Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity Newsletter
 
January 2016
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Greetings!
 
Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity has hit the ground running in 2016!  We started the new year off right, breaking ground on our our 18th and 19th homes in Salida on January 8th. We have two new members to our Board of Directors, Charlie Chupp and Chris Reitter. And the ReStore is continuing discounts for seniors and military personnel every Friday.  

On behalf of the Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity staff, I would like to thank all of our volunteers for their continued support of the Habitat mission. Without our dedicated volunteers we cannot build affordable housing in Chaffee County. Whether you are volunteering your time, talent or resources, it does make a difference in the lives of the families we serve.

Jill Smola
Executive Director

CCHfH breaks ground on 18th & 19th homes
Cold and snow didn't stop ground breaking celebration

Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity broke ground on our 18th and 19th Habitat
Homes on the morning of January 8th 2016. It was a snowy morning but spirits were bright at 124 and 126 Starbuck Circle, located within the Starbuck Dairy Subdivision, on the west side of Salida. During the Groundbreaking Ceremony the new 2016 Partner Families were introduced. Gina Marinucci and her sons Domenico and Dante will reside in one side of the duplex, while LeaEllen Bowers and her children Trystin Bowers, Chris Bowers and Camber Franklin will move into the other side of the duplex. The families will work with family coaches Gaylene Stevens and Mary Hay throughout the project. The family coaches provide support and guidance; they serve as liaisons between the Partner Families and Habitat, as well as helping the Partner Families to feel connected to the entire Habitat community. Both families are extremely excited to participate in this life-changing endeavor. The excavation phase is expected to begin in February or March and construction will continue through completion into the late-summer or early-fall. However, as you can see, two-year old Camber Franklin already started excavation of his new home at the Ground Breaking Ceremony. 

The Marinucci and Bowers families will each receive a zero-percent interest rate on a 30-year mortgage contract with no down payment. This type of mortgage is possible because the majority of the construction labor is provided by volunteers, as well as the Partner Families. Each family will spend a total of 250 service hours, with 100 of those hours spent working directly on the construction of their new homes. In addition to their service hours, the Partner Families will participate in 35 hours of homeownership education classes with Colleen Rollings, Family Training Coordinator. These classes are designed to prepare families for financial responsibilities of becoming homeowners, how to best maintain their homes and acclimate into their new neighborhoods. Habitat's overall goal is to empower families to become knowledgeable and successful homeowners. 

The construction phase is expected to involve approximately 300 volunteers. The majority of these volunteers are locals and the others travel to the area with volunteer groups from across the country. Additionally, Chris Fisher, Construction Education and Research Instructor, and his students from the Buena Vista Correctional Facility provide labor for the construction of the Habitat Homes. When these students are not working on the jobsite, they spend a significant amount of time in the classroom. When asked about the benefits of the program for the students, Fisher stated, "not only are the students learning construction skills, but more importantly, they are learning to give back in a positive way and to not ask for anything in return".  

Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity is always in need of volunteers and no experience is necessary. Whether you can contribute two hours or eighty hours, we would greatly appreciate your help at the build site, as well as outside of the construction zone. Volunteer opportunities include construction, site hosting, meal preparation and assistance with our traveling groups who arrive to build for either a day or sometimes a week. For additional information regarding our volunteer program or to sign-up, please contact Angela Wallace, Program Coordinator. Angela can be reached at 719-395-0482 or via email [email protected].

Leave your legacy through planned giving
Help bring hope to future generations of needy families

Your support today makes it possible for us to reach out today to families in our community who need hope and a helping hand.  But when you give to Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity through your estate or long-term financial plans, you are forging your life legacy with our housing ministry and ensuring that later generations can secure decent, safe and affordable housing.
Planned giving is the perfect way for you to leave your legacy and continue to touch the lives of families in Chaffee County after your lifetime.  Planned giving can be done through a myriad of options including:  bequests, charitable gift annuities, life insurance, memorials and honorary gifts, real estate, and securities.
In this month's newsletter we will provide you with basic information on beneficiary designations through IRA's and retirement plans, life insurance, and insurance annuities.  Through planned giving you can easily include a gift to Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity and benefit personally from your gift.  We encourage you to contact your financial advisor or attorney to see which planned giving path is right for you.

Beneficiary Designations 

You can continue supporting our work even after your lifetime by naming CCHFH as beneficiary of your retirement plan, life insurance or insurance annuity assets.
Naming a charity that will receive your assets once you are gone can be a simple process. Most assets can pass to your intended beneficiaries by the terms of your will. Other assets, such as retirement plans, life insurance and insurance annuities, however, are not controlled by the terms of your will. These assets instead require separate beneficiary forms. 

