In so many ways, this has been a tough year for me to feel grateful. The last twelve months have brought some challenges that have been difficult to move past and I’m a bit in limbo and not sure where I will land. At points in my life like this, I double-down on gratitude, even if it is for the smallest of things, like the mist rising through the trees in my back yard in the morning, or the warm bed I slept in last night. The smallest blessings help remind me how truly lucky

A recent in finding in the  2018 State of World Volunteerism Report suggest that local volunteering is a fundamental coping strategy for communities in crisis. The report presented new evidence that more than 1 billion people volunteer globally, and that local volunteerism enables collective strategies for managing risk.  Volunteers are the invaluable resource that sustains nonprofit organizations, especially for those that have limited capacity to help an infinite number of

Nestled in the mountains by a tranquil lake, Lulu and her husband’s wood cabin is a retreat from modern living. The couple purchased the 321 square foot neglected picnic pavilion, seeing past the years of abandonment with visions of family and friends gathering in a beautiful, updated space. Thanks to the MontDelco ReStore , the two were able to completely renovate and furnish their cabin on a budget. While some of the items used in the revamp were purchased new, it’s fair t

This summer, we said goodbye to our AmeriCorps Volunteer Services Coordinator, Jackie, who was with us for one service year. Jackie spent a year working and volunteering after graduating from Bloomsburg University with a degree in Anthropology. She knew she wanted a career where she could make a difference in her community, but with so many interests, she was left with more questions than answers. Thankfully, she found an AmeriCorps opportunity with Habitat MontDelco that all

By Kim Morales, Family Services AmeriCorps member Do you love helping people? Do you love getting out of your comfort zone and try new things? Do you love taking on responsibility? Do you love working with people who are all working towards the same goal? Have you always wanted to get into a new field but wanted to test it out first? Are you entirely unsure of what you want in life and just searching for an answer? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, Habita

Tim served in the US Navy from 1999 until 2001 when he suffered a head injury that ended his career as a sailor.  After being discharged from the VA hospital in Coatesville, Tim found himself addicted to the pain medication that made functioning possible.  After a string of bad luck, Tim found himself homeless. Even in the darkest times, he did not give up on himself. He found support through his family and recovery resources in Delaware County helping him recover and purchas

By Marianne Lynch, Chief Executive Officer Over the last year, I have had the privilege of serving on the Montgomery County Affordable Housing Task Force. It has been an honor to be in the same room with so many representatives from Government, the private sector and other non-profits all gathered together to determine the challenges that so many families are facing in trying to find a home that is affordable. This week, some of the findings of the committee have been releas

By Mary Metz, Habitat MontDelco Board Member Last month, more than 2,300 people, from more than 500 Habitat for Humanity affiliates came together for the annual Habitat for Humanity International Conference. At every turn I was in awe of the enthusiasm and dedication to Habitat’s mission from all in attendance. Attendees traveled to Atlanta from all over the world – from large affiliates with complex staffing structures, to small affiliates made up solely of volunteers. Wheth

By Cara Przybylowicz, Volunteer and Community Relations Manager Last week, we hosted Collegiate Challenge. This is a week when groups of students from colleges and universities across the country partner with different Habitat affiliates to spend a week with them building homes and communities. At Habitat MontDelco we are fortunate enough to work with students from Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, and have done so for the past 15 years! These students are truly

By Marianne Lynch, Chief Executive Officer 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties. Many of you have shared stories about the early days…meeting in a church basement, working on homes with no structural walls, being an all-volunteer organization. Thirty years have brought tremendous changes. We started as Habitat of Norristown, then expanded to Pottstown, Upper Dublin and Hatfield, and began offering critical home repairs

By Marianne Lynch, Chief Executive Officer Happy New Year! This time of year always begs for a fresh start, a period of reflection and for me, goals setting. I don’t call them resolutions because that seems as though they are either going to happen, or not. Goals are something I can work toward. If I don’t totally succeed this year, I can roll the goal over and eventually meet it. My goals this year: Improve my finances, and specifically, pay off my credit card and save for a

Villanova, Habitat and leadership Ask Joe Catuzzi what he’s passionate about and you’ll most likely hear: his family, Villanova, and Habitat for Humanity. Ironically, the three are all connected. Joe is a proud Villanova alum who met his wife Emily on a Habitat student chapter build. Today, he is an attorney at Stradley Ronon and a member of Habitat’s Montdelco’s Board of Directors. He and Emily still volunteer together; most recently coordinating a Villanova Alumni Build. Jo

Helen’s dream of a secure home has come true Helen Reilly and her four beautiful children, Kamori (9), twins Kordell and Karina (7), and London (1) are happily settled at 52 W. Basin Street in Norristown. But home wasn’t always like this. Growing up in an Air Force family, Helen moved from city to city—always the ‘new kid’ in the class. She decided that when she started her own family, they would have a different experience: a comfortable home where her kids could just ‘be ki

Paying forward a life-changing opportunity It was almost 40 years ago that Peter Luba purchased his own home in Philadelphia through a program similar to Habitat’s Home Buying program. Looking back, he is grateful to have been given the life-changing opportunity to provide a stable life for his family. That’s one of the reasons he volunteers at the ReStore, Habitat’s discount home improvement store, where 100 percent of the proceeds are used to help hard-working families get