On September 11, 2024, Habitat for Humanity-Spokane will kick off the inaugural Veterans Build event. This four-day event intends to build camaraderie within our veteran community, highlighting the need for affordable homeownership opportunities for local veterans, connecting people with local veteran organizations, and celebrating the success of over 9,000 veterans and their families who have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to improve their housing since 2013.
Habitat for Humanity-Spokane invites all individuals and community partners to join the Veterans Build event to truly dig into the building process, and volunteer at the job site alongside the hardworking Future Homeowners in the Habitat Homeownership Program. Everyone can make a difference in our community for modest-income families while learning valuable hands-on skills – no experience necessary!
Habitat for Humanity International launched the nationwide Veterans Build program in 2013 in response to grassroots efforts to serve the housing needs of returning veterans. At that time, the National Low Income Housing Coalition found that 2.5 million veteran-headed households were at least 55 years of age, and of those, 24% had housing cost burdens. Unlike older civilians, our veterans are more likely to have a disability that may require home modifications, health, and other supportive services as they age. Likewise, veterans who served following 9/11 have returned to a slow-growing economy and rising housing costs. Locally the median home resale price in Spokane County nearly doubled from $255,600 in 2019 to an astronomical all-time high of $499,500 in 2024. These economic factors have made the transition from military service to civilian life difficult for many of our veterans.
“Habitat is determined to meet the growing need and remain a beacon of hope for those who cannot afford a safe and decent home,” says Habitat for Humanity-Spokane’s CEO, Michelle Girardot. “We are positioned to help families build intergenerational wealth through affordable homeownership and other strategic supports, such as developing more inclusive communities, and transforming our neighborhoods lacking resources into areas full of opportunity.”
Fairchild Air Force Base is the largest employer in Spokane County, and with such a large military population in Washington State, Habitat-Spokane invites everyone with a connection to the veteran and military community to join us in Deer Park while we build homes, community and hope.
Habitat for Humanity-Spokane is extremely grateful for the support from community partners that make efforts like Veterans Build possible, including Henery’s Hardware, Kaiser Aluminum, Global Credit Union, Rosauers Supermarkets, DeRive Architecture, 4 Degrees Real Estate, AAA Distributor, Horizon Credit Union, and WenSpok Restaurant Group.
In addition, Habitat-Spokane encourages participants to make donations in honor or memory of a veteran or military service member who has inspired them for our Veterans Build Honor Wall. The Honor Wall donations will continue to help our low-income neighbors partnered in the Homeownership Program work toward homeownership and financial stability. Individual volunteers and groups are urged to sign up for a Veterans Build shift to experience the fun at the construction site while raising awareness of the unique barriers veterans face in accessing safe and affordable housing.
Veterans Build - September 11-14, 2024
DONATE - SIGN UP - LEARN MORE
https://habitat-spokane.org/Veterans-Build
Questions about Veterans Build? Call 509-534-2552
Finally, the highlight of Veterans Build is a special Kick-Off Celebration featuring speeches from Habitat-Spokane’s CEO Michelle Girardot, and military veteran and Habitat Homeowner Nathan Thomas who will discuss his experience going through the Habitat Homeownership Program as a veteran. All are invited to participate in a unique Habitat for Humanity kick-off activity to celebrate affordable homeownership and building communities of opportunity in Deer Park.
Veterans Build Kick-Off Celebration
Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at 8:30 am
1129 S Margaret St
Deer Park, WA 99006
ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY-SPOKANE:
Since 1987, Habitat for Humanity-Spokane continues to provide unique opportunities for homeownership for low- to moderate-income households. We are driven by our mission: Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, community, and hope. For over 35 years, Habitat continues to be the leader in affordable homeownership programming and new construction in Spokane County; completing over 400 units of new and rehabbed construction housing. Now more than ever, Habitat-Spokane is committed to making safe, decent, and affordable homeownership our top priority with the promotion of economic mobility and communities of opportunity for qualified low- to moderate-income buyers.
