The Board of Directors of Habitat for Humanity of Kosciusko County, upon recommendation of the Family Selection committee, recently approved three families to receive Habitat homes. The people who will receive homes are John and Londa Lewis; Andrea Wagner and her son; and Jacob and Nichole Roberson. Habitat has three main criteria that applicants must meet to become a Partner Family: There must be a need; there must be an ability to repay; and the family must be willing to partner with Habitat by completing “sweat equity” hours and other requirements. Each of these families meet the criteria set by the board. More than 20 years ago John and Londa Lewis inherited a house that was already close to 100 years old. The house, with barely a shred of insulation, is a utility nightmare for the Lewis family; electric and gas payments averaged more than $450 a month this winter. Once the existing house is demolished and the new Habitat-built home constructed, the Lewises are projected to have a total monthly housing expense less than that average utility bill. This will include the principal payment on the mortgage, escrow for property taxes and insurance and their future utilities. John works for a packaging company while Londa is the lab tech at the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County. Habitat is working on the logistics of temporarily moving the Lewises while demolition and construction take place. Andrea Wagner and her son have been shuffling between apartments in the same complex for more than two years. Paying more than 30 percent of income toward their housing costs, a figure deemed by Habitat as unsustainable, they do not have the opportunity to get ahead, nor earn the equity that comes with a stable owned home. Wagner works within the Warsaw Community School system and is looking forward to getting started on her sweat equity, according to information provided. She and her son are prime candidates for the Habitat development on East Market Street across from Fribley Field starting later this year. Jacob and Nichole Roberson and their six children, one of whom is shared custody, have been living with parents and grandparents for more than two years. This situation is an automatic qualifier when it comes to need within Habitat criteria. Based on the age and gender of the children, the Roberson home will be a five-bedroom build, the largest Habitat has ever undertaken in Kosciusko County. Jacob has been an employee at Dalton Corp for more than eight years and is an active leader in Scouting, while Nichole is an active student, mom and involved in Scouting as well. The Robersons are the Partner Family for the proposed Body of Christ Build, Habitat’s goal is to bring at least 15 churches from the county together to build the home in the North Webster area. Several churches are involved through the Greater Warsaw Ministerial Association; more churches are welcome to participate. At present Habitat does not have property available to build on in North Webster and is looking for an advocate or two that might have a prospective property. Call 574-269-4104 with any leads. Habitat has changed its philosophy on approving Partner Families. Applications are accepted on a continuous basis and all applications that meet Habitat criteria will be approved. “We have shifted our selection process to an approval process because we have set criteria, and if an application meets those criteria then it should be approved,” Christon Clark, executive director, said. For more information on being a house sponsor, donor or volunteer go to www.kosciuskohabitat.com or call 574-269-4104.
