Kathryn was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue 15 years ago. These diseases impede her ability to do work for long periods of time and affect what she can and cannot do. She used to work as a paralegal until the disease caused severe sleep problems, which forced her to quit working. This forces her to completely rely on Social Security disability benefits and her private disability insurance as her sole sources of income, making it very difficult for her to be able to buy a home on her own or deal with rising rent costs. She constantly moves to avoid the increases in rent that occur so frequently.  Even though she cannot work, she has been a consistent volunteer in the community and is currently volunteering at a local elementary school.
 
When Kathryn found out that she was selected for the Habitat home in Harmony Haven, she said, "You made my year!" She was extremely excited and relieved to know that she will have a stable living environment and home for the future. Having a Habitat home will make Kathryn's quality of life better as well because the constant moves pay a great toll on her health. Harmony Haven is a perfect fit for Kathryn, and she is looking forward to moving into her new home this summer. 

For those of us who are fortunate enough to come home to a house of our own each night, it is often all too easy to forget how important owning a home of your own really is.  As a 1995 report by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Affairs noted, the desire for homeownership is deeply rooted in the American psyche. It embodies the promise of individual autonomy and of material and spiritual well-being that many people sought in coming to
this country." It also provides a stable base to raise a family; conveys social status and political standing; and is even thought to promote thrift, stability, neighborliness, and other individual and civic virtues.  Unfortunately, for many hard working Americans (as well as many people around the world) owning home is more of a dream than a reality. That is why I so strongly believe in the mission of Habitat for Humanity
 
I first became involved with Habitat for Humanity over 20 years ago when we lived in the Washington, D.C. area and attended Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church.  It was then that I attended my first Habitat work day and realized how rewarding an experience it could be.  Not only does helping build a home provide each worker a sense of satisfaction that he or she is helping someone in need move closer to achieving their dream, it also helps build a strong sense of community among the team of workers that is carried forward into other outreach efforts.
 
After moving to Boulder in 2002, it took my family several years before we settled on a church home at First United Methodist. We found that it had been several years since the Church had been involved in a Habitat project, but that there was a strong desire by the ministers at First Church to make Habitat one of the focuses of the Church's outreach efforts. In January of this year, First Church voted to participate in Habitat's Apostles Build program to help finance the construction of a Habitat house at Northfield Village in North Boulder and we will be having our first build day on April 25.  I have also become a member of the Flatirons Habitat Faith Connections Committee and, as such, am look forward to helping strengthen First Church's involvement with Habitat, as well as helping other churches become more involved.
 

Flatirons Habitat for Humanity is looking for new members for our Faith Connections Committee.  The membership of the committee consists of volunteers who are active in their faith communities and want to help build strong partnerships between area congregations and Flatirons Habitat.  Its functions include encouraging local congregations and faith-based groups to become involved in the mission of Habitat for Humanity through involvement in building projects, special events, fundraising activities, and various other activities in support of our affiliate.  The committee is especially involved in organizing faith-related events such as the Clergy Build and Holy Smokes.  Members also serve as liaisons between our affiliate and their congregations.  Anyone interested in serving on this committee should contact Derek Wittman, Flatirons Habitat Congregational Outreach Coordinator, at 303-447-3787 ext. 230 or dwittman@flatironshabitat.org.