June 2007 - Laughing Rock Technology

The Volunteer
A bulletin of Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity—June 2007
Thanks To Our Wonderful
Major Sponsors!
2007 House Sponsors:
145-151 West Elm Street, Fleetwood
1431 Monroe Street, Reading
Homes Built with Loving Hands
In almost two decades of mission-minded
homebuilding, RBHFH has been blessed
with committed volunteers. This work is
based upon the participation of hundreds of
volunteers. These individuals have joined
together to successfully tackle a significant
social problem--decent housing for all! They
pick up hammers, work with partner families,
and find ways to spread the word about Habitat
throughout Berks County. We have met so many people from different walks
of life sharing their gifts:

1433 Monroe Street, Reading

2007 Community Sponsors:


City of Reading

County of Berks
We’ve met retired folks who spend their Tuesdays and Thursdays
helping at the jobsite.
We've met wonderful people from church groups who came out and
organized a potluck lunch.
We've met college kids who came out to lend a hand despite their focus
on studies.
We've met insurance agents, realtors and bankers whose companies
financially support the build--they go there on a weekend and get dirty.
Even elementary, middle and high school children have helped, raising
money through Hats on for Habitat fund-raisers at their school.
We have so many people willing to donate their time at the jobsite, but in
order to not turn them away; we are in need of financial support so we can
build more safe, decent, affordable housing with our dedicated Berks County
volunteers. Help us put them to work!
Over the years, Greth generously has set
aside $100 for each house sold ($6,500 this
year alone) to donate back to Berks County
and to our Habitat families so they also can
have a safe, decent place to call home.
Thanks for donating $3,300 towards the
Fleetwood project! Thanks also for
volunteering, collecting donations at branches
and preparing radio spots! Stay Tuned….
The most important thing if you're interested in becoming a donor is to consult
your heart, because a gift from the heart, always keeps giving. Never think
what you could share would be too small. It's the littlest things that make the
biggest impressions. Individual contributions, when combined together,
enable family and community transformations to take place. Contact
(610)373-3439 with any questions or become a donor by sending your check
payable to RBHFH, PO Box 13666, Reading, PA 19612. Or use your
credit card or Paypal online at www.rbhabitat.org. One person can make
a difference!
Thanks Weaver’s Hardware for
supporting Habitat in so many ways:
equipment rental, tools, etc.
Thank you to all our donors and volunteers for sharing a part of yourself!
RBHFH WILL SOON HAVE A PLACE TO CALL HOME!
This is the first time in years RBHFH will have an office. This
location will accommodate our small staff, warehouse space, and
a Restore. The Restore will sell donated new and used items to
the public. We will be looking for donations in the near future.
Watch for details and our upcoming Grand Opening!
In the meantime, we are looking for gently used items for our
new office: desks, chairs, table, file cabinets, phone system,
computers, printers, a copier and a fax machine.
New office, warehouse and restore at S.
18th Street in Reading ( former Weikel’s
Sportswear building).
If you can help with any of these items, please call (610) 3733439.
IF WE BUILD, THEY WILL COME…
(TO HELP IN FLEETWOOD)!
Stop by 145 W. Elm
Street in Fleetwood
to see amazing
progress being done
on four houses!
You’re Invited: 1431 & 1433 Monroe Street
Home Dedications
When: Sunday, July 22 @ 3 pm
Thank you corporate house sponsors:
Coldwell Banker Landis Homesale Services
Allstate Foundation
NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
READING, PA
PERMIT NO. 211
P.O. Box 13666 Reading, PA 19612
Phone: 610-373-3439
www.rbhabitat.org

Please check here and return unopened
to be removed from our mailing list
“JIMMY CARTER INSPIRED US TO APPLY FOR A HABITAT HOME”
Bob’s involvement with Habitat began seven years ago. At that time, Bob and his wife Donna, both
disabled, were renting a place in Fleetwood. They both enjoyed living in that area until they were inspired
by a television appearance by Jimmy Carter. “I was impressed Jimmy Carter spent his personal time
helping build homes for less fortunate people through Habitat for Humanity, I knew this had to be a good
group to work with,” he expressed.
Bob and Donna had always dreamed of owning their own home one day. And, until they heard ReadingBerks Habitat for Humanity existed in our own area, they thought that would be in the distant future. They immediately applied for a Habitat
home. Bob said, “Donna and I were so very grateful being approved by Habitat---this meant the world to us!”
They immediately began putting in their 400 sweat-equity hours with the help from members of a Fleetwood Lutheran Church where they painted
and did finishing work on another Habitat house in Reading. Bob especially remembers these hours to be pleasurable and well worth it! Their
single story, fully wheelchair accessible home was finished in June 2000 and they moved in.
Bob recalls, “My wife was so happy in our new home, but it was sad she only enjoyed two years here.” Donna had gotten ill and passed away. “I
lost my soul mate!” he said teary-eyed. Since, Bob himself became ill and now is in the confines of a wheelchair. A relative tried to encourage
him to move to an assisted living facility. Bob insisted, “My one-story Habitat home has allowed me to stay here and maintain my
independence.” Then, Bob pauses and says with a smile, “My wife would want me to be here. I can’t leave these good memories of her.”
He is currently enrolled in classes at Reading Area Community College (RACC) and is striving toward a degree in Accounting. Bob is regularly
visited by many friends and relatives. He continues to be happy in his Habitat home and is only disappointed he can’t help build other Habitat
homes now, but stressed his strong affiliation and willingness to help Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity in other ways.
Our thanks to those
Berks County Churches
and Businesses that made
special contributions to
Reading-Berks Habitat
for Humanity over the
past three months:
Greth Homes: $6,500
St. Constantines & Helens: $3,486.23
Fleetwood Bank: $3,300
Wachovia Foundation: $1,000
Wyomissing UCC: $969
West Lawn UMC: $750
East Penn Mfg.: $500
Leesport Financial Corp.: $500
Sts. Constantine & Helen and St. Matthew's Greek
Orthodox churches hosted a "Gyrofest" fundraiser
on Sunday, April 22nd. Profits went to Reading-Berks Habitat
for Humanity. Thank you for organizing this fundraiser and
raising $3,486.23!
Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) ecumenical
Christian charitable organization which exists to create
affordable homeownership opportunities with and for lowincome families. Families who purchase Habitat for Humanity
homes must first contribute 400 hours construction labor on a
Habitat home, a contribution we call “sweat-equity.” Homes
are sold to the families at no profit, and financed by ReadingBerks Habitat for Humanity with zero-interest mortgages. The
payments made by the families on their mortgages are then
used to build more homes in our community. We rely on
volunteers and families contributing sweat-equity for the “unskilled” labor needed to build the homes. Working in this way,
we believe we provide families a “hand-up” rather than a
“hand-out,” while also providing a way for good people to
assist hard-working families in our community.
Reading-Berks Habitat for Humanity, Inc. is registered with the Pennsylvania Bureau of
Charitable Organizations. A copy of the official registration and financial information may
be obtained by calling 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.