GEORGETOWN, DE,- Nearly 200 people attended the second annual Sussex County Habitat for Humanity HopeBuilder Breakfast on Wednesday, November 13. During the one–hour inspirational program held at Delaware Technical Community College, generous donors contributed over $57,000 and three significant gift-in-kind pledges. These donations will help the organization build and rehab homes for affordable homeownership, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide financial literacy coaching to Sussex County families.
Madeleine Overturf, Broadcast Journalist at WRDE Coast TV, served as the morning’s Emcee and Scott Lanham, President of Accessible Home Builders, was the keynote speaker. The event also highlighted eleven Sussex County Habitat Business Partners, organizations that volunteer, donate, and advocate for local families in need. Kevin Gilmore, Sussex County Habitat’s Executive Director, spoke about the need for affordable housing in the county.
“Without Habitat, our partner families would continue to live in unsafe or unhealthy conditions and homeownership would be out of reach. These future Habitat homeowners care for our veterans, build our houses, provide the food we eat, support our troubled youth, beatify our homes, care for our elderly, grow our food, and cook in our restaurants,” said Gilmore. “But it’s not just those who qualify for Habitat that need affordable housing. There are many more. I’m often asked the question ‘what is affordable housing?’ Simply put it is paying less than 30% of your income on housing costs. In Sussex County, 48% of our renters and 26% of homeowners pay more than 30%. When you spend this much on your housing costs, there is not enough to go towards your other needs.”
The money contributed at the breakfast will directly help Sussex County families through affordable home construction, home repairs, community projects and financial coaching. The breakfast also kicks off the Annual Fund Campaign for Sussex County Habitat for Humanity which will continue through June 2020.
About Sussex County Habitat for Humanity
Sussex County Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope. Sussex County Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions. Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a simple, durable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all. For more information or to donate, visit SussexCountyHabitat.org.
Photo Credit: Paula Shannon Photography
Left to right: Kevin Gilmore, Sussex County Habitat for Humanity Executive Director, Madeleine Overturf, Event Emcee and Broadcast Journalist/Anchor WRDE-TV, Mike Nally, Sussex County Habitat Board President.
