Terry Laney, executive director of Our Towns Habitat (right), with Luis Samayoa, executive director of Habitat Guatemala, at the 25,000th Casa Build/Celebration in Zacapa, Guatemala. (Lynn Gleason photo)

A program to help build affordable homes in Guatemala has helped Our Towns Habitat for Humanity win national recognition. The local chapter of the international home-building group has been named Affiliate of the Year in the organization’s Pioneers in Excellence program. The award recognizes affiliates for productivity, innovation and creativity in their efforts to eliminate substandard housing.

A local contingent is making plans to travel Atlanta in January, when award winners will be recognized Habitat International’s National Conference. The Affiliate Awards Luncheon will be Thursday Jan. 22, noon to 1:30 p.m., at the Hilton Atlanta.

Our Towns Habitat, which is based in Cornelius and serves the Lake Norman area, won in a category of affiliates serving 50,000 to 250,000 people, according to Terry Laney, Our Towns Habitat’s executive director.  One of the other nominees in the category, Indian River, Fla., Habitat for Humanity, had won the award three out of the last four years, according to Mr. Laney.

This was the first year Habitat affiliates joined in voting for award winners.

“Being recognized for the work we do is certainly an honor, but, more importantly, to be recognized by the over 1,500 Habitat affiliates in the U.S. makes it even more special,” Mr. Laney said in a press release.

“Our mantra at Our  Towns Habitat is ‘serve more families … build more houses.’    This year, our 20th, we have served more families both locally and globally than ever before,” he said in the email.

Because of Our Towns Habitat’s efforts this year, 217 families no longer live in  substandard housing.  “We do have much to celebrate … and we do have more  to do!” Mr. Laney said.

GUATEMALA CONNECTION

Our Towns Habitat has been an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International since 1988 and celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. It has built 155 homes locally and has funded an additional 712 homes in Guatemala and 15 in Sri Lanka.

In its application for the award, Our Towns Habitat described how it decided to devote 10 percent of donations it receives – or to “tithe” – for building houses with partners in foreign countries. With the money it raises each year, Our Towns could build 22 homes, the organization says. But it sends 10 percent of what it raises to build homes in Guatemala.

Since 1988, it has tithed $1 million, the organization says.

“This communication and participation gave us a global view of Habitat’s ministry, which has motivated our growth locally,” the application states. “Seeing our funding in action grew our fervor for what we do, which trickled down into every little thing we did.  We started building better quality homes, fund-raising more passionately, paying closer attention to our homeowner’s needs, and engaging our community in a more educated way.”

Mr. Laney said other affiliates are beginning to take advantage of the expertise in the Lake Norman chapter. He is a member of Habitat International’s Subject Experience Team (S.E.T.), and last year was sent to work with an affiliate in Charlotte County, Fla., to help them develop a strategic plan. With that assistance, the Charlotte County group was able to grow from five families served last year to 30 families served this year, Mr. Laney told DavidsonNews.net.

“I believe it is the responsibility of every thriving Habitat affiliate to take on a leadership role within Habitat International, as well as, our communities, to share its power in inspiration, in mobilization and in life-giving hope to serve more families,” Mr. Laney said.

BACKGROUND

Our Towns Habitat for Humanity is an independent, nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that partners with people of all beliefs. For more information, visit www.ourtownshabitat.org.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built nearly 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.