Pikes Peak Habitat Blog
2024 Posts
Read with Us: Our Better Angels by Jonathan Reckford
This month, we’re reading Our Better Angels: Seven Simple Virtues That Will Change Your Life and the World by Jonathan Reckford, as we celebrated our Apostles Build home dedication Dec. 14 for Bernadette’s family.
Meet Our 2025 Apostles Build Partner Family
Misty, David, and their three kids will live in our 2025 Apostles Build home. They’ve already started to meet their new neighbors--through their sweat equity and also by attending events such as the neighborhood pumpkin carving in October!
Read with Us: The Women by Kristin Hannah
In honor of Veterans Day and our 5th Veterans Build home dedication Nov. 9, we’re reading The Women by Kristin Hannah.
6th Veterans Build Future Homeowners Share Their Military Experience
This weekend, we introduced our 6th Veterans Build future homeowners, Willie and Barbara. Willie is a U.S. Army veteran, and Barbara hails from a military family, too.
Read with Us: Learning to Disagree
October marked the start of Pikes Peak Habitat’s book club. The first title we chose is Learning to Disagree: The Surprising Path to Navigating Differences with Empathy and Respect by John Inazu.
ICYMI: Apostles Build Participants Share Their Experiences
Each year, El Paso County church congregations join Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity for the Apostles Build, constructing a home in partnership with a local workforce family.
Older Posts
ICYMI: Companies Donate Roofs to Faith Builds
On two successive Mondays in September, roofing crews were hard at work at The Ridge at Sand Creek, installing roofs for Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity’s two faith builds—the Apostles Build and 4th Interfaith Build for Unity (IBU) homes.
Read with Us: My Bangladesh Kitchen
In honor of World Habitat Day, our September read is My Bangladesh Kitchen: Recipes and Food Memories from a Family Table by Saira Hamilton. Bangladesh is one of Pikes Peak Habitat’s tithe partner countries.
Read with Us: A Fire Story
Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen air-quality issues and smoke from wildfires raging in Colorado and throughout the American West. So this month’s read — recommended by new Donor Relations Specialist Ariana Fernow — is A Fire Story by Brian Fies.
ICYMI: New Study Shows Impacts for Pikes Peak Habitat Homeowners
(From the summer 2024 print newsletter) Thanks to a study by Ashley Peacock, a student in the Master of Public Administration program in the College of Public Service, UCCS, we have data to show homeownership transforms lives.
ICYMI: Veterans Bond During Roof Deployment
(From the summer 2024 print newsletter) Mike, a retired U.S. Army veteran who served in Vietnam, needed a new roof on his Colorado Springs home. Enter the Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity home repair program and the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project for Veterans!
ICYMI: Bill's Story: From Home Repair to ReStore Volunteer
From the summer 2024 print newsletter) Army veteran Bill purchased his home about five years ago, but with mortgage payments and a limited income, he had no funds for needed repairs. That's when his association with Pikes Peak Habitat began.
ICYMI: Energy Star Rating Confirms Efficiency of New Homes
From the summer 2024 print newsletter) Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity recently celebrated a milestone in our ongoing efforts to make our homes more energy-efficient and cost-effective for homeowners.
ICYMI: Interfaith Programs Enter New Era
From the summer 2024 print newsletter) The past several months have been banner ones for Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity’s interfaith programs.
ICYMI: Special Kids Special Families Partnership Offers New Possibilities
(From the summer print newsletter) Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity is embarking on a new partnership with another area nonprofit: Special Kids Special Families, which serves people with disabilities in our community.
Shifting to an Electric Future
Since the start of 2023, Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity has successfully transitioned to building all-electric houses in our development at The Ridge at Sand Creek. Construction Superintendent Eric Wells discusses why we've made this change.
Read with Us: Safe and Sound
This month, we’re reading Safe and Sound: A Renter-Friendly Guide to Home Repair by Mercury Stardust, a certified repair technician who has collaborated with Habitat for Humanity International to promote our Home Is the Key fundraising campaign.
Making and Keeping Electricity
Pikes Peak Habitat Construction Superintendent Eric Wells discussions innovations that are making electricity more sustainable, even as we've shifted to all-electric homes.
Jessica Shares Her Experiences as an IBU Homeowner
Jessica, who celebrated her home dedication in February, is Pikes Peak Habitat’s 3rd Interfaith Build for Unity (IBU) homeowner.
Read what she says about working with various faith communities!
Summer Religious Holidays Provide Opportunities for Interfaith Awareness
Learning about religious holidays from other faith traditions can be an excellent way to build interfaith awareness.
Read with Us: On Juneteenth
In honor of Juneteenth, this month we’re reading On Juneteenth by Harvard professor and Texas native Annette Gordon-Reed. She focuses on her own experiences growing up in Texas and also about the ways studying history can challenge the origin myths we teach about ourselves.
