Looking for a one-of-a-kind gift? Andrew Ballard, Architect and Principal of Studio Combine will provide the winner one personalized portrait, a 20” x 20” drawing in pen and ink style. Andrew will work from a photo provided by the winner; subjects can be people, pets, or places. A virtual or in-person consult will be arranged to work through details of your win! *Redemption of your win including consult and delivery of final product is subject to Andrew Ballard’s availability. Thanks, Andrew Ballard! Andrew Ballard is part of the Habitat family; he has served as IVHFH board president and is a member of IVHFH's executive committee and development committee. ABOUT THE HAMMERS AND HARDHATS LIVE AUCTION This package is exclusively available for bidding in a live auction, Hammers and Hardhats, on October 17, 2024. More information and to purchase tickets can be found here. If you cannot attend but are interested in discussing proxy bidding for this item contact [email protected]. Nagi and Raddiya immigrated to Iowa City from Sudan, a country in Africa where they were both born and raised. There, they described the home they shared as small and constructed with natural elements like mud, woven grass, palm tree leaves, and branches. Nagi and Raddiya came to the US through the Diversity Visa Program with their two eldest children in the summer of 2016. They were welcomed by friends who allowed them to live in their home for several months until they could find their own place to call home. They have now been in their three bedroom, one-and-a-half-bathroom apartment for six years where their family of five struggles for space and their rent increases with every lease renewal. When one sibling was asked what they were looking forward to in a new house, they expressed their excitement for their own bedroom and said, “there’s a big place to play and there's a park. You can go with the car, but it's so close and I can walk there. It is a nice park”. Nagi is taking classes through Kirkwood while working for a local non-profit supporting youth and Raddiya works as a sales associate for a nation-wide business. The couple work opposite schedules to care for their children and avoid the exorbitant cost of childcare. It is a difficult schedule because it limits the time each parent has with the rest of the family. When asked about this arrangement, Nagi explained, “yeah, but you know you have to accept this because you know you have the kids, and you can’t work at the same time. We can meet, like, two hours or three hours a day, but you have weekends”. Nagi and Raddiya have been involved with Habitat for Humanity before being accepted into the Homeownership Program. Nagi gifted sweat equity hours to his friend who built a home with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity and that friend has already pledged to support Nagi's family by paying it forward and contributing sweat equity hours by volunteering to build Nagi and Raddiya's home. Nagi and Raddiya are currently building homes for other Habitat families as well. Sweat equity is a huge commitment for families working multiple jobs and caring for young children, but the result is an ongoing cycle of families helping other families for years to come! -Photo by Mark McIntyre by Christie Cellman, IVHFH AmeriCorps member Saturday, July 27th marked the Billie Townsend Women Build Groundbreaking Ceremony and Frame-A-Thon events hosted by Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity. Dozens of individuals, families, and organizational leaders gathered to celebrate as the crew broke ground on Nagi and Raddiya’s future home, and everyone transitioned to the Habitat warehouse to decorate the 2x4 studs that will frame their family’s living space. As both an AmeriCorps representative and a community member, it was inspiring to see our people rally around Nagi and Raddiya’s family. Folx from different races, religions, abilities, and life experiences came together in celebration and it was absolutely electric. There were no politics, no squabbles, no uncertainty—just love. As I decorated a stud alongside my daughter, surrounded by conversation, laughter, and the pitter-patter of children’s feet against the cement, I reflected on my own experience with Habitat and how they afforded me the freedom of accessibility through their Helping Hands program. I was trapped in my home, segregated from my community due to physical disability, and Habitat built a ramp, allowing me to make budget-friendly payments for materials. This act of kindness afforded me the ability to attend and earn three degrees, and so much more. I say this not to detract from Nagi and Raddiya’s experience, but to drive home the fact that these “hands up” for affordable and accessible housing have enormous impacts – socially, economically, and generationally. As my fiancé captured some of the event’s most candid moments, I recognized that we weren’t just preparing to frame Nagi and Raddiya’s home but also their future. This experience means more than shelter, it means potential. It means wealth accumulation and security for their children and future generations as well. As they make memories surrounded by the messages of love, blessings, and encouragement hidden behind their walls, they will be an example of what can be possible when communities unite for a purpose greater than themselves. Download the document for more information about becoming a Women Build sponsor!
Women Build brings together women to help Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity create affordable housing solutions in the community. While the program does not exclude men, its primary objective is to foster a supportive environment for women to learn about and engage in construction. As honoree of the 2024 Women Build, Billie Townsend will lead a committee of women to raise $55,000 in local donations and recruit volunteers to help a local family build an affordable home and to help an existing homeowner make affordable repairs or accessibility modifications to their home.
Committing to Women Build as a project sponsor is an excellent opportunity for you to provide your team with a meaningful way to directly serve our neighbors in need of affordable housing while publicly demonstrating a cause and partnership in which you invest time and resources. In 2023, Women Build involved hundreds of volunteers, donors, and event attendees. Through IVHFH’s marketing efforts, thousands of individuals were reached through social media. Partnerships are crucial to building a strong and thriving community—sponsor Women Build and become a Habitat Partner. *Your sponsorship will be used to build the Billie Townsend Women Build Home and complete the Women Build Helping Hands Home Repair project. To learn more about Billie Townsend and Women Build, visit bit.ly/billietownsendwb Special note: Construction of the Billie Townsend Women Build home will take place from August to December 2024. For more information on volunteering and to discuss donations/sponsorship, contact Tami at [email protected] or 319-519-6121. Billie Townsend and the Women Build committee invite you to join them in July for a month filled with events to raise funds and engage the community in Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's 14th Women Build project. Check out this lineup of events—there are activities for people of all ages to get involved!
