Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Play Monopoly for Habitat!

2012-02-16T13:30:00.001-05:00

Monopoly Tournament for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Yorktown High School Crew Team Rows for Habitat for Humanity

2012-01-30T12:00:00.004-05:00

Yorktown High School Crew Team Holds Feb. 25 Competition to Benefit Habitat for Humanity

Yorktown High School holds its eighth annual Row for Humanity/Ergathon, 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Feb. 25, at Ballston Common Mall inArlington,Va. This event raises funds for both Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia and the Yorktown Crew Team. Through this event, the Yorktown Crew Team provides the Habitat of Humanity of Northern Virginia its largest donation from any school.

More than 100Yorktown High School students participate on indoor rowing machines known as “ergs.” The Yorktown Crew team invites interested members of the public to attend this “ergathon” at Ballston Common and donate to show their support for the rowers.

The event is part of a nationwide Row for Humanity Day. Universities and high schools across the country hold simultaneous ergathons, with proceeds supporting crew teams and local chapters of Habitat for Humanity. Donations to Habitat for Humanity support home construction for the less fortunate in communities nationwide. In 2011, Row for Humanity donated more than $30,000 for Habitat for Humanity organizations across the country.

Since its inception in 1976, Habitat for Humanity International has built more than 400,000 houses around the world, providing more than 2 million people with safe, decent, affordable shelter.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ON SPONSORING THIS EVENT

2012-01-25T16:07:00.000-05:00

What is Re-purposing?

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia ReStores challenge you to “Make Purchases with a Re-purpose.” RePurposing is an applicable, eco-savvy and sustainable solution for our business, customers, and the environment. Making purchases with a RePurpose at the ReStore prevents reusable materials from entering landfills and supports Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia's mission to Provide Safe, Decent, Affordable Housing for People in Need.

View images below displaying samples of items Re-purposed.

divineconsignoakpark.blogspot.com

www.poetichome.com

2011-12-21T15:36:00.005-05:00

Habitat ReStore - A Box of Chocolate.
"You never know what you will find."

Many individuals know of the Habitat for Humanity program. Former president Jimmy Carter highlighted the program during the mid-1980s due to his volunteer work in building houses for families which otherwise could not afford to own a home without community support. Simply put, the Habitat for Humanity program is designed to make it possible for low income families in substandard housing to own their own homes, purchased with a combination of "sweat equity," volunteer time and donated materials and labor to lower the costs of constructing a house.

Founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller and his wife, Linda, Habitat for Humanity is a nondenominational Christian ministry that meets the universal need of all people for decent shelter. The Fullers called their vision "the theology of the hammer."

Since its inception, Habitat has built more than 350,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1.75 million people in 3000 communities with safe, decent and affordable shelter.

But in order for the hammer to do the work of building hope for a better future here in Northern Virginia, a Habitat for Humanity ReStore provides the means of making the dream of home ownership a reality.

The Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia ReStore recycles overstocked, discontinued, new and gently used items donated by manufacturers, stores, contractors and individuals. These items are sold to the public or used in Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia home construction. Revenue from sales helps the local Habitat affiliate in support of its home building program.

The Northern Virginia affliate runs two ReStores, one in Chantilly and one in Alexandria. Although the stores do not present a brightly painted storefront, they do offer customers a wide variety of home improvement products at greatly discounted prices.

"Everything is accepted - including the kitchen sink," added Herb Campbell, ReStore District Manager.
"Everything from dining room furniture and lighting fixtures to plumbing, paint and appliance is available".

Habitat ReStore is almost entirely volunteer run – volunteers are the heart and soul of the ReStores. Each volunteer possesses different skills and experiences. The ReStore volunteer duties include, cashier, accepting donations, cleaning, pricing and stocking donated items and most important, customer service!

As an added benefit, the store's ability to save, sell or reuse unwanted materials keeps unwanted items out of local landfills. The ReStores provide an environmentally and socially responsible way to keep good, reusable materials out of the waste stream while providing funding for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia's community improvement work.

"Every dollar spent at the ReStores keep a pound of waste out of local landfills," commented Rachel Crowley, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia Marketing and Communications Manager.

"We're kind of a box of chocolates here; you never know what you'll get," said Rachel with a smile. "Our slogan is Miss a Day...Miss a Deal. Things come in and out so quickly, visiting the store is always a new experience."
The proceeds from the store helped the Habitat for Humanity program reach its fiscal year goal of building 4 homes and 4 Brush with Kindness exterior builds.

The Habitat for Humanity Store is a 501c (3) non-profit organization, so donations are tax deductible.

The store is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The ReStore will be open on Saturday, December 24 (9am - 1pm) and Saturday, December 31 (9am - 3pm) for any last minute year-end donations.

Donations are encouraged; pick-up is available. And yes, volunteers are always needed.
LINK: Donate to Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia
LINK: DONATE MATERIALS to the ReStore
LINK: Directions to ReStore

Let Habitat Help You With Your Christmas Shopping!

2011-12-07T10:08:00.000-05:00

Need a Few

More Gifts?

Tired of Shopping?

Let the Habitat Elves help you with those hard to
shop for friends and family on your list.

What better way to show those you love than
by sending a Habitat for Humanity holiday greeting?
Best of all, your purchase helps support Habitat in
it’s mission to eliminate substandard housing in
Northern Virginia!

Simply send a donation into Habitat and we will send
your special person(s) a card, letting them know that
you have made a donation in their honor. No waiting
in lines, no pushy sales people, and never any need
to return it – a gift to Habitat in their honor is always
the perfect size and it is tax deductible!

Let the Habitat Elves to do the work for you!
Please consider giving the gift of home to a local
family in need by ordering Habitat Northern
Virginia holiday cards for your coworkers, friends
and loved ones.

Simply CLICK HERE !

