Thirty-five years ago, the United Nations General Assembly took an important step in promoting the idea that everyone deserves a decent place to live by declaring that the first Monday in October would be World Habitat Day. On October 5th, 2020, Watauga Habitat for Humanity joins with our partners locally and around the world to rededicate ourselves to recognizing the basic right to adequate shelter. Watauga Habitat for Humanity asks that we all come together as one communicating that:
- Every one of us deserves the opportunity for a better future.
- A decent place to live can remove barriers to opportunity, health and success that might have been part of a family’s life for years and in many cases for generations.
- It is unacceptable that even before the COVID-19 crisis, more than 18 million U.S. households were paying half or more of their income on housing. Now, as the significant economic impacts of COVID-19 continue to unfold, the number of families struggling to make ends meet is only growing.
Habitat for Humanity International is working to improve home affordability for 10 million people through a five-year U.S. advocacy campaign called Cost of Home. The campaign, which launched in June 2019, provides the opportunity to mobilize corporate and faith partners, volunteers and community members to meet the nation’s home affordability challenge. Donate your voice and invite your network to advocate for policies that increase the supply and preservation of affordable homes, equitably increase access to credit, optimize land use for affordable homes, and develop homes and ensure access to and the development of communities of opportunity.
Given that World Habitat Day falls one month before the 2020 elections, we encourage everyone to use this time to call on candidates and voters to prioritize home affordability this Nov. 3. To learn more visit, habitat.org/costofhome/act-now .
About Habitat for Humanity
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 as a grassroots effort on a community farm in southern Georgia. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.
About Watauga Habitat for Humanity:
Part of a global, nonprofit housing organization, Watauga Habitat for Humanity works locally to eliminate barriers to a better, healthier, and more financially stable life by providing homebuyers with a decent and affordable place to call home. Homebuyers partner with Habitat, helping build their own homes alongside volunteers. Habitat offers zero interest mortgages to the homeowners. Since 1987, Watauga Habitat for Humanity has built 29 homes and supported families facing challenges. Now in these exceedingly difficult times, along with committed community partnerships, Watauga Habitat stands ready to offer a hand-up to families needing safe and affordable homes. For more information visit their website at www.wataugahabitat.org/home.
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