A helpful partnership

Dear editor:

Efforts by our two organizations — Garland County Habitat for Humanity and Cooperative Christian Ministries and Clinic — recently resulted in Ruby Dillard becoming our newest Habitat homeowner. Together, we were able to offer this hardworking, caring woman a hand up, not a hand out. The journey to becoming a homeowner began years earlier after a fire destroyed everything, leaving her family in a desperate situation with no resources to start over.

Although Ruby felt hopeless and overwhelmed, she found her way to CCMC’s poverty-reduction Getting Ahead class — a 16-week class offered to help participants develop practical strategies for a more sustainable future. It was at one class she learned about Habitat’s annual information seminar — the first step in becoming a Habitat homeowner.

Ruby attended it, completed all the requirements, and was approved in a blind selection process by Habitat’s board. She and many of her friends put in over 300 hours in sweat equity that are required toward the purchase of the house. She also put in the escrow and will pay an interest free Habitat mortgage for about 20 years.

The poverty reduction programs of CCMC and Habitat’s work of providing affordable housing for low-to-moderate income working people dovetails beautifully to help create a more viable future. Both of our organizations meet people where they are. We come alongside those who are ready to write their future stories, now from a place of strength, knowledge, a workable plan, and with supportive relationships.

There are many false assumptions about people who are poor or struggling. Both Habitat and CCMC are working diligently, with the financial support and participation of this community, to raise awareness about the challenges faced by our under-resourced neighbors, offering practical solutions to alleviate the stresses that accompany poverty.

While the data on poverty can be pretty discouraging, it’s important to

know that collaborations are taking place throughout our area between nonprofits, agencies, and city and county governments. With this in mind, we have two questions: How can the work you do compliment the services or resources of others? How can you collaborate with others to ease suffering, stabilize people who are in a downward spiral, and lift others up? We, CCMC and Habitat, discovered that when we work together, each in our own strengths, following our missions, beautiful things happen and we’re all better for it. Kim Carter, executive director,CCMC Cindy Wagstaff, executive director, Habitat for Humanity