Capital Region Cares Capital Region Cares 2018-2019 | Page 59

Habitat for
Humanity
Building hope and empowering through shelter
H
abitat for Humanity of Greater
Sacramento has been building
strength, stability, and self-reliance
through shelter in Sacramento and
Yolo County for more than 32 years.
“We bring people together to build and
preserve homes for hardworking, low-
income families, seniors, and veterans,
providing them with a springboard to
secure, stable futures. Through shelter,
we empower,” says Leah Miller, CEO.
Every year, the Sacramento staff
of 20 hosts over 2,000 volunteers on
numerous construction projects and in
their ReStore, a retail warehouse selling
donated building supplies and home
furnishings. “Our volunteers, family
partners, and donors not only make our
services possible, they are the heart and
soul of Habitat” says Miller.
Families put in 500 hours of sweat
equity building their homes alongside
volunteers (in fact, volunteers and
the families do 90% of construction),
then purchase the homes from Habitat
through a 0% interest, 30-year
mortgage. As our community’s housing
and rent prices skyrocket, the need for
affordable housing is dire. “This year,
we received more than 800 inquiries
for our homeownership program and an
additional 1,000 inquiries for our repairs
program,” notes Miller. 
Habitat Sacramento is locally
funded without support from Habitat
International, and less than 2 percent
of their budget is government funding.
Every home built and life changed is
made possible from local donated
materials and dollars, sales from the
ReStore, and thousands of volunteer
hours.
“One of our biggest goals right now
is to increase our in-kind and community
partnerships, as well as encourage
people to vote yes on SB3, the Veterans
and Affordable Housing bond measure,
which if passed in November would
HABITATGREATERSAC.ORG
help us double the number of homes
we build,” says Miller. With Habitat,
everyone has the power to build a
strong community, whether it’s donating
materials or services, contributing
financially, or pitching in to volunteer.
profile generously sponsored by
comstocksmag.com | 2018 CAPITAL REGION CARES
59