March 2021
Thank You for Joining our 17th Annual
Power Women, Power Tools® Event
On Saturday, March 13, 2021, we held our 17th Annual Power Women, Power Tools® virtual event. This year we celebrated the efforts of women who are working to revitalize Long Beach’s Washington Neighborhood, showcased a panel of diverse power women who are using their voice to build strength, stability, and self-reliance in greater Los Angeles and highlighted local, women-owned businesses supporting Habitat LA through our Women’s Empowerment Marketplace.

We would like to give a special thanks for City National Bank for returning as the presenting sponsor of the event and express our gratitude to all of our event sponsors, Host and Honorary Committee members and everyone who helped to make this event such a success! Together we raised more than $100,000 to help local families in need of decent, affordable housing build homes and brighter futures! If you missed the event or want to re-watch it, you can watch on our YouTube Channel.
Video Highlights Now Available from our
Black History Month Education Celebration!
In honor of Black History Month, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles and its partners in Long Beach’s Washington Neighborhood held a socially-distanced Caravan Education Celebration on Saturday, February 27. We’ve put together a wonderful short video highlighting the day and invite you to watch it here!

This collaboration between Washington Middle School, Habitat LA and the Washington Neighborhood Association engaged more than 400 residents and community partners. Together we celebrated Black History Month and provided educational information about inspiring figures in Black History. We also shared information on the school’s reopening, available COVID-19 resources, and other community matters. Click here to read a short article about this event by the Washington Middle School Principal Roshann Williams.

Thanks again to all that participated, including the young steppers from the Young Gifted and Talented Black History Club (YGT) from Hughes Middle School, as well as Hughes Middle School, The Washington Middle School, The Washington Neighborhood Association, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Councilwoman Mary Zendejas’ office for their partnership! 
We Stand in Solidarity with the AAPI Community to Build the Beloved Community
Habitat LA is saddened to see the rise in violence and speech against the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community. This is antithetical to Habitat for Humanity’s values, which are embedded in the belief in radical inclusivity. Please click here to read Habitat for Humanity International’s CEO Jonathan Reckford’s statement against these recent acts of violence. To learn more about Habitat’s anti-racism statement, “Building the Beloved Community” please click here.
Millennium Homes Development
We are thrilled to share that we have recently raised the first walls of Millennium Homes, our newest 10 home affordable housing development located in Long Beach’s Washington Neighborhood. This development is of particular importance to all of us at Habitat LA, as it will be the location of our 1001st home in greater Los Angeles. Please stay tuned for an announcement of the broadcast of this celebration, which we will be sharing on our YouTube channel in April.
Habitat for Humanity and the American Rescue Plan 
Congress has responded to the needs of homeowners and renters impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing several housing assistance measures in the recently passed American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Most notably to Habitat for Humanity, $9.96 billion was set aside for a Homeowner Assistance Fund, which would enable all 50 states to offer direct assistance to homeowners who are behind on their mortgage or facing foreclosure due to the pandemic. Establishing the fund was a top focus of Habitat’s collective federal advocacy since early 2020.

Other key housing elements of the bill include $32 billion for state and local emergency rental assistance and solutions to address homelessness, $100 million for housing counseling, and $39 million in additional funding for the USDA Section 502 and 504 home loan programs. The bill also includes $350 billion in fiscal aid to state and local governments, which could possibly alleviate cuts to local and state housing programs that Habitat and other housing providers rely on. 

Needless to say, the American Rescue Plan will have a direct impact on Habitat LA’s mission and the families we serve. We hope it is only the beginning of an expanded partnership with our federally elected officials as we build back better and stronger coming out of COVID 19. For more information and for ways that you and your community can be involved in Habitat LA’s advocacy initiatives, please visit Habitat LA Advocacy Opportunities.
Please Join Us
We are excited to announce that Habitat LA’s President & CEO, Erin Rank, will be moderating a panel as a part of the Los Angeles Business Journal’s Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards on April 21, 2021. The virtual event will highlight various area nonprofits as well as the corporate citizens and businesses that support them. Please join us for an engaging and inspiring conversation! To learn more and register for this complimentary event, please click here.
Bike to Build - Ride Across America Supporting Habitat’s Affordable Housing Initiative – “The Cost of Home”
On Saturday, May 29, 2021, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Fred Brewer, retired Director of Corporate Development for Habitat for Humanity International, will depart on bicycle from Santa Monica, California for a cross country ride to Ocean City, Maryland. He will travel for an epic 40+ day, approximately 3,000-mile, journey across America to raise awareness and funding for Habitat’s Cost of Home Advocacy Initiative.

Fred’s inspiration for the â€śBike to Build” ride came to him in 2017 in Winnipeg, Canada, while attending Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy & Rosalyn Carter Work Project, where the former President and First Lady donate a week of their time with Habitat to partner with families around the world to provide housing solutions. One day, 50 cyclists rode into the build site after a 5-day journey across the Canadian Rockies. They raised resources to support that build. A remarkably diverse group of riders – old and young, male, and female, all races, several religions – led by a woman on a mission to build housing. She called it, Cycles of Hope. At that moment, God lit a fire in Fred which has grown over the years and now fuels this endeavor.  

To ride. To build. To hope
  
For nearly 30 years, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles has partnered with families across Los Angeles County to build decent, affordable homes. We have built, rehabilitated, or repaired over 1,000 houses in neighborhoods across the Greater Los Angeles area. Habitat homeowners can not only purchase a home at an affordable price, but they also build strength, stability, and self-reliance through the process.

It is for this reason that Fred has committed his energy to change systems, policies, hearts & mindsets in an effort to push the affordable housing initiative so every person can have a decent place to call home. Families are paying too high a price for the cost of home. Through Habitat’s Cost of Home campaign, we committee to working to find solutions and help create policies that will allow millions of individuals have access to affordable housing.

Please join Fred Brewer and Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles on a journey to eliminate the affordable housing crisis by supporting Bike to Build.

If you would like to join Fred along the way via bicycle, purchase swag or become a sponsor visit: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/bike2build
Additional Ways to Support
Habi-Dash Virtual 5K/10K Run
It’s not too late to help our Habi-Dash runners cross the virtual finish line! With your $30 donation ($1 per team member) you'll help the team reach our goal of $15,000 to help local families in need of decent, affordable housing build homes and better futures! Donate today! http://bit.ly/Donate-HabiDash
Springtime Means Donations for the ReStores
Spring is here and so is the time to clean and declutter your home or office. If you are doing spring cleaning, please don’t forget that the Habitat LA ReStore offers free donation pickup services seven days a week from your home or business. Everything from home furnishings to building materials are accepted in new or gently used condition. When you donate to Habitat LA ReStores, your items are sold through one of the three ReStores and the proceeds help support the mission of Habitat LA. As always thank you for your support and we will see you in the stores.

For more information on scheduling your donation pickup please visit our website or call (424) 246-3637 to speak with one of our customer service representatives Monday – Friday 8:30 am to 5:30 pm PST.  
OUR MISSION
Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.
OUR VISION
A world where everyone has a decent place to live.