Habitat for Humanity: One home at a time

By TOM KANE

DINGMANS FERRY, PA — When Stephanie Woegens mailed her application for a home from Habitat for Humanity, she kissed the envelope before putting it in the mail box.

“I don’t know if it did any good or not, but the next thing I knew we received a call from Jim Teehan for an interview,” she said. Teehan is a member of the family selection committee of Habitat whose job it is to help choose a family in need that qualifies.

Stephanie and her husband Travis, a plumber, were living in a two-bedroom trailer in Greentown with three little children and a fourth on the way in six months. Things were anything but easy for them.

“We fulfilled all the conditions for qualifying, but I knew that doesn’t mean it’s automatic, “ she said.

Habitat has three main qualifications for a home. First, a family must have a serious need for housing and be unable to get a conventional mortgage from a bank. The family income must fall between $23,000 to $36,000 if they are a family of four, and they must be living in inadequate housing or be extremely cost burdened.

Second, the family must have a reliable source of income, have a clean credit history and an income that allows them to make the monthly payment.

Third, they have to accept “sweat equity,” meaning that they must willingly complete 400 hours of volunteer work on their home or another in the program.

“We met all three qualifications, so a short time after completing the interview, we got word that we were accepted in the program,” said Stephanie.

She and her husband were ecstatic. “I was ready to have my baby and this changed our lives,” she said.

It is little known that Habitat depends almost entirely on volunteers to complete a home.

Their home was home number 10. The project has just recently begun home number 14.

“In every instance here in Pike County, every property we built on was donated,” said Niels Nielsen, pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Dingmans Ferry, who is also the chairman of the project’s board of directors.

Not only that, but almost all of the construction work is done by volunteers.

Travis’ company, Rich’s Service Company in Shohola, donated the services of its workers—including Travis—to construct all the plumbing work gratis.

“We’re able to build all these houses because most of our volunteer construction workers are retired men,” said Pat Lariviere, who is a member of the family nurturing committee. “Many of them have either built their own houses or worked in the industry.” Lariviere’s husband, Jim, is a retired teacher, as she is.

Lariviere’s role is to act as a counselor to the families and help them with budgeting and how to set aside money each week to build up a bank account, no matter how small, that will help with emergencies.

“Pat has become a friend more than just a counselor,” Stephanie said. “I talk to her about everything.”

“Habitat for Humanity is doing a wonderful service to Pike County in such a vital area as housing at a time when the county is experiencing growth,” said Rich Caridi, chairman of the Pike County Commissioners.

Anyone wishing to donate to Habitat, to volunteer to work or to apply for one of the future homes should call 570/828-1622 or email them at hfhpc@ptd.net. The Habitat website is hfhpc.org.