March 26, 2020

These past few weeks have been challenging for many, Habitat included.

As we abide by shelter in place orders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, our ReStore, active construction sites, and offices have temporarily closed. With the loss of monthly ReStore sales (which support our operating costs), we’ve also had, as reported last night on KCRA 3 to temporarily lay off  the majority of our staff.

Amidst it all though, we remain thankful for miracles big and small.

Our project on 75th Street for single Mom Sandra Granados and her 3 daughters was a few weeks from completion when we got the first COVID-19 directives. Sandra and her daughters faced homelessness after being displaced from rising rents and soon bounced from shelter to shelter waking up with cockroaches on their pillows. Sandra is working the front lines during this COVID-19 crisis as a medical assistant while sleeping on a couch as her daughters share 1 room.

Thanks to all hands on deck and calling in relationships with plumbers and title – as well as putting the city’s new virtual final inspections to work – against all odds, we did it and Sandra will be able to purchase her home this week.

Though we will not be able to have the big traditional (or even virtual) home dedication this Saturday that we’d hoped for due to new COVID-19 orders, we are so incredibly thankful to all the amazing people and organizations who helped make this home possible from day 1 to the scrambled finish amidst a global pandemic.

(Photos from Saturday’s final walk-through and mortgage document review, as well as previous photo of she and her daughter’s putting in 500 hours of “sweat equity” building their home.  By the end of this week we’ll have one more photo – Sandra getting the keys after officially purchasing her home for a 30-year, affordable mortgage)

“Now more than ever, Habitat’s work – much like flattening the curve – will require all of us, together. These are challenged times, but what Habitat does will be needed more than ever when this pandemic crisis has lifted, but the critical need for what Habitat does and housing crisis remains. We invite you to stand with us by making a financial contribution today so that we can stand ready and able to build for the future.”

-Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento President and CEO, Leah Miller

Email info@habitatgreatersac.org to find out how you can help or visit www.habitatgreatersac.org/donate to make a donation