Please get your list
to us by December 19.
If you would like to mail
your list to the Habitat
Elves, with a check,
our address is:
716 S. Glebe Road,
Arlington, VA 22204.

I am Thankful for our Volunteers!

2011-11-23T10:09:00.001-05:00

While sorting through some old photographs yesterday in the Habitat office, I ran across this photo.

I don’t know who took it, who is in it or even when it was taken.

What did strike me is the wording written on the top of the window frame –

Life is not measured by the number of “breaths” you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.

I’ve heard and seen this quote many times. I’ve even used it as a caption under photos of my children in scrapbooks, but on this day it really hit home.

It hit home because yesterday I was listening to staff discuss the Perry Hall Construction Site. The commitment of our families and the dedication of our volunteers, supporters and staff never cease to amaze me. Just last week more than 25 volunteers and Habitat families braved the November cold to help build homes.

It is amazing to me that so many people will give up free time to work in the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter to help Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia continue its mission of eliminating substandard housing in Northern Virginia. I am so thankful they join us in our belief that everyone deserves a simple, decent and affordable home.

If you have not volunteered for us I encourage you to do so and witness first-hand some of the moments that can take your breath away.

To volunteer, give Rachel K. a call at 703-521-9890.

Happy Thanksgiving! May your day be filled with peace, love, laughter and wonderful food and try to take that peace with you when you search for sales on Black Friday (Go by the ReStore first!).

The Holidays are Fast Upon Us!

2011-11-07T13:18:00.000-05:00

The holidays are fast upon us and this book is a great read for children to explain the importance of being kind and compassionate.

Sometimes, a simple act of kindness takes on a life of its own. A new illustrated children’s book brings that lesson home — and celebrates a real-life partnership that helps build decent, affordable homes.

The best presents are the ones you don’t expect.

 It had been the best day that Henry could remember, and he didn’t want it to end. He stood before the decorated tree, enchanted. The streetlamps had just come on, and the tin cans glittered in their light. If ever there was a magic moment, Henry thought, this is it.   He decided to make a special Christmas wish. He wished that one day his family would live in a nice, warm house.
– The Carpenter’s Gift

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OR TO PURCHASE.

President Carter: Decent housing is a right

2011-10-18T15:28:00.000-04:00

President Carter: Decent housing is a right

For 28 years, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn have faithfully volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. They have built homes in communities around the world and have seen the changes that are born when people from all faiths and backgrounds come together.

In the current issue of The Guardian online, President Carter shares his thoughts about decent housing and about how to create sweeping change. It’s about cooperation and sustainability, he says, first changing how we think to change how we act.

The Impacts of Affordable Housing on Education

2011-10-17T11:08:00.006-04:00

A growing body of research suggests that stable, affordable housing may provide children with enhanced opportunities for educational success. While schools and teachers bear principal responsibility for children's education, research shows that a supportive and stable home environment can complement the efforts of educators, leading to better student achievement.

This report by the Center for Housing Policy is an update to a 2007 literature review which examined the various ways in which the production, rehabilitation, or other provision of affordable housing may affect educational outcomes for children. Six prominent themes are discussed and include:

Stable, affordable housing may reduce the frequency of unwanted moves that can be disruptive to a child's educational experience;

Creating mixed-income communities increases the likelihood that all children will be exposed to more support for education and stronger school systems;

Providing decent, quality affordable housing reduces housing-related stress that can contribute to poor educational outcomes for children;

Safe, decent, well maintained housing will reduce the incidents of housing-related health hazards such as lead poisoning and asthma that impact learning;

Affordable housing developments can be a platform for educational improvement by providing residential-based after-school programs;

Affordable housing supports children's educational achievements by reducing homelessness among families with children.

Annually, funding for education is the largest line item in the budgets of all our jurisdictions in Northern Virginia. As a region, we understand the importance of, and are willing to invest in quality education for our children, so this issue has high community value and is allocated the necessary resources. If the provision of safe, affordable housing has an impact on a child's ability to learn and be successful, doesn't it make sense to protect that educational investment with an appropriate investment in affordable housing?
Article reposted from http://nvaha.org/NVAHA/News.html#iah

To read the report in it's entirely, click here http://www.nhc.org/media/files/Insights_HousingAndEducationBrief.pdf.

PERRY HALL PROJECT HELPS THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA HOUSING CRISIS

2011-10-11T12:53:00.002-04:00

Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Crisis

The Washington, D.C. metro region is one of the least affordable places to live in the U.S. The high cost of owning a home in Northern Virginia overwhelms many families. Even though these families are hard-working and responsible, many must endure inadequate housing, over-crowding, and even homelessness. Since our founding in 1990, we’ve built nearly 100 homes and helped almost 400 individuals and over 200 children.

Help address the housing crisis by donating or volunteering: Visit www.habitatnova.org today!

Perry Hall Condominiums – Providing Affordable housing to 12 Arlington Families

The Project

The Perry S. Hall Apartment Building, a former Section 8 property in Nauck Neighborhood, was slated to be torn down in 2005 and rebuilt as market-rate apartments. To address Arlington County’s affordable housing crisis, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia intervened, bought the property, and began making plans to rehabilitate the existing building and preserve the structure of Perry Hall.

Renovation of this Property required complete demolition of the interior of the building and an expansion of its footprint: 1,335 square feet of living space are being added to both sides of the front. Through a complete renovation of all systems within the home, Habitat staff and volunteers will convert the unit, formerly 9 apartments, into 12 three-bedroom condominium units.

In addition to providing 12 low- to moderate-income families in Northern Virginia with a home of their own, the Perry Hall initiative is an opportunity to recreate a truly beautiful property in a collaborative effort to eradicate poverty housing in Northern Virginia.

