Univest’s Post

What many people don’t know about Habitat: 1. We DON’T give away homes for free. Our homebuyers pay an affordable first mortgage supported by us with a second note. 2. We (Habitat collectively) are the 28th largest home builder in the nation by closings numbers (according to Builder online). 3. We (St. Croix Valley Habitat for Humanity) are completely funded by donations, grants, foundations and sponsorship. 3. We are a “twin engine airplane” (to quote Joan Garry); board and staff are the engines with our volunteers moving the plane. After year one, we need to update our strategic plan since we’re already past year three of our goals. 4. I’m gathering partners to help address affordable housing in Western Wisconsin - it’s a coalition to bring more attention and support to our communities. 5. I’m repeating #3: if you believe all of our neighbors deserve a warm place to be with their loved ones this holiday season, I need your help with a financial contribution. https://lnkd.in/gQQDQ7fw To our board, staff, volunteers: thank you! And to everyone, we are better together and so I want to say thank you to you too. Call me if you want to learn more about ways to advocate for affordable, safe housing.

ICYMI: Nonprofit Quarterly, “Small buildings are a crucial part of our affordable housing ecosystem. And when it comes to community ownership of real estate, smaller buildings are key.” The Foreclosure Intervention Housing Preservation Program (#FIHPP) is KEY to preserving buildings like these, but it’s on the chopping block in state budget negotiations. Read more about the impact of affordable housing preservation: https://lnkd.in/gZuXQ8VS

In the midst of your financial pressures, if you can spare a few dollars for this worthwhile cause (introduced to me by Jaeneen Cunningham), it would be great. Just one brick! I quote from their website.. ⏸ Help us build a safe home and protect women and their children from domestic abuse Women are the fastest growing group of homeless people in Australia, and domestic and family violence is the leading cause given for homelessness from people seeking specialist support. We need options to help transition women and their children into more permanent accommodation, that's why we're committed to establishing fully owned and operated, purpose built Safe Houses, complete with individual room amenities and ALL support services.  We've already built our first Safe Home as transitional accommodation, so we know what we're doing when it comes to getting women out of harm and into safety. Unfortunately the demand for this type of service is greater now than ever before so we have plans on the table to start our second Safe Home.  You can help build someone's future We have builders, tradespeople suppliers, and councils, all ready to assist with their expertise and services me to help with the construction of this next Safe House Project. But we need your help to make the project a reality.  Your donation will go towards securing a site and building a complete and secure safe house with support services to help move women at risk into more stable, longer-term accommodation. This kind of action is crucial to get women away from abusive partners and the real possibility of further serious, physical and emotional harm. ⏸ https://lnkd.in/e2ZHu7uX

On #nonprofitday, we’d like to highlight one of AsphaltPro’s favorite nonprofits, CIASP. Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention was born out of necessity in response to a statistics released in a CDC study ranking construction as the #1 industry for deaths by suicide. Do your part by signing the the Suicide in Construction Awareness Proclamation today: https://buff.ly/3ZHORX3

As many of you know, I became a board member of Raphael House SF this past year. Many of you don't know that I found myself homeless as a teenager, an experience that impacted me on so many levels. An experience I want to help ensure no other child has to endure. I realize that everyone has opinions on the homeless crisis, but I think the one thing that we can all agree on is that the streets are no place for our children or our youth. Raphael House's mission is to keep families together and safe when facing or experiencing homelessness; without organizations like Raphael House, families would have to separate to be in other shelters or remain on the streets. A terrifying ordeal for everyone involved, but especially for the kids. Now the ask.... Raphael House SF is facing the possibility of closure. While the go-forward plan is solid, we must bridge an immediate gap. Any size donation would be greatly appreciated. The link is listed below. I am also reposting the official campaign for anyone interested in learning more about this wonderful organization that I am so proud to be a part of. https://lnkd.in/gcAR2D2N Call to Action! Our shelter and vital family services are at risk. Join us in securing a brighter future for homeless families. Every contribution counts. Since our founding, Raphael House has provided over 20,000 individuals with personalized family-centered solutions to build brighter, independent futures. On average, 90% of the families we serve in our Residential Shelter achieve stable housing, and 93% maintain that stability long-term through our Bridge Program. This past year, we served: - 338 children with direct services through our Residential Shelter and Bridge programs - 58 families in our Bridge case management services - 12,372 meals to families in our shelter Without increased funding, we are at risk of closing, leaving families experiencing homelessness without the support they’ve been providing for over 52 years. \Learn more on how to help by visiting raphaelhouse.org/sos #RaphaelHouseSF #SaveOurShelter #CommunitySupport

