"I've been incredibly blessed in my lifetime...and I believe that you [must] give back..."
- Denise Bermudez, volunteer, donor and
former board member
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| Denise Bermudez (left) volunteers at a Habitat build |
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 A Humbling Experience
Denise Bermudez is a one-in-a-million kind of Habitat supporter. Since 2007, Bermudez has volunteered her time, resources and ideas serving as a regular volunteer, donor, home sponsor and even as a member of the affiliate's Board of Directors. As of December 2015, she has played a significant role in building homes for 25 local families through B/CS Habitat. Giving so much in such a short period of time is an amazing feat that begs the obvious question...Why? What would compel her to give as she has over the years to help these families in need, most of whom she did not know beforehand?
Reflecting on the first time she heard about the work of Habitat for Humanity, she remembers a late 1980s television commercial that showed Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter appealing to people to help them in this mission of building houses for families in need of good, decent and affordable shelter. Bermudez admits she was mesmerized:
It just spoke to me...I stood there, watching and listening...and I said to myself, this is what I have to do! I can't do it now, but someday, this is what I will do... build houses with Habitat and help families have a better life.
Bermudez
admits that homeownership isn't for everyone, but for those who are ready, it is a remarkable and life-changing step.
She likes the "Habitat model" of homebuilding and ownership because the homeowner plays such an "active part in the process." The fact that the family can say "this is mine, I've worked for this, and I've bought this myself" is a cause and a purpose that Bermudez can believe in. Though it took almost two decades and a move halfway across the country, helping families through Habitat for Humanity has become a significant part of her life's work.
According to Bermudez, part
of the answer is the inspiring and humbling experience that comes with sponsoring a Habitat family. She admires the courage and perseverance of Habitat homeowners; many applicants are denied the first time they apply to the program. They face tremendous adversity, and it would be easy for them to be angry about the way life turned out for them, yet they remain joyful. During her interactions on the construction site, homeowners tell Denise that they asked the Lord to give them the strength to keep going and try again. Getting to know these families and their stories is one of her favorite parts of giving to Habitat:
To work alongside these families as they build their new homes... is both rewarding and an incredibly humbling experience.
Another part of the answer lies in Bermudez's view of giving and philanthropy in general. She feels a real duty to help those in her community who are in need. She explains it in this way:
I've been incredibly blessed in my lifetime...and I believe that you [must] give back...First, you take care of your family and their needs, and once they're taken care of, then you start helping other families and other people in ways that maybe they can't take care of themselves. It's not that these families want to be living in these [poor] conditions. They are doing everything they can to try and get out of this cycle of poverty, but, for whatever reason they just keep getting knocked down again...[so] if I can give them the hand up, then I want to try and do it.
Bryan/College Station Habitat for Humanity and the hundreds of families served through our work over 25 years would not exist but for the countless hours volunteered and the generous donations from caring and honorable people like Denise.
To truly "love your neighbor as yourself" is not an abstract concept for Denise; it is her life's work, the result of which has been profound.
Thank you Denise!
Learn about volunteer opportunities
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Is Habitat Just About Building Houses?
We care deeply and believe strongly that everyone should have a decent, affordable place to live. Our goal is to eliminate poverty housing. But there is more. I'd like to share this poem written by local composer and lyricist Cheryl Aufderheide.
Just a House
It's just a house, with walls and doors and windows;
Just a house with ceilings and a floor.
It's a house to shelter when the wind blows;
Just a house, and yet, it's so much more.
This is home, the place that we have longed for.
In this home, we feel safe and secure.
We give thanks for those who shared the labor,
Demonstrating God's love, strong and sure.
It's just a house we had a hand in building;
We cut wood, hit nails by the score.
We invested blood and sweat and backaches
For a house with our name on the door.
This is home for me and for my family,
For this home, we prayed to heaven above.
Built by many hands working together,
It will be our habitat of love.