The Families

All 12 families selected to move into Perry Hall will earn 25 – 50 % of the area’s median income. Six of the twelve families have already been selected for homeownership at Perry Hall and it is anticipated that 20 adults and 25 children will reside in the condominium community. Families typically represent a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds and currently live in substandard, often unsafe, rental units. Some of the families may be recent immigrants; others may be single-parent households.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia We're Moving!!

2011-08-25T12:42:00.003-04:00

Habitat Northern Virginia's office is leaving our office space at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington (UUCA).

Habitat Northern Virginia is grateful to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington for hosting our affiliate for over a decade.

Our new host will be Arlington United Methodist Church located at 716 South Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22204. Our e-mail and phone numbers will remain the same. Our office is happy to be staying in Arlington, where we have been serving the Northern Virginia community since its inception in 1990.

Habitat Northern Virginia's administrative office will be CLOSED Monday, August 29 and Tuesday, August 30. It is our goal to be up and running on Wednesday, August 31, and appreciate your patience and understanding during this transition.

A Stellar Job at the ReStore!

2011-07-27T09:59:00.005-04:00

Twenty-three volunteers from Stellar Solutions volunteered their time at our Chantilly ReStore yesterday afternoon!

Stellar Solutions planned this volunteer time prior to their summer meeting to incorporate a community service component for all to participate in prior to the meeting. They were fantastic volunteers! The kitchen cabinet section, the tile aisle, and the electronics and book sections were fantastically clean and organized when they were finished!

Employee Betsy Pimentel said, "It felt like we were organizing a massive community garage sale. It was a great team-building experience!"

Shirley Perales also said she had a great time at the ReStore: "It was fun! The staff was great and it was rewarding helping such a worthy organization."

Among the crew was CEO and founder Celeste Ford, President and COO Michael Lencioni, and CFO Kevin Ford.

Stellar Solutions is an engineering services company based in Palo Alto, California, with an office in Chantilly, Virginia. The company provides end-to-end technical expertise and problem solving skills to significant national and international aerospace programs. They distinguish themselves by satisfying customers’ critical needs on diverse defense-related intelligence projects, international telecommunications satellites, commercial imagery satellites and NASA’s planetary and earth science missions.

Volunteering at the ReStore is a great way to give back to the community while team-building with professional colleagues. Habitat Northern Virginia invites you to bring your group to our Alexandria or Chantilly ReStore to volunteer. Just call Rachel at (703) 521-9890 ext. 111 to sign up!

Congratulations to Four New Homeowner Families!

2011-07-21T14:09:00.004-04:00

Four families recently signed their papers to officially become first-time homeowners!

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia renovated four homes through the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program. This program gives nonprofits like Habitat a first look at foreclosed properties so that they will have a chance to buy them at reduced prices. Our sponsors and volunteers worked diligently to flip the four homes, located in Chantilly, Herndon, and Lorton, Virginia.

Congratulations to these four new Habitat families!

Our New ReStore Video!

2011-07-13T16:23:00.003-04:00

Check out our great new video produced by our friend Peggy Fox!

We will use the video to provide a quick overview of our affiliate and the ReStore for new ReStore volunteers. Come on out to our Chantilly or Alexandria locations to volunteer any time! Click here to sign up.

A Brush With Kindness Is Underway!

2011-06-21T11:18:00.002-04:00

Habitat Northern Virginiahas started our A Brush With Kindness projects! A Brush With Kindness is a program adopted by many Habitat for Humanityaffiliates around the country. Itprovides a new way to carry out Habitat’s mission to eradicate substandardhousing in our communities.

Through A Brush With Kindness, we are performing criticalhome repairs for low-income homeowners. Weencourage able-bodied partner families to work alongside volunteers to improvetheir living conditions.

Our first A Brush withKindness project is an Alexandriahome is owned by a family of four. The hard-working parents are unable toafford the exterior upkeep needed on the home. Home repairs include replacingsiding and trim and landscaping.

The second homeowner receiving ABrush with Kindness is a Fairfax homeowner – a single mother of three– who fell and broke her back. She has been in and out of work due to excruciatingback pain. Her finances and her ability to maintain the appearance of her home havesignificantly suffered. In addition tothe mother’s back trauma, the oldest daughter, 23 years old, was recentlydiagnosed with Leukemia.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia stepped into give this homeowner a hand up. The home repairs include a completelynew roof, soffits, and gutters. The repairs are being completed by HabitatNorthern Virginia staff and volunteers this week.

A Brush with Kindness is part of Habitat’s broader holisticcommunity development strategy, which assists communities as well as families.It revitalizes the appearance of the neighborhood, strengthens connectionswithin the community through volunteer work days, and helps preserve affordablehousing.

Want to get involved? We are looking for volunteers!

Go to our volunteer calendar and sign uptoday!

Wild West Poker Tournament and Party

2011-06-07T14:22:00.002-04:00

You're invited!

Join us on Wednesday, June 8th at
The Caribbean Breeze
4100 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER TO PLAY!

We have only 40 slots for poker players available, so don’t delay! Buy-in fee (donation to Habitat Northern Virginia’s Women Build) is $100.

1st prize- Flat screen TV (a $500-600 value)
2nd prize- $300 gift certificate to Ruth’s Chris
3rd prize- $100 gift certificate to Lowes
**Players need to be there by 5:30 to register/grab a drink/seat
**Seats for the poker tournament are limited so register online ASAP!

Aside from the tournament, there will be a networking party featuring cigar rolling, whiskey tastings, Women Build Cocktails, raffles of all kinds of goodies - handmade jewelry, furniture, and a garden shed built entirely by women! Winners do not have to be present to win. AND we'll have a special celebrity guest - Jenni Chase from 98.7 WMZQ!

*Cover charge for party- $20
*Cover charge if you dress the part (cowboy hat, huge belt buckle, cowboy boots, etc)- $10
*If you play in the tournament- $0!

This is not an event to miss – even if you don’t play poker!

Win a Women Built Garden Shed!

