Bennington Area Habitat -Teamwork makes the Dream work!

"Teamwork ...is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results...." Andrew Carnegie

"What the poor need is not charity but capital, not caseworkers but co-workers."  Clarence Jordan

Quick Links

Texas Tornado Devastates Neighborhood - many Habitat homes
Apply for a Home
Construction Schedule - Meet the Gordon Family - our family partners and see the design
Mother's Day Brunch a great success!
J.C. Penny supports Habitat with a "round up" promotion for the month of May - find out more!
Vermont Country Store Builds Foundation for Habitat
See GNAT interview - learn about owning a Habitat home
A Brush with Kindness
Green Builders 2012 Homeowner's Handbook
Electric Usage Chart - Learn how to save money on your monthly electric bill
2013 Auction Preview - Click to see some of the great items that have already been donated. 

One out of every four people on the planet is homeless or lives in poverty housing.  Habitat builds because we believe this is unacceptable and that every person can make a real difference.   Please join with us. Help us BUILD more homes, communities, and hope.

 

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Texas Tornado Devastates Neighborhood - many Habitat homes

As you may have heard vicious tornadoes ripped through Texas Wednesday night. One of the tornadoes caused massive damage to Rancho Brazos, a Granbury, Texas, subdivision in which Habitat has built dozens of homes. Most of the subdivision’s 120 homes reportedly have been destroyed and at least half of those are being reported as Habitat homes. Sadly, news reports indicate six people were killed.

Our hearts go out to all whose lives have been devastated by this terrible storm.  Being true to our mission of thinking globally and acting locally, our affiliate will contribute $1,000 to the Habitat for Humanity of Hood County affiliate.   We are sure other affiliates throughout our country will do what they can to respond to this tragedy as they have done with New Orleans and in the wake of the last two hurricanes.   Go to http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Friday-Tornado-Outbreak-Six-Dead-16-Tornadoes-Granbury-Cleburne-207840291.html to see photos and to learn more. One of the Habitat for Humanity homes that was destroyed was supposed to be dedicated to a family on Saturday.

Habitat for Humanity of Hood County
P.O. Box 1866
Granbury, TX 76048
Phone: 817-573-2812
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Vermont Country Store Builds Foundation for Habitat - [Manchester, Vt.] – The Vermont Country Store has announced that it has committed $100,000 to Bennington Area Habitat for Humanity to support the development of its project on Jennifer Lane in Manchester. The commitment will be made over a five-year period, which provides $20,000 per year for each of the next five homes that will be built as part of a 22-home affordable housing development already under way. Bennington Area Habitat dedicated its second Jennifer Lane home at a ceremony on Feb. 24. Because of the need for capital to complete the development, The Vermont Country Store is challenging other businesses and organizations in the greater Manchester area to become involved and invest in this project.  Read more....

 

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See GNAT interview - learn about owning a Habitat home

Homeowner partners, Randy, Michelle, Aiden, and Gracie Lewis were recently interviewed by GNAT for a Public Service Announcement to encourage people in need of affordable housing to contact Habitat at 802-367-1000 for more information.

 
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Homeowner, Ruth Banghart and her son, Gabe, also were taped by GNAT as a public service to encourage families in need of safe, sufficient, and affordable housing to contact Habitat at 802-367-1000 to learn if they qualify.

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Meet the Gordon Family - our new homeowner partners!   We are very excited to announce that Lori and Shannon Gordon have accepted our invitation to live in a home that we will start building together later this spring.  Click this link to learn about the Gordon family.

Hammers ready set, go!  Take a look at the design that was created by Ramsay Gourd of Ramsay Gourd Architects of Manchester.   The home will be built on 264 Jennifer Lane in Manchester.  

 

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Tentative Construction Schedule - depends upon contractor's schedules and the weather - check back here for updates.

