By Andrea Bobrick and Patsy Fontes

Habitat for Humanity-Freeborn/Mower

It has always been our mission to put God’s love into action; to bring people together to build homes, communities and hope, but this year we want to bring more people together, we want to build more homes, and offer more hope than we did in 2013.

Already this year we are getting to it. We had volunteers on our construction site in Austin on Jan. 2 who are committed to finishing what is going to be the Berhe Family’s home this year. Efrem Berhe is a full time nursing student at Riverland Community College, a full time employee, a husband and a father of three. The opportunity to have a safe, decent, and affordable home via Habitat for Humanity-Freeborn/Mower is a unique experience for Efrem and his family.

Long time volunteers, Keith and Paul, have been working alongside Efrem and his family for months to rehab their new home. Efrem has shared that the hope that Habitat offers him gives him just what he needs to continue his education. Partnering with Habitat offers this family the security that Efrem has longed for his family to have. He feels like he can breathe a little easier knowing he will be in a new home that safely houses his entire family while the folks at Habitat support him in his journey to becoming a homeowner.

While our construction volunteers are vital in building homes, there are so many other roles that make carrying out our mission possible. Without committee volunteers, fund development volunteers, office volunteers, etc. there is very little we can do. This year we have the goal to play a more active role in the community, to build two new homes for families like the Berhe Family, but in order to do so, we need the community to play a more active role in what we do.

HFH-FM representatives will be at the Coffee House on Main on Jan. 18 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to share with anyone interested how we can do more together in 2014. For more information about Habitat for Humanity- Freeborn/ Mower visit our website www.habitatfreebornmower.org or contact Brigitte Campbell, Executive Director at 507-433-1349.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit ecumenical Christian organization whose mission is to build decent, affordable housing for people in our community who are economically challenged. For more information about Habitat for Humanity Freeborn/Mower, contact Brigitte Campbell, executive director, at 507-434-1349 or director@habitatfreebornmower.org.