. Liset Solis, whose home was built in partnership with Moorings Presbyterian Church, told the group how she and her three children are so thankful to be settled in a home of their own.
Another great idea that was suggested when we met with clergy planning our build day was to offer a link on Habitat Collier’s website for Faith Relations materials. Habitat International provides a wealth of materials and spiritual readings that may be used for services. These are especially appropriate for Habitat Sundays and we are building that page on our website now so that the clergy will have easy access to those materials. I will send out the link as soon as our new page is live!
At the end of October a group of 16 volunteers, including three Habitat kids, will be leaving on Habitat Collier’s first Global Village trip. They will travel to El Salvador and work with local families earning their “sweat equity” just like many of you have done here in Collier County. At our last Faith Relations meeting, you may remember that I said two Habitat kids had been funded to join the group by a generous volunteer. Pat Pollak from Wesley United Methodist Church wanted to add to the group. Thanks to Pat and Tom and their generous friends, a third Habitat kid is able to participate. The group will be back home just prior to our first meeting so we will share details from the trip.
We look forward to welcoming a few new members to our group in November. Thanks to all of you who have served on this committee for a number of years. If you no longer wish to participate, please let me know and we will invite a new representative from your congregation.
A detailed agenda will be sent prior to the November 6th meeting. Please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions or would like to suggest another member from your congregation take on this responsibility.
Thank you for your faithful support!
Andrea McKenna
239-775-0036
amckenna@habitatcollier.org
