Letter from Mark – Summer 2020
Dear Habitat Family,
Carlos and Diana love being parents. Their two children—Isabella and Nicholas—have grown up faster than they ever imagined! Several years ago, Carlos and Diana gave up their small apartment’s only bedroom and moved their bed into the living room. This allowed their children to have more privacy but made it increasingly difficult for Carlos, who slept during daytime hours, to accommodate a graveyard work shift.
Fatigue, sleeplessness, and overcrowding are things Carlos knew too well until 2019 when Carlos and Diana became Habitat homeowners.
This summer and every summer to come, Carlos, Diana, and their children will enjoy their three-bedroom home! Gone are the days of fatigue, sleeplessness, and overcrowding for Carlos and his family. Not only do Carlos, Diana, Isabella, and Nicholas all have the room they need to thrive, but owning their own home gives them the safety and security needed to have peace of mind during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As we navigate through this evolving health crisis, our resources have been strained, creating even more barriers for families, like Carlos and Diana’s, in our community who are in desperate need of affordable housing. This is a time for the community to come together and for neighbors to help neighbors. Building better homes and brighter futures starts with you!
We’ve got until June 30 to raise $77,000 so we can continue to help families all summer long! Your generosity today can help us continue to address the housing crisis during and after COVID-19. With your support, we can give families like Carlos and Diana’s the opportunity to build and buy their very own homes. Access to decent and affordable housing helps families achieve the independence they need to build brighter futures for themselves and their children. By giving them a hand up – not a handout – families can overcome the obstacles that stand between them and healthier, more financially stable lives.
With your continued support today, we will be able to continue our ambitious plan and help even more families access safe, healthy, and affordable homes. Here’s how:
• Actively process 200+ homeownership and home repair applications to help families access the housing they need.
• Create 30 new homeownership opportunities in the next 18 months in Alhambra, Altadena, Azusa, Baldwin Park, El Monte, Monterey Park, and Pasadena.
• Continue and expand our critical home repair program to ensure that low-income homeowners, including many seniors and Veterans, have a safe and healthy home.
• We’ve opened a new ReStore in Duarte. The store sells new and used quality furniture, appliances, home décor, and building supplies. 100% of the store’s revenue will help build and repair homes right here in the San Gabriel Valley region.
Building better homes and brighter futures starts with you!
Because of your past financial support and the tireless efforts of our dedicated volunteers, more than 200 families in the San Gabriel Valley and beyond have found strength, stability and independence by partnering with San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity. With a generous gift today, you can help us continue to build more homes and change more lives!
Your support will give more local families—like Carlos and Diana’s—a safe roof over their head and a solid foundation under their feet…something every family needs to succeed. Please give what you can this summer towards building better homes and brighter futures right here in Northeast Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley – every dollar makes a difference!
In partnership,
Mark Van Lue, Executive Director
COVID-19 Operations Update
March 16, 2020
Dear Habitat Supporter:
The leadership at San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. The continued health and safety of everyone around us is of our utmost concern and guides our response to this fluid situation.
We are taking additional measures to keep you, our staff and community safe. We will continue updating you as the situation evolves. Below is our current plan as of March 16, 2020 and how you can help.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
Construction Volunteers
All team build days are postponed until further notice. We will continue work on our construction sites with staff and our workforce development partner. We are still able to accept a limited number of individual volunteers. For more information, visit VolunteerHub or contact Briana Lopez. We strongly suggest that you check the CDC website and follow all directives relative to your health and the health of others.
Individual ReStore volunteers are still welcome to volunteer. If you are not comfortable joining us at this time, please cancel your shift on VolunteerHub
Future volunteer activity will be evaluated on a daily basis.
SPECIAL EVENT: WOMEN BUILD
In accordance with CDC recommendations to limit gatherings to 50 people, we are postponing Women Build, originally scheduled for May 1-2, 2020, until later this year. Even though we are delaying the build event, there’s a lot of good you can continue to do for Women Build and the overall cause of affordable housing! We invite you to fundraise, register yourself/add team members or nominate a woman for this year’s Spirit of Women Build Award! We will provide updates by e-mail to all our registered participants and also post regular updates on our website.
ReSTORES
Our Atwater Village and Azusa ReStore locations will remain open at this time. In keeping with our good housekeeping standards, all donated items are cleaned and prepared for sale, and frequently used surfaces are cleaned at regular intervals during store hours. Staff has been instructed to follow all CDC health, safety and hygiene guidelines and are instructed to not report to work if they are not well. Donation pickups will continue at this time.
Our eStore is open 24/7 to anyone who would prefer to shop online from the comfort of home.
STAFF/COMMUNITY SAFETY
While the SGV Habitat administrative office is open, many staff are working remotely. In the interest of everyone’s health and safety, we encourage you to conduct all business by phone call or e-mail. If you need to stop by our office, there will be someone available to assist you.
If you have a scheduled appointment with a particular staff member, they will contact you regarding any changes to your appointment.
Additional Resources
Local: http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/
National: https://www.cdc.gov/
International: https://www.who.int/
These are challenging times for all of us, but because of your support, many families now have safe and secure homes where they can ride out this health challenge. We thank you for your past support and we look forward to our continued partnership in creating safe, healthy and affordable housing in the San Gabriel Valley.
We invite you to join us in keeping the most vulnerable in our community, our government leaders, and medical professionals in your thoughts and prayers.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch any time. Give us a call at (626) 387-6899 — and keep us posted on how you’re doing!
Thanks for all you bring to SGV Habitat, friend. We look forward to seeing you again soon!
Sincerely,
Mark Van Lue
Executive Director | San Gabriel Valley Habitat for Humanity