IBU Bench: USAFA Muslim Cadets
This is Part 7 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
IBU Bench: St. Francis of Assisi Parish
This is Part 6 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
IBU Bench: Islamic Society of Colorado Springs
This is Part 5 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
IBU Bench: Grace & St. Stephen's Episcopal Church
This is Part 4 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
IBU Bench: First United Methodist Church Prairie Campus
This is Part 3 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
IBU Bench: Temple Beit Torah
This is Part 2 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
Hear from Jeff Ader, IBU subcommittee chair and Temple Beit Torah president!
Read with Us: Arbitrary Lines
This month, we're reading Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It by M. Nolan Gray. Gray worked in the city planning department in New York City and is now a Ph.D. student in urban planning at the University of California, Los Angeles.
IBU Bench: Christ City Church
This is Part 1 of a 7-part series featuring Pikes Peak Habitat Interfaith Build for Unity subcommittee members, who discuss their faith community’s involvement in creating an interfaith unity bench for 3rd IBU homeowner Jessica.
ICYMI: Radon Mitigation Systems Add to Safety of Pikes Peak Habitat Homes
(From the spring newsletter) What is radon, and how does it impact Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity’s home construction?
ICYMI: IBU Bench Demonstrates Beauty of Interfaith Collaboration
(From the spring newsletter) Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity’s interfaith partners came together to create a unique bench for Jessica, our 3rd Interfaith Build for Unity (IBU) homeowner, and her son, Bryson.
Read about the blessings and designs from various faith communities!
ICYMI: Beloved Construction Supervisor Gary Blake Retires
(From the spring newsletter) This spring, Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity is saying a bittersweet farewell to Gary Blake, who has been with the organization since 2010. Blake is retiring — and moving out of state.
Check out his reflections on his time at Pikes Peak Habitat!
ICYMI: ReStore Recycling Expands into Textiles
(From the spring print newsletter) The Pikes Peak ReStores provide new life to gently used building materials and home goods, serve as recycling centers for a variety of materials, and have now added textile recycling to their services.
Read with Us: Saving Us
This month, we're reading Saving Us: A Climate Scientist's Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katharine Hayhoe. Hayhoe is an evangelical Christian who serves as chief scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a professor at Texas Tech University.
2024 Apostles Build Kicks off with Event for Church Leaders
Pikes Peak Habitat’s 2024 Apostles Build officially launched on Thursday, March 21, with an event for church leaders whose congregations have volunteered in the past or might be considering participation.
Read with Us: The Cotton Patch Evidence
This month, we’re reading The Cotton Patch Evidence: The Story of Clarence Jordan and the Koinonia Farm Experiment (1942-1970) by Dallas Lee. Koinonia Farm, a community near Americus, Georgia, is an important part of Habitat's heritage.
Read with Us: Out of Many Faiths
This month, we’re reading Out of Many Faiths: Religious Diversity and the American Promise by Eboo Patel, founder of Interfaith America, an ongoing partner in Pikes Peak Habitat's interfaith work.
Interfaith Dialogue Includes Remarks from the Colorado Springs Mayor's Office
Steve Posey, chief housing officer for Colorado Springs, spoke.
Read part 3 of 3 about the dialogue.
Interfaith Dialogue Panelists Share Experiences with Housing
Panelists representing four different faith traditions shared their experiences with housing and homeownership in El Paso County.
Read part 2 of 3 about the dialogue.
Interfaith Dialogue Focuses on Neighborliness
What do diverse faith traditions say about neighborliness? That was the question at the forefront of Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity’s 3rd Interfaith Dialogue, “Who Is Your Neighbor?"
Read part 1 of 3 about the dialogue.
ICYMI: Pi Beta Phi Alumnae, Volunteers Collaborate to Create Library for Pikes Peak Habitat Neighborhood
(From the winter print newsletter)
Read about the little library!
ICYMI: ReStore South Loves Our Volunteers!
(From the winter print newsletter) In honor of the ReStore South’s 20th anniversary, we’re spotlighting some of the dedicated volunteers who make it possible for us to fulfill our mission.
Read more about our volunteers!
ICYMI: First Gingerbread Village Event Combines Fun, Festivity, and Fundraising
(From the winter print newsletter) This holiday season, Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity held an in-person Gingerbread Village decorating.
Read more about this fun event!
ICYMI: ReStore South Celebrates 20 Years
(From the winter print newsletter) On January 17, 2004, Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity opened our first ReStore. In the past two decades, the store has expanded from a small space to encompass the full building, an outdoor sales lot on the south side, and extensive storage areas.
Read more about the store's past and present!
Celebrating 20 Years of the ReStore South
(Jan. 25) On Jan. 17, we marked a special occasion: the 20th anniversary of our ReStore South! We celebrated with festive balloon arches, cake for staff and volunteers — and a 20-day sale that runs through Feb. 5!
See more about our celebration!
Read with Pikes Peak Habitat: Race for Profit
(Jan. 15) To honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and as part of our Building the Beloved Community initiative, we’re reading Race for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor.
Read Race for Profit with us!
Read 2023 blog posts.