Join our Hopebuilder Monthly Giving Club! Click here to get started: https://lnkd.in/gEUtaBgy Here's why monthly commitments directly to Habitat Springfield are important: Steady Impact: Your consistent monthly donations provide a reliable source of funding for our mission, allowing us to plan and execute projects efficiently. Tax Benefits: Your contributions are tax-deductible, so you can enjoy the added benefit of reducing your tax liability while supporting a cause that’s important to you. Local Economic Boost: According to an economic impact study, for every $1 you donate to Habitat Springfield, $1.66 is reinvested back into the Springfield economy. Your generosity not only helps families in need but also stimulates economic growth right here in our community.

[RECORDING] https://lnkd.in/gQZXubed Keynote: From Heart to Hand: Mastering the Art of Effective Donations Speaker: Jim Alvey, Vice President of Recovery and Philanthropy, Good360 After a devastating wildfire, it's crucial to direct our compassion thoughtfully and prevent unintended issues arising from poorly considered donations. This entails actively listening to and collaborating with local organizations to leverage their expertise, ensuring our assistance is effective and doesn't strain the already-taxed infrastructure. Jim Alvey elaborated on these vital considerations, emphasizing the importance of assessing long-term needs. https://lnkd.in/gdSiNiDi  https://good360.org/ #AftertheFireUSA #WildfireLeadershipSummit #WLS2023 #Good360 #DisasterRecovery #StrategicPhilanthropy #BuildingResilience #WildfireRecovery #CommunityResilience #PhilanthropicImpact #DisasterResponse #BuildingBackBetter #ResilientCommunities #EffectiveStrategies #LeadershipInAction #CommunityEmpowerment #knowledgesharing #ExpertInsights #TransformativePower 

County leaders may limit how much money they give to nonprofit groups and projects serving low-income neighborhoods in light of looming budget challenges. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors today is considering capping community spending per district at $1 million, but potentially raising the ceiling to $2 million for districts with greater need, such as District 2. The county’s technical term for such spending is “inventory items.” During the budget process, supervisors can propose one-time funds related to various community programs. Read the story: https://lnkd.in/gQEdzCzX

As a board member, I cannot be more proud of Rebuilding Together Peninsula and the work they do for our community. RTP makes repairs to homes to make them safe for the occupants. Here is a recent example. A woman was living in this home with front steps that were rotting out and getting treacherous. The home was red-tagged due to this hazardous condition. The owner was not able to afford the cost of replacing the stairs, and was faced with having to leave her home of many years. RTP came in and removed the old steps, replacing them with nice, secure new steps and handrails. That made it easy and safe for her to get in and out of her home, and assured that she would be able to remain in the home. This is what RTP does, in a nutshell. They work to make people’s home livable. Each year we accept a number of projects based on need and urgency. Donations to RTP pay for materials, and all labor is donated. The more contributions we receive, the more projects we are able to accept, and also projects with potentially larger scope. It truly makes a huge difference in people’s lives, enabling them to live safely in their homes. ---------- Rumana Jabeen - REALTOR® 650-743-4503 | DRE# 01296366 Keller Williams Peninsula Estates rumanajabeen.com #justsold #soldbyrumana #rumanajabeen #kwpeninsula #peninsulaproperties