Habitat's work affects the lives of homeowners and volunteers today and sets the stage for a successful second generation
by Shala Carlson and Wong Hiew Peng
If you plant for 10 years, plant trees.
If you plant for 100 years, plant men.
If you plant for eternity, plant the word.
--Hasidic saying
In many ways, the work of Habitat for Humanity is as immediate as it gets. Hammers in hand, partners in prayer, volunteer families and homeowner families toil side by side, working together to create tangible change and real-time results.
But the foundations poured on every build site aren't the only ones being laid. Homeowners frequently point past their immediately improved living conditions to the changes that Habitat so often means for their children and their families. Building a house with Habitat has changed what their today looks like, to be sure, but the experience also has planted a seed of hope and strength within these families.
Additionally, as Habitat for Humanity International marks its 30th year, the organization's volunteer corps notably includes an ever-growing number of second- and third-generation supporters--volunteers and donors who either grew up around Habitat or found themselves drawn to service by the examples of their parents and siblings. The volunteers who play a vital part in the organization's present work also actively ensure its future--by the simple act of handing down Habitat.
Habitat's business is about building homes today; along the way, the organization and its participants and partners are shaping a better tomorrow. What follows are just a few of the many families that make up Habitat for Humanity's present--and its future.
The Heredea Family
The Cooke Family
The Slavkovsky Family
The Seso Family
The Huntting Family
The Houston Family