HAMMERS AND HARDHATS FUNDRAISER
Can't attend our events but still want to show your support? Make a donation to support the Billie Townsend Women Build project!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Habitat Friends Night earlier this month! This annual celebration of our supporters is an event our entire staff looks forward to every year because it gives us the opportunity to see many of our volunteers, donors, and homeowners. We hope this event conveys the immense gratitude we have for each and every one of you. At this event, we presented awards to several of our supporters for their outstanding service and dedication to the Habitat for Humanity mission. Congratulations and thank you to our 2024 awardees! TOM GLAU AWARD PRESENTED TO LEN WATKINSThe Tom Glau Award is named after Tom Glau, a long term volunteer for the Iowa City ReStore. Recipients are selected for their outstanding service and dedication as a ReStore volunteer. This award was presented to Len Watkins who has volunteered regularly for years helping with donations and organizing the Iowa City ReStore. Len also manages the Cans for Habitat program by sorting refundable deposit cans and bottles that are dropped off at the store. When cans are sorted and bagged up, a truckload is taken to a redemption center and the funds go toward Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity's programs and services. Len’s support not only recycled more than 300,000 cans and bottles last year, but it also raised over $15,000 for Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity. KAZI ALWARD AWARD PRESENTED TO JANET GREENWALDJanet Greenwald received the Kazi Alward award at Habitat Friends Night. This award is named after long term supporter, Kazi Alward, and recipients are selected for their outstanding service, kindness, and dedication. Janet volunteers on every home build and has the patience and attention to detail that truly transforms Habitat homes in the final weeks of construction. WILLIAM "D'GROUCH" LAUBENGAYER AWARD PRESENTED TO RON HOUGASThe 2024 D'Grouch award was presented to Ron Hougas. Named for William "D'Grouch" Laubengayer who volunteered countless hours on the construction of 104 Habitat homes, recipients demonstrate ongoing dedication and outstanding service to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity. Ron travels around 60 miles roundtrip to volunteer with the IVHFH construction crew and many times up to 3 days a week. TEAM OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESENTED TO UI PRE-DENTAL ADVISORY CLUBCongratulations to the University of Iowa College of Dentistry Pre-Dental Advisory Club for receiving the Team of the Year Award. This award recognizes the group for their outstanding and ongoing service to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity. The Pre-Dental Club recruits volunteers for multiple build days each school semester. PARTNER OF THE YEAR AWARD PRESENTED TO THE JOHNSON COUNTY AFFORDABLE HOUSING COALITIONIowa Valley Habitat for Humanity presented the Partner of the Year award to the Johnson County Affordable Housing Colaition in recognition of their outstanding service and commitment to prioritizing safe and affordable housing throughout the Johnson County community. JCAHC staff and volunteers work to provide the public and local housing agencies with valuable resources and education in addition to advocating for the housing rights for Johnson County residents.
Get ready for your next outdoor party or Hawkeye tailgate! This awesome wheelbarrow is filled to the brim with all the goodies you need - chips, dips, salsa, snacks, alcohol and drink mixes, beer, wine, and more! And thanks to Scheels, we even have a Solo Stove table firepit and mini oak firewood to make some delicious s'mores. The firepit is super cool with its Dual Fuel capability and Signature 360° Airflow, making it a breeze to ignite and enjoy a smokeless fire. Plus, Scheels also included a Yeti brand mug and wine tumbler to keep your drinks nice and chilly. And don't forget your Eddie Bauer insulated cooler from GreenState Credit Union which is already full of some of your favorite Big Grove brews. Oh, and your friends are sure to have a blast playing a giant outdoor game of Giant Jumbling Tower (think Jenga!). So, grab a drink, gather your friends, and let's have an amazing time outdoors! The best part—you can wheel it all away in a Kobalt wheelbarrow donated by Lowe's! Want to learn more about the Solo Stove table firepit? Check out this link. You should also take a look at the specs for the Kobalt wheelbarrow! IVHFH construction staff can't recommend a better quality wheelbarrow! Package includes:
This is an opportunity for our Hawkeye fans to get a one-of-a-kind view of Iowa Women’s Hoops. With this package, one lucky bidder and three of their friends will work with the Hawkeye staff to schedule a day when they get four court-side tickets, four t-shirts, and a pre-game tour of Carver-Hawkeye arena. Where else can you get a behind-the-scenes look as players, coaches, and staff prepare for a game? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity that you can’t afford to miss. Package includes:
Where will you be when the 2023 Big Ten Tournament champions and Final Four participant start their march for the 2024 National Championship? Well, one lucky bidder and three of their friends will be sitting court-side on November 6 as the Hawkeyes start their new campaign. So if you’ve wondered what it is like to sit mere feet away from Caitlin Clark as she launches logo threes, this item is for you! Don’t bypass this chance to see the best basketball team in the country!
Tickets generously donated by GreenState Credit Union |
|