I suppose it is fitting that our name is Habitat for Humanity. It is about the houses, but there would be no passion without the impact the houses have on the families that live in them. Secure housing changes lives and we are lucky enough to witness the results of 26 years of Habitat in Bryan/College Station. We can tell you the stories of the kids who grew up in the houses and the successful lives they are leading. We can look at entire neighborhoods that didn't exist before Habitat and see the pride our families take in owning their homes. I think Habitat is really about loving our neighbors, and the houses are how we do that. Thank you to all of you who support Habitat and love your neighbors.
In partnership,
Andy York, Interim Executive Director
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Community Builders Breakfast
Like yummy food? Want to learn about Habitat? Our annual breakfast is this month!
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Time: 7:30-8:30 a.m.
Location: Hilton College Station and Conference Hotel, 801 University Dr E, College Station, TX 77840 (Bluebonnet Grand Ballroom)
Thank you Davis & Davis for underwriting this event! And thank you Stylecraft for matching donations made at the breakfast! The success of our event depends on the generosity of donors like you.
Read more
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Run for the House
This "fun run" race is less about how fast you run and more about helping low income families right here in the Bryan College Station area.
Event: 5K Run/2K Walk
Registration: 7:00 AM
Start Time: 8:30 AM
Location: First Christian Church 900 S. Ennis, Bryan, Texas
Contact: Shaylor Tillman (979) 823-7200 Ext. 114
Register Online
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Newest Habitat Partners
Congratulations to the Felix and Estrada families; the walls have been raised on their homes. Vicki Montoya has just learned that she will also become a homeowner. Habitat staff likes to surprise applicants with the news that they've been accepted into our program. It's an exciting time, filled with hard work, joy and lots of hope! Pictured is future Habitat homeowner Vicki Montoya's daughter at their surprise acceptance in early February.
Learn about homeownership
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| Celia Good-Haddock 2016 Board president |
Welcome to Our New Board Members
Please welcome our newest members of the Board of Directors, Matt Upton, Linda Ravey, Mary Stasny, Janet Parish and Isabel McPartlin. They join the board with incredible enthusiasm for the central purpose of Habitat, spreading the love of Christ through building homes for people in need of
decent, affordable shelter and we are excited to learn about their unique ideas about furthering our cause.
We also bid farewell to four members of the Board, Steve Strong, Denise Bermudez, Col. Joe Cerami and Will Cropper. They dedicated a great deal of time and effort toward eliminating substandard housing and providing a better life for families in our community. Thank you for your service and we wish you all the best.
Lastly, we extend a belated w
elcome to another new board member, Jesse Norris, Texas A&M's Aggie Habitat president and student representative to B/CS Habitat's Board.
In the summer, Norris replaced the
outgoing Aggie Habitat president
Juli Ewell. Thank you both for your service to Aggie Habitat and especially to our community.
Meet our board of directors
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Staff receive financial-counseling training from United Way and Wells Fargo
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| A Public Service Provided by Wells Fargo |
While every future Habitat homeowner receives financial training during the homeownership classes before they purchase their homes, we are now providing financial guidance and training for current and future Habitat partner families through partnership with United Way and its Financial Stability Innovation Fund (FSIF).
Read more
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Sharing God's Love in Costa Rica
Habitat for Humanity helps build shelter around the world to fulfill its mission of spreading the love of Christ through eradicating poverty housing. In January, directors and staff from affiliates all over Texas joined together to build a house for the Solano family in Costa Rica. B/CS Habitat's Interim Director Andy York and fellow staff member Nathan Touchette worked alongside other Texas Habitat staff in San Miguelito de Barranca near Puntrenas, Costa Rica, showing that our commitment to building homes, communities and hope can extend far beyond the Brazos Valley.
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Cars for Homes
Do you have an old or unneeded car, truck, boat or other vehicle sitting in your driveway, or taking up space in your garage? Consider donating it to Habitat for Humanity through Cars for Homes. Not only will you be helping Habitat provide decent, affordable housing, you might be helping the environment as well.
Donation hotline:1-877-277-4344
Visit habitat.org/carsforhomes
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