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This is Chris Redgrave for Zions Bank Speaking on Business.
Ed Blake, executive director of Habitat for Humanity, would be the first to tell you this non-profit organization is changing in a remarkable way. No longer is it just creating housing for low-income families in Utah. Now it's a matter of tracking outcomes as a result of each housing project. For example, how many college educations happened because of a Habitat home or has housing helped create financial security for the homeowner?
Field of Dreams is Habitat for Humanity's most recent project. Ed says they bought an abandoned baseball park in Kearns and are using the land to build their flagship development of 20 homes created to save energy, conserve water, offer home food production and require little yard upkeep. These homes will have energy costs of only a $1.50 a day, saving the homeowner up to $80 a month.
One of the challenges Habitat for Humanity faces is educating the community about the obstacles low-income families encounter in providing the most basic needs. Safe, decent and affordable housing provides a "safe harbor" for these families to stabilize and grow.
By the way, these homes are not gifted to recipients who are often immigrants or single moms living on a meager income. Each partner family makes a down payment, monthly mortgage payments and invests over 200 hours in "sweat equity" into other Habitat for Humanity projects before they receive their own home with 900 hours of support from the community. Ed says this deepens the appreciation of their involvement even more.
For over 140 years, Zions Bank has been providing value to the communities we serve. Member FDIC.
For Zions Bank, I'm Chris Redgrave, speaking on business.
Habitat for Humanity 1276 S. 500 West Salt Lake City, UT 84101 866-263-0136 www.habitatsaltlake.com