• May 15th - volunteers will start construction on wheelchair ramp.
• May 18th - A group from Orvis will complete landscaping on the Cooper home.
• May 22nd - Volunteers will finish the shed and will put together the insulated concrete forms for the basement walls.  Click to learn about Insulated Concrete Forms.
• May 25th - no building - enjoy a great holiday weekend.
• May 29 - into our regular Wednesday and Saturday construction schedule
• June 1 - South Central Board of Realtors 

Anyone interested in joining in on the fun should check the website for the weekly plan. We work between 8:30 and 2:30 until the home is finished. We ask that groups of four or more call in advance by calling 802-367-1000. Individuals can self-schedule. We welcome women and men of all skill levels. Everyone can make a difference.

Double Click on any image.to enlarge it.

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Click to be redirected to a page that includes

• Liability forms
• Safety information
• Directions to Jennifer Lane

Check back here for the construction schedule. It will be updated each week.  Please understand that the schedule is our best estimate of what we will be  able to accomplish on any given day.  The availability of volunteers, materials, and the weather all have an impact on what can be done.

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Bistro Henry and Mother's Day - We are most grateful to Henry and Dina Bronson for their continued support of Habitat.  Shannon and Lori Gordon were the guests of honor and were joined by and their family support partner, Dawn Adams-Rea and her husband.  They enjoyed a wonderful brunch.

Bistro Henry is a Mediterranean-style restaurant in Manchester - that offers classic and contemporary bistro and trattoria favorites along with fresh seafood, creative pastas and vegetarian offerings.  Starting with Mother's Day in 2007, Bistro Henry has served a special Mother's Day Brunch. Ten dollars from every meal served has been contributed to support Habitat's efforts in the local area. Click to see the menu.   The menu included a three course brunch with many delicious choices. We are most grateful to Henry and Dina Bronson for their continued and very generous support and to all the families that have honored their mothers and helped us by treating their moms to a wonderful brunch at Bistro Henry.

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J.C. Penny Rounds Up for Habitat during the month of May.  When you shop at jcpenney stores or online during the month of May, you can support Habitat for Humanity. At checkout, associates will invite you to round up to the nearest dollar – donating your change to Habitat for Humanity International to build strong communities. The fundraising campaign is part of jcpenney’s charitable giving program, jcp cares.

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and renovates simple, decent houses with the help of homeowner families here in Bennington County and around the world.

35 affiliates will receive $1,500 from J.C. Penny and another 35 will receive a $1,000.  We are doing our best to qualify to be one of the affiliates to receive support.  We are grateful to the management of J.C. Penny and to all the customers who "round up" in support of our mission to bring more safe, decent, and affordable housing to Bennington County, Vermont. 

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A Brush with Kindness - Update    

 

 May 2013 - Bart, Carl, and Fred are completing a repair on a wheelchair ramp at a home in Arlington making the entrance safer.  We are now accepting applications for minor home repairs from applicants who own their own homes.  Because we are building in the Northshire, our focus for the ABWK program is currently on the Southshire.

In the summer of 2012, we finished work at 85 Gypsy Lane in Bennington.  Most of the work entailed removing a fiberglass bath/shower.  

During the summer of 2012, we replaced windows for Louise Guertin of Pownal. Louise had this to say about what we did. 

"I would like to express my thanks to Barth and the people who worked with him to make my home more energy efficient. I truly appreciate the new windows, back door, and insulation and enclosure under my back room. I am sure all will help to keep me warmer this upcoming winter with less oil consumption. A Brush with Kindness is a great program. I hope it continues into the future in order to help other individuals have more energy efficient hones. Your work is so appreciated. Thank you again." Louise Guertin

Please contact the Habitat office (802-367-1000) if you would like to apply for help with repairs on your home or if you would like to help complete the repairs.  These jobs usually do not require a lot of time but they are very much appreciated by the homeowners.

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Green Builder's 2012 Homeowner's Handbook - The homeowner's handbook is intended to bridge the gap between builders, architects, appraisers, landscape designers, and their clients.  While Habitat cannot afford to implement some of the recommendations, we do implement many of them.  It is part of our mission to promote adherence to Vermont's rigorous building code - one of the best in the nation.   We hope these articles are helpful.  Click to read.  The download will take a few minutes - but is worth the wait. 

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