Seeking partner families

Habitat for Humanity of Allegheny Valley is seeking partner families to be homeowners. There will be an informational meeting on September 29, 2009 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The meeting will be held in the Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills in Room 273, near Entrance 2, and across from Pearle Vision.

To qualify as to be a partner homeowner family, the family must currently live in substandard or overcrowded conditions, must meet the HUD guidelines for having low income, and be willing to work for 350 hours of sweat equity, provide a down payment of $1000. The partner homeowner would end up with a decent home and a 0% interest, affordable mortgage.

Habitat for Humanity of Allegheny Valley has partnered with 17 homeowner families over the last dozen years. If you know someone who might qualify to be our next homeowner family, make sure they know about the upcoming meeting. The flyer or bulletin insert might each be helpful ways to tell them about the opportunity.

File under : Habitat, Pittsburgh Mills

Breaking tradition

On Monday morning July 13, 2009 a group of about a dozen volunteers gathered in the parking lot at the Pittsburgh Mills mall and built a wall for house number 18 for Habitat for Humanity of Allegheny Valley. House number 18 will be the first house the affiliate will construct in parts at the mall and then assembled at its final site. The house is being built through the partnership with Thrivent Financial.



Volunteers will be able to participate in constructing the remaining walls for House 18 on Saturdays this summer. The walls will be built in the parking lot near Dingbats at the Pittsburgh Mills Mall, in a location that is visible at the Butler Logan Road entrance to the mall.



Before making the wall, there was a "Breaking Tradition" service to take the place of the usual groundbreaking service.

The Valley News Dispatch carried an article on Saturday, July 11 announcing the event. On Tuesday, July 14 the print edition of the VND carried a photo of the event.

State Farm presents check to Youth United

On June 8, 2009 at noon representatives of State Farm presented a check to Youth United of Habitat for Humanity of Allegheny Valley. The presentation was part of a thank you lunch being given at the Riverside Community Church's site in the Pittsburgh Mills Mall.

Representing State Farm were Tom DeMartini (a State Farm agent in Cheswick) and Brian Baron (a State Farm agent in Lower Burrell). Representing Youth United of Habitat for Humanity Allegheny Valley was Liz Vertosick of Fox Chapel.

Since 2007, State Farm® has served as the Official Corporate Sponsor of Habitat for Humanity Youth programs with a sponsorship commitment of more than $1.1 million in grants each year. In addition to the national youth program sponsorship, State Farm zone offices contribute more than $500,000 a year directly to Habitat affiliates in their communities.

Wall raising in Arnold

On June 2, Habitat for Humanity of Allegheny Valley raised walls for its first house for 2007. The house is located at 2020 Constitution Blvd. in Arnold, PA.

In 2007 the local affiliate has a goal of increasing its building capacity by building four houses. Walls will be raised in on Bailies Run Road in East Deer for the second house in two weeks. The third house is a rehab on Walnut Street in New Kensington. The fourth house will be in Natrona, but does not have a homeowner yet.



Lou Shirella, an architectural intern who did the drawings for the house, was involved in the actual construction as well.



There was a brief ceremony before we started lifting the walls into place.



The volunteers arranged themselves along the first wall ...

... and started lifting it ...



... and then it was secured in place.



In a few minutes the second wall was ready to be raised.



Up it went!



And then it, too, was secured.



The Serjeant family are to be the homeowners. President of the Board for Habitat for Humanity of Allegheny Valley, the Rev. Dr. James Legge rejoices with Dale, Abby, and Erik at the beginning of this project.



The Serjeant family had been homeless, and received initial assistance only eighteen months ago through the Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Allegheny Valley Association of Churches. Executive Director of the Association of Churches, Karen Snair stands with the Serjeant family beside the second wall of their new home.



Although the affiliate has not yet identified a homeowner for the fourth house this year, all of the known 2007 homeowner families were present for the wall-raising. Charisse and her brother Kelvin are part of the family that will own the Walnut Street house that is a rehab project. Sona Flowers will be the homeowner for the house to be built in East Deer.

Technorati : Arnold