The beneficiaries of these assets can be easily modified at any time to meet your changing needs: 
 
IRA and Retirement Plan Beneficiaries 

Most retirement plans, including 401(k)s and IRAs, are income tax-deferred, meaning that income tax is not paid until the funds are distributed to you in life, or upon your death.  Because they are subject to income taxes, retirement assets make ideal gifts to tax-exempt charitable organizations such as CCHFH. 
The naming of a charity as the beneficiary of retirement assets upon death generates no income taxes. The charity is tax-exempt and eligible to receive the full amount and bypass any income taxes. 

Life Insurance Policy Beneficiaries 

Life insurance is a popular method of providing much-needed funds to a beneficiary at your death. It is also a low-cost way to provide a large benefit for someone in need. Life insurance proceeds are almost always income tax-free to the beneficiary. The beneficiary designation in your life insurance policy determines where the proceeds will be distributed. The death proceeds, therefore, are not typically transferred through your will. Life insurance can be distributed to a charitable organization such as CCHFH, if we are named as a beneficiary of the policy at the time of your death. 

Insurance Annuity Beneficiaries 

Insurance annuities, unlike life insurance, carry an income tax burden. Your named beneficiary is responsible for paying the income tax due on the growth of the annuity while you owned it. The tax burden makes these assets a popular choice to leave to a charitable organization like CCHFH. 

Consult your attorney or financial advisor to see if planned giving is the right path for you. 

January Volunteers - The Fisher Family
Entire family gets involved with Chaffee County Habitat

The Fisher Family -- Richard and Arlene and their adult children, Chris and Jennifer--have been involved with Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity for a combined twenty years. Chris said "God gave us two hands: one for helping ourselves and the other for helping others." The family has demonstrated this belief in a variety of ways in our community. The family collectively agreed that one of their happiest Habitat memories was the opportunity to participate in the construction of a Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity Home for Jennifer and her daughter, Isabell. 

Twenty-six years ago Richard started "rehabbing" homes in Alamosa. He traveled with a local church group which assisted homeowners in creating habitable living situations.  Richard was also a member of the Buena Vista Town Council from 1982-1990, during which time the streets in Buena Vista were paved and the airport was built. He recommends others become involved with CCHfH to experience a sense of accomplishment, share talents, and learn new skills. Richard remains an active member of the construction team because he enjoys helping local families afford a home in Chaffee County. He also appreciates the mental and physical exercise of working at the construction site.  

After working for Chaffee County Head Start for more than twenty years, Arlene recently retired from her position as the Family Services Coordinator. She remains actively involved within our local community and volunteers at Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity.  Recently Arlene served as the Secretary/Treasurer of the Johnson Village Habitat Homeowner Association and as a Family Advocate. She plans to continue volunteering at CCHfH in various capacities. While at Head Start, Arlene found herself in a unique position of working with many of the children whose parents partnered with CCHfH.  "It was remarkable to observe the progress made by these families from the beginning of the process to when they moved into their new home. The children of these families exemplified greater stability, increased social skills and were overall more secure."  One of Arlene's favorite hangouts is Super Bowl Lanes in Salida, where she has been involved in a Team Bowling League since 1977.

Chris started his involvement with Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity seven years ago when he assisted with the construction of a Habitat Home for his sister, Jennifer, and niece, Isabell. He has become an integral member of the construction team. Chris volunteers on weekends and when he isn't teaching at the Buena Vista Correctional Complex or spending time with his five amazing children. Chris is very proud of his children and said, "Becoming a father is the best thing that ever happened to me; I need my kids as much as they need me. "

During his work-week Chris teaches the Foundations of Career and Technology Education Program at BVCC to approximately fifteen students for 10-12 week sessions. The program is part of the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). The students are taught basic safety of construction using OSHA Standards, Construction Math, Blue Print Reading and Material Handling/Recognition. Upon completion of the program, the students earn a certificate through the NCCER, as well as eight college credits through Pueblo Community College. The students spend approximately 80% of their time in the classroom and the other 20% at the Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity construction sites.

"Not only are these students learning construction skills, but more importantly, they are learning to give back in a positive way and to not ask for anything in return". 

He encourages other community members to volunteer with CCHfH and experience the joy of giving back to the community even if they are experiencing their own struggles in life. Working alongside volunteers from many different backgrounds leads to long and meaningful relationships.

Beyond working and volunteering, the Fisher Family enjoys spending time together while participating in a vast array of Colorado's outdoor activities.

This newsletter is dedicated to every volunteer, donor, and ReStore shopper. You are the reason families in this community realize transformed lives and homeownership. Thank you for believing in the mission that brings us together: Seeking to put God's love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope.

Please keep us in your prayers as the community comes together to accomplish this transformational work.

 

Sincerely,
Jill Smola
Chaffee County Habitat for Humanity