Today, we all closely monitor the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on our community. Although we’re more distanced these days, it is even more critical that we bring people together to support one another. When you have stable housing, staying ‘safer at home’ might mean working remotely, transitioning children to school differently, avoiding large crowds, and adjusting your mindset to make things work. A safe, secure, and affordable house truly makes staying safer at home possible.

In El Paso County, far too many families are without affordable shelter and know that staying safer at home is not as easy as it sounds. When you live in substandard or overcrowded conditions, staying at home only makes feelings of uncertainty and vulnerability worse.

The uncertainty that so many of us feel today, these families have felt for a lifetime — if not generations.

All of the families working with Pikes Peak Habitat for Humanity (PPHFH) are front-line workers who are fulfilling essential duties during the COVID-19 crisis. Our six current future homeowners include three teachers, a factory worker, a civil servant, and a medical assistant. Not only are they diligently providing services for our community, but they are also working hard to achieve their dreams of affordable homeownership, and they need your help.

Your donation today will help these families achieve the safety and security that decent, stable homes with affordable mortgages will bring them.

Housing instability — including frequent moves, overcrowding, and the threat of eviction  — creates disruption in children's schooling, impossible choices, and hopelessness for far too many families. Becoming first-time homeowners with affordable mortgages through our Homeownership Program ensures families will have quality, stable homes and don’t have to choose between paying the rent or affording health care, nutritious food, or reliable transportation. Home shouldn’t cost you your family’s health or hurt your child’s education. A decent, affordable home allows families to achieve the safety, security, and self-reliance that all families need, especially now.

We invite you to invest in PPHFH’s Homes, Communities, Hope + You campaign to help ensure that everyone has a decent place to call home in El Paso County. You can also help increase our ability to serve those families affected by the affordable housing crisis worsened by the current pandemic. Habitat is needed now more than ever. And now more than ever, we need YOU.

If you’re able to give, your one-time or monthly gift will directly support:

• Six families currently working toward becoming first-time homeowners. Eleven children will have a safe place to call home.
• Five new homes (three will begin in November and two will start soon afterward). Construction costs for all five total $1,030,000. Each and every dollar you can give will help construction begin on time!
• Completing renovations of an existing Habitat home (sold back to PPHFH by a past homeowner) that will become a family’s first stable, affordable home in October.

With your help, we can keep building homes, communities, and hope for our neighbors in need during these challenging times.