2011-06-02T14:36:00.000-04:00

Win this Garden Shed - built entirely by women -
for just $10.00!

Call Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

to purchase your raffle tickets today!
Melissa: (703) 521-9890 ext. 107

This 5' x 7' garden shed from Summerwood Products has cedar shingles and siding, two windows with flower boxes, and an arched doorway. It has been stained to preserve and protect the wood. It is valued at over $3,200. What a perfect addition to any backyard!

Freddie Mac will even deliver the shed to your home!

(Delivery destination must be within 25 miles of the Freddie Mac headquarters in Tysons Corner.)

And better yet, it was built with careful attention by women only! Female Freddie Mac volunteers worked throughout the week with female Habitat Northern Virginia leadership to construct the shed. On Friday, the Washington Mystics WNBA players and staff volunteered to help us put the finishing touches on the garden shed.

The great prize will be raffled off to one very lucky winner at the Wild West Poker Tournament at the Caribbean Breeze in Arlington on Wednesday, June 8th. Come on out for a great time!

See pictures of the construction of the garden shed - including the Washington Mystics volunteer day - on our Flickr site.

HUGE thanks to our friends at Freddie Mac, the sponsor of this great project, and the Washington Mystics!

Download the raffle rules and regulations.

Washington Mystics and Freddie Mac Construct Women Build Garden Shed

2011-05-19T15:02:00.001-04:00

All next week, female volunteers from Freddie Mac will be building a beautiful garden shed through our Women Build program! Freddie Mac is the generous sponsor of this project, the proceeds of which will benefit the Women Build program.

The Washington Mystics of theWomen’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) is volunteering with Habitat forHumanity of Northern Virginia’s WomenBuild for WNBA Cares Week. The players will work alongside women volunteersfrom Habitat Northern Virginia’s WomenBuild committee and Freddie Mac employee volunteers. The players and volunteers are expected to finish the constructionof a 5’ x 7’ cedar garden shed on May 27.

Freddie Mac employees will take part in the Women Build, held at the company’sheadquarters in Tysons Corner. “We are delighted to join Habitat forHumanity of Northern Virginia and the Washington Mystics to support the WomenBuild program, and to help provide families with affordable housing,” saidMargaret Meiers, Senior Director of Community Relations at Freddie Mac. Freddie Mac is a sustaining partner of Habitat for Humanity of NorthernVirginia – offering financial support and volunteers for a number of projects.

The garden shed is a charming Summerwood Products cedar shed with 2 windows, flower boxes, and arched doorway. It will be raffled offat the Wild West Poker Tournament with all proceeds benefiting Habitat for Humanity of NorthernVirginia’s Women Build program. Topurchase a $10 raffle ticket, call Habitat for Humanity at 703-521-9890 ext.107 or email Melissa at mraley@habitatnova.org.

Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build recruits, educates, and nurtures women to build—and advocate for—simple,decent, and affordable houses in their communities. The mission of the program is to empowerwomen to learn new skills, use new tools, and work together as empowered andcapable workers.

Povertyhousing is a severe threat to children’s health, growth, and potential.According to the Census Bureau, in the United States more than 12 millionchildren—one out of every six—isliving in poverty.

Womenhave the capability and determination necessary to build Habitat for Humanityhouses, addressing the problem of substandard housing in a concrete way so thatfamilies have safe, decent, and affordable homes.

The WNBA’s Washington Mystics are owned and operated byMonumental Sports & Entertainment, which is one of the largest integratedsports and entertainment companies in the country with one of the most diversepartnership groups in all of sports. The group also owns and operates the NBA’SWashington Wizards, the NHL’s Washington Capitals and Verizon Center – thepremier sports and entertainment venue in Washington, D.C. Monumental Sports& Entertainment also oversees the management of Kettler Capitals Iceplex,the state-of-the-art training facility for the Capitals, and George MasonUniversity's Patriot Center.

Eat at Dogfish Head Alehouse on Tuesday!

2011-05-09T09:06:00.004-04:00

Habitat Northern Virginia will receive

15% of all sales at

Dogfish Head Alehouse

Tuesday May 10, 2011
11:30 AM to 11:00 PM

Fairfax, Virginia resident, Randy Mouri, is attempting Race Across America (RAAM), a 3,000-mile bike race from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland. Along the way he’ll be raising money and awareness for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia! He kicks off his fundraising efforts on May 10th at the Fairfax Dogfish Head Alehouse.

Dogfish Head Alehouse, located at 13041 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway, will generously donate 15% of all sales to Habitat NoVa on Tuesday, May 10, including take-out. Plus, raffle tickets will be sold to win great prizes with all ticket sales benefiting Habitat NoVa.

You will also meet Randy Mouri, while he spins on his bike trainer outside the restaurant during fundraising hours - that’s almost 12 hours of cycling!

Learn more about Randy and his RAAM adventure!

Building Block Blitz!

2011-05-03T14:18:00.001-04:00

Sign up today to get your t-shirt for the

4th Annual Habitat Northern Virginia

Building Block Blitz!

At this exciting event, participating student teams (grades 2 through 8) will design and build a house in 1 hour using approximately 300 building blocks. The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City and the Washington DC Metro Area LEGO Users Group and Train Club are partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia to host the Building Block Blitz to raise funds to build real houses for families in Northern Virginia. Prizes will be given for most realistic, most creative, and most money raised.

Award-winning ABC7/WJLA-TV reporter, Scott Thuman, will emcee this exciting event!

Habitat is seeking students to register for this fun-filled competition. To register, send an email with participants' names and t-shirt sizes to Whitney at wburton@habitatnova.org. Each participant will receive a snazzy t-shirt - but don't delay! We must place our order for the shirts by May 9th.

The purpose of this special event is to engage young people in our community in the life-changing work of Habitat for Humanity. Each team must raise a minimum of $100 as a donation to Habitat Northern Virginia, which will be used to build houses for local families in need. Individual participants who register without a team must raise a minimum of $50. You can support a young person or a team by donating securely online! Click here to make your donation today!

Register today so you'll get the correct size

Building Block Blitz t-shirt!

Richard Semmler Donates to ABWK and Organizes NOVA Volunteers

2011-04-29T12:53:00.002-04:00

Dr. Richard Semmler, a professor of mathematics at Northern Virginia Community College, has been a blessing to our affiliate and the families we serve for many, many years. He makes great personal sacrifices in order to donate half of his income to nonprofit organizations, including Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia. Over the last two weeks, Dr. Semmler has once again shown his immense generosity and selflessness to Habitat Northern Virginia.

Dr. Semmler presents his check to the Habitat staff and Board.
Left to right: Frank Lucician (President), Dr. Semmler, Angel Rivera (Board Chair),
Meredith Magwire (Director of Development)

On April 19, Dr. Semmler presented a check for $10,750 to the staff and board at Habitat Northern Virginia! This donation, which brings his total contributions to Habitat Northern Virginia to an incredible $270,750, includes a $10,000 sponsorship of our new A Brush With Kindness program and $750 to sponsor the building of a Habitat home in Tanzania.

But Dr. Semmler's generosity doesn't come only from his pockets! On Wednesday, Dr. Semmler and a group of staff, faculty, and students from Northern Virginia Community College selflessly gave their time and their sweat at Perry Hall Condominiums.

Faculty, staff, and students from Northern Virginia Community College volunteered at Perry Hall.

Bridget, Student Life Specialist at NOVA Community College, said: "I truly appreciated the opportunity to partner with Habitat for Humanity for our first ELI Student Life volunteer day event. At NOVA, we greatly admire Dr. Semmler and his dedication towards Habitat and on Wednesday we got the chance to see his giving spirit in action. It also felt great to spend the day with my colleagues outside of the office, to work with a student, and to get to know the future home owners. By the end of the day, I felt that through volunteering, we had been given a special gift. It was a wonderful, fulfilling, experience and I look forward to doing it again soon."

The volunteers also donated their volunteer hours to one of our homeowners, Abraham. Since he has a full time job, Abraham is unable to work on his sweat equity hours on our Wednesday build days. The NOVA volunteers donated 70 hours, which is more than he could accumulate over two months!

Michelle, one of our volunteers, said, “This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. It was very rewarding. It was especially great to see Abraham and give toward his sweat equity hours. I hope to bring my daughter back because it was such a good experience.”

Volunteering provides an invaluable service to our future Perry Hall homeowners, but it is also a great experience for those who offer up their time as well. As Kristin noted, “This was a great hands-on experience and it was rewarding knowing that NOVA’s contribution along with my hard work is going to help someone’s dream come true. It was extra rewarding working side-by-side with the future homeowners all day.”

And Bob said, “I have admired Habitat for Humanity for a long time but I’m too shy to volunteer on my own so I’m happy that there was an opportunity like this. What I enjoyed the most was working with Abraham and getting to know Niraj (our student volunteer) and my fellow co-workers in a different environment. It was a great change of pace from our usual – working with our hands instead of only with our heads.”

Read more about Richard's contributions to and involvement with Habitat Northern Virginia here.

Women Learn to Frame Walls through Women Build

2011-04-19T14:15:00.000-04:00

About 40 women from all walks of life came out to the Alexandria ReStore on a rainy Saturday morning to learn how to frame walls. After learning the basics of framing, they broke out into teams and got hands-on experience building some sample walls.

The women took turns nailing the pieces pieces together while the others held the frames in place. Applause and cheers could be heard throughout the ReStore as the women encouraged and congratulated each other on a job well done.

Many of the women had never had any construction experience before and were excited to learn about building in a comfortable and mutually-supportive environment.

Pat is one of the women who attended Saturday's Women Build Clinic. She said, "I have to tell you how delighted I am with the instruction. I especially appreciated the hands-on portion. I had no idea until yesterday that this even existed in northern Virginia. [...] I'm looking forward to other clinics. I'm a senior citizen now but I've been interested in building since I was a small girl."

Women Build is a program of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia that seeks to empower women to support the life-changing work of Habitat for Humanity. Women sometimes feel intimidated on a male-dominated construction site, and often find themselves doing low-skill tasks such as painting and clean-up. While this work is necessary and important, Women Build provides and environment in which women encourage one another to try new tasks, learn new skills, and work together as empowered and capable workers.

The long-term goal of Women Build is to fund and construct a home for a local family in need. Support Women Build by making a donation online today!

The Clinic was sponsored by Lowe's of Alexandria and Double "A" Builders. Special thanks to everyone who made this Clinic such a great success!

See more pictures from our Clinics on our Flickr site!

If you would like to join the mailing list to be notified of upcoming Clinics and other Women Build events, email Melissa at mraley@habitatnova.org.

Habitat Offers A Brush With Kindness

2011-04-14T10:04:00.000-04:00

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia is launching a new program - A Brush With Kindness! Through A Brush With Kindness (ABWK), Habitat will partner with low-income homeowners to provide exterior home repairs, weatherization, and waterproofing with the help of community volunteers.

This program is dedicated to preserving or restoring the vibrant character of neighborhoods in Northern Virginia. We help low-income homeowners impacted by age, disability, and family circumstances who struggle to maintain the exterior of their homes to revitalize their homes and improve their communities. Able-bodied homeowners are encouraged to work alongside the volunteers in a cooperative effort.

ABWK is part of Habitat's broader holistic community development strategy, which assists communities as well as families. It revitalizes the appearance of the neighborhood, strengthens connections within the community through community work days, and helps preserve and create affordable housing stock.

Could you or someone you know use A Brush With Kindness? Come to our information session this Saturday!

Click here to learn more about ABWK, including eligibility requirements, the types of services we provide, and sponsorship details.

Click here to download an application.

Questions? Call Noemi at (703) 521-9890 ext. 101.

The Nest Project at the Target Gallery

2011-04-08T12:46:00.001-04:00

The Torpedo Factory’s exhibition space, Target Gallery, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, is excited to share with you, The Nest Project. The Nest Project is in conjunction with the Target Gallery's juried exhibition Nest.

There are several exciting events coming up with weekend for this special project. The following blog entry has been re-posted from the Torpedo Factory's Target Gallery blog, which can be found here:

http://www.torpedofactory.org/galleries/targetnews.php.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

The Nest Project Update

The Nest Project has received funding from Kickstarter! We will now be able to move forward with the outside nest installations! The money earned is going to pay each art group participating a small stipend to cover their expenses, solar spotlights, signage, maps, and donation to Habitat for Humanity.

This would not be possible if it wasn't for the 75 most AWESOME BACKERS EVER that donated to this project through Kickstarter. THANK YOU!!

Schedule of weekend events include:

All weekend: Community Nest Installation benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia invites the public to answer the question: What does home mean to you? Write your answer on the provided strips of paper for $1 (all proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity of NoVA) and then weave into the large nest form.

Saturday, April 9 and Sunday, April 10: Outside Nest Installations
Beginning outside on the docks, 12 DC area art groups will create their "Nest" installations.

Sunday, April 10, 11am-1pm: Kids "Nest Project" Art Activity led by Habitat for Humanity

Kids are invited to be a part of the “Nest Project” by building their own nest using found materials at this FREE kids nest building project on the docks right outside the Torpedo Factory. This activity is being led by Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia. All materials will be provided, kids just need to come and play!

From April 2- May 15: Target Gallery presents "Nest", a national juried exhibition curated by Gretchen Schermerhorn of Pyramid Atlantic Art Center, Silver Spring, MD.

In studio Nests: Torpedo Factory Artists have created their "Nest" installations in their studios. There work will be on exhibit through May 15.

Beverly Ryan and Sheep Jones, "Rats Nest", Studio 7

Our First Women Build Clinic!

2011-04-04T14:07:00.001-04:00

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia's newly-revitalized Women Who Build program hosted its first Women Build Clinic on Saturday. The event was a great success!

Over 40 women from all walks of life were trained in the basics of building and construction site safety at the Chantilly ReStore on Saturday morning.

Sarah and Colleen, employees at Hensel Phelps Construction Company, planned and delivered the training. They are part of Hensel Phelps's women's network, which provides training to female employees and gives them an opportunity to share their experiences with one another. The network also holds a conference once every two years.

Women Who Build is hosting another Women Build Clinic - sponsored by Lowe's of Alexandria - but registration is already full. Watch for information about other future Clinics! To join the Women Who Build mailing list, go to http://www.habitatnova.org/ and enter your email address on the homepage to subscribe for our email newsletter.

If you missed this Clinic, you can download the training packet here!

Nursing Students Make First Aid Kits for Perry Hall

2011-04-01T10:40:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, four students in the nursing program at Prince George's Community College stopped by our office with a very special gift - 10 homemade first aid kits! The students put the kits together for our Perry Hall partner families and made some extras for our work sites.

Cindy, Angela, Jennifer, and Evija, all members of the class of 2011, decided to assemble the kits as part of a service learning project.

"Our group wanted to do something special that would make an impact on people in our community," they said. "Making the first aid kits for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia families and volunteers seemed like the perfect project. It would show our appreciation for the hard work they do and would affect not only the volunteers and the families they would help, but our group as well.

Habitat Northern Virginia would like to express our thanks to these students for their generosity! We commend their willingness to help our local community.

GMU Greek Life Raises the Roof for Habitat for Humanity

2011-03-30T13:37:00.000-04:00

For three days, over 20 participating fraternities andsororities of George Mason University’s Greek Life spent the nighton campus - outside. Why? To raise awareness for homelessness and substandardhousing for their annual Shack-A-Thonevent during Greek Week.

The Shack-A-Thon event, hosted this past weekend, has been a staple of GMU GreekLife’s philanthropic spirit. Last year, in just three days, the event raisedclose to $8000 and collected over 8,000 food items. The monetary donation wasgiven to local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, Habitat Northern Virginia in Arlington. Themoney sponsored the Maple Ridge Condominium housing project in Fairfax, whichis now a home for nine new Habitat families. The food donation went to the Foodfor Others Food Bank in Fairfax, VA, which is the largest food bank on theeast coast.

“What’s great about this event is that not only are wegiving back to our community we’re having a blast doing it,” says Alpha Phisister, Anne Edwards. Each year there is a theme; this year’s theme was video games, which inspired some very creative structures!

“This event will be and has always been about community.”says Greek Week Chairperson, Kiara Holloman. A fitting comment as Greek Lifehas partnered with the newly founded GMU Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter to collaborate on this event to increase its impact on the Mason and localcommunities. “The Greek Life and Habitat partnership is such an ideal pair.Greek Life emulates Habitat for Humanity’s philosophy, that we can findstrength in community,” shares Sean Hickey, President and Founder of theHabitat Campus Chapter.

The Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter made their debutat the Shack-A-Thon event last year thanks to the hospitality and support fromthe Greek Life community. By joining forces in planning the event this year,they hoped to open the hearts and minds of more people to increase thegenerosity from last year’s donations.

GMU Habitat Chapter Collegiate Challenge

2011-03-28T10:26:00.000-04:00

Students from the local Habitat for Humanity chapter at George Mason University devoted their spring break to doing service for Habitat families in Eustis, Flordia. Our guest blogger is Victoria Baker, PR Coordinator for the GMU Habitat Campus Chapter, who tells us about the trip:

Early in the morning on Saturday March 12^th a group of twelve members from our chapter packed up three vehicles and headed off to Eustis, FL for the week. Upon our arrival we were greeted by Mary who provided us with comfort and food throughout our stay and our group settled into the retreat. We spent the next day in Daytona Beach and made it back in time to meet the other group that would work and stay with us for the week. The group was made up of seven students for Indiana University and our two groups became quite close along the course our stay. We stayed in a retreat overlooking a beautiful lake with a small dock, paddleboats and canoes (But no swimming because of the alligators!).

We worked on site at a total of five different houses from Monday through Thursday performing a variety of tasks such as painting, landscaping and organizing. On our first day the nineteen of us worked on landscaping at two neighboring Habitat houses. We cleared out brush, raking and shoveling the land around the houses and planted greenery, trimmed trees, mulched and put up fences. Our workday began at 8:30 a.m. and by 3:30 p.m. we had completely transformed the landscaping of the two houses.

On Tuesday our group split up into two for the first half of the day painting the exterior of two different houses. After lunch, the two groups joined forces and worked on painting the interior of one of the houses. Together, we were able to paint the entire interior of the house in three hours!

On Wednesday we returned to the site where we did landscaping on our first workday and laid sod. We moved twenty stacks rectangular pieces of sod and pieced them together to create the front lawns and backyards for both of the houses. Members of the families that will be moving into the houses helped us with the sodding which was great to see!

On our last day of work we went to the site of an abandoned house that Habitat volunteers built four years ago and prepared it for renovations. There were piles of personal belongings everywhere and we spent hours removing clothes, shoes, documents, electronics and pictures. It was extremely upsetting to think about the situation that they must have been in to decide to pick up and leave their home and everything they knew and the family pictures we found impacted everyone the most. After clearing out the house we tore up the carpets and cleaned the interior and the house was ready to be renovated by noon.

We spent Friday at the beach in Daytona, FL, enjoying the beautiful weather and soaking up the sun before heading back to Virginia on Saturday. Overall, we had a fantastic trip. The amount of work that we were able to get accomplished in the few days that we were in Florida was truly inspiring and everyone had a great time volunteering.

The Collegiate Challenge trip was a perfect combination of service and fun and it was really nice being able to expand and make a difference outside of our local community. We hope that interest in the Collegiate Challenge trip will grow each year and plan to have at least twice as many members participate next year!

Heartland Siding Donates to Perry Hall!

2011-03-23T10:23:00.000-04:00

Last week we received a huge donation from Heartland Siding!

And we're already putting it to good use at Perry Hall!

Habitat Northern Virginia thanks Heartland Siding for their generous donation in support of our mission!

Habitat ReStore at the Green Living Expo!

2011-03-17T10:00:00.001-04:00

Come by the Green Living Expo this Saturday, 3/19, from 10am-4pm and visit the ReStore booth! The Chantilly and Alexandria ReStores receive new or gently used home improvement items that are unwanted and would be going to a landfill.

It is a shame that tons of perfectly good appliances, home improvement material, furniture, tools, lighting, cabinets, flooring, etc. are thrown into the trash. Now they can be donated to ReStore! - a place that can resell these goods and make money for Habitat for Humanity or Northern Virginia! The ReStores take high-quality donations that are sold to the public at prices 50-90% below retail prices. All proceeds go toward the mission of providing safe, decent, affordable housing to low income families in Northern Virginia.

ALEXANDRIA location:
Phone: 703-360-6700
Address: 7770 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, VA 22306

CHANTILLY location:
Phone: 703-953-3747
Address: 4262 Entre Court, Chantilly, VA 20151

2011-03-09T09:35:00.000-05:00

Randy Mouri, a 51-year-old Fairfax resident, is participating in this summer's Race Across America! Designated as "The Toughest Race in the World" by Outside Magazine, the RAAM covers 3,000 miles from Oceanside, California to Annapolis, Maryland and climbs over 100,000 feet.

Through his athletic endeavors, Randy is raising funds and awareness for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia. He will donate 20% of all sponsorship funds raised to Habitat Northern Virginia. Become a sponsor or make a donation to support Randy and help build affordable housing!

Click here to learn more about Randy and his adventure!

Cars for Homes

2011-03-03T11:42:00.000-05:00

Did you know you can donate your car to Habitat for Humanity? Cars for Homes is Habitat International's vehicle donation program that is helping turn old cars into new homes... in a roundabout way, that is!

Go to www.carsforhomes.org or call (toll free) 877-277-4344 to begin the quick and easy process of donating your old car, truck, boat, or RV - running or not. Cars for Homes will come pick up your vehicle and even help you process the paperwork! Once your vehicle is sold, the proceeds will go directly to helping low-income families in your community realize the dream of homeownership.

In the last quarter of 2010, Habitat Northern Virginia made over $6,000 from Cars for Homes! Because of the generous donations of Northern Virginians, our affiliate is one of the top six beneficiaries in the country of Cars for Homes funds, having received over $150,000 since the program began.

Don't wait - call today! 877-277-4344

What a Weekend!

2011-02-28T15:04:00.000-05:00

The weekend of February 25 - 27 was a particularly busy one for Habitat Northern Virginia!

Dedicated volunteers helped staff a booth at the Capital Home & Garden Show at the Dulles Expo Center all weekend, where we promoted our Alexandria and Chantilly ReStores. We handed out a ton of materials and coupons to the Chantilly ReStore. We also partnered with As You Like It Landscaping at the show this weekend. Habitat volunteers sold paper flowers for $2.00. Patrons placed their flowers in As You Like It Landscaping's flowerbed display, where a medallion was buried. The donor whose flower was closest to the medallion won a $5,000 landscaping credit! Throughout the whole weekend, As You Like It Landscaping raised over $800 for Habitat Northern Virginia!

While the Home Show was going on in Chantilly, Yorktown High School students were rowing to raise money for Habitat on Saturday at Ballston Common Mall in Arlington. This is the YHS rowing team's 7th annual Row for Humanity event, which is held every year in conjunction with participating schools around the country on Row for Humanity Day. Participating schools donate part of the funds raised to local Habitat affiliates. More than 100 YHS students took turns "erging" on indoor rowing machines from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM on Saturday.

Twenty miles away in Lorton, Virginia, the 4th Annual Lorton Monopoly Tournament was taking place. The event was sponsored by Realtors Ron & Susan Associates at Glory Days Grill in Lorton. Over 100 players came out on Saturday to compete for the top prize of $500. With the help of local sponsors, Ron & Susan Associates raised $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia! Click here to see more pictures of the Monopoly Tournament on our Flickr page.

As if these events didn't keep Habitat busy enough, we also had a build day at Perry Hall with Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Vienna, Virginia. Emmanuel Lutheran helped sponsor the building of Maple Ridge Condominiums in Fairfax, Virginia and also made a major donation to Habitat Northern Virginia's relief work in the Gulf in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. On Saturday, the church was generous enough to provide a delicious home-cooked lunch for all of our Perry Hall volunteers and Sandlot Gang members!

Thanks to everyone who helped make this weekend a great success!

Meet a Perry Hall Family - The Seifus

2011-02-21T09:56:00.006-05:00

The Family

The Seifu family apartment is full of life with three growing children and two busy parents. Their three children are all very successful; Nahom, 18 years old, is a freshman at West Virginia University. He has not decided his area of study, but he is interested in pursuing a degree in law or business administration. Dagmawe, 17 years old, is a junior in high school. He is very interested in the medical field, and he plans to join the US military soon. Both boys play basketball and serve at their church’s services with their sister, Sina, who is 11 years old and is in the 7th grade. She enjoys sprinting and religious music. Their parents, Teshome and Genet, have been married for 19 years. Teshome is a parking attendant in DC, and Genet works in a restaurant at National Airport.

They are from Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia, and in 2003 they won a visa lottery to move to the United States. However, due to a miscommunication with Sina’s paperwork, she had to stay in Ethiopia with her grandparents until 2008 when the paperwork was finally processed. Her entire family went to Ethiopia to bring her back to the US. In Ethiopia, Teshome was a cost accountant and Genet was a secretary. It is difficult for Teshome to get work as an accountant here because of the different requirements for education.

Housing is particularly important to the family because they are currently living in an apartment that is too small for five people. Teshome explained how excited he was about a Habitat home: “I am very interested in being part of Habitat. I don’t know how to express this with words. It shows how Americans are good people.”

The Habitat Approach to Homeownership

To qualify for a Habitat home, families must live in substandard housing prior to becoming homeowners and earn between 25% and 80% of the area median income ($98,000 in Arlington County).
We believe in a hand up, not a handout. As such, each Habitat family contributes 300 to 500 hours of “sweat equity” in the building of their home and other Habitat homes.
Habitat homeowners pay a 20- to 30-year, zero interest mortgage and make a 1% down payment on their homes.
Homeowner mortgage payments are reinvested into future Habitat homes, and Habitat for Humanity does not make a profit on any homes sold.

Perry Hall

Perry Hall is a 12-unit condominium community located near the corner of South Glebe Road and South 17th Street in Arlington. It is a renovation project that will provide 12 low- to moderate-income families in Northern Virginia with a home of their own.

RealNetworks Foundation Making Real Change in Our Community!

2011-02-21T09:37:00.000-05:00

Friday, February 18th RealNetworks Foundation presented a check toHabitat Northern Virginia staff for Perry Hall! The check is a Community Enhancement Grant in the amount of $10,000. During thisdifficult economic time, the RealNetworks Foundation has shifted its focus to aidorganizations that deliver and advocate for basic human services, such asdecent, safe, affordable housing. Thegrants are geographically-focused in communities where RealNetworks employeeslive and work, including the Reston, Virginiaand greater Metro D.C. area.

The Foundation is funded by RealNetworks, Inc. as part of its generous pledge to donate 5% of its after-tax profits tocharity. To date, this pledge totals about $28 million! The Foundation awardstwo types of grants on a competitive basis: Community Enhancement Grants andFreedom of Expression & Independent Media Grants.

This generous grant will help fund the building of Perry Hall Condominiums in South Arlington. By mid-2012, Perry Hallwill be home to 12 low- to moderate-income families.Our Perry Hall partner families will invest 500 hours of sweat equity into thebuilding of their own homes, and will receive a 20- to 30-year, zero-interestmortgage.

Special thanks to Adrian McAloon and everyone at the RealNetworks Foundation for such a generous donation to our work!

McLean Interfaith Continues to Build Homes

2011-02-15T16:01:00.000-05:00

Last Wednesday we were fortunate to have members of theMcLean Interfaith Coalition join us on the construction site at Perry Hall. McLean Interfaith is a collaboration ofcongregations in the McLean area who arecommitted to sponsoring the building of houses in partnership with Habitat forHumanity of Northern Virginia.

Founded in 2002, the Coalition’s first projectwas full sponsorship of a house in our Stevenson Street development. The projectconsisted of 18 townhouses on an acre and a half of land near Route 50 in Fairfax, Virginia.In 2005, the Coalition sponsored a portion of one of our homes at BriarwoodTrace in Vienna– the 50^th home we have built since our founding in 1990. In 2006, the McLean Interfaith Coalitioncommitted to sponsor one unit at Maple Ridge Condominiums in Fairax. And now,the Coalition is partnering with Habitat to help sponsor a unit at our currentbuild site, Perry Hall in Arlington.In total, Mclean Interfaith Coalition member congregations have given over$240,000 to Habitat Northern Virginia!

Seven members of McLean Interfaith congregations workedthrough the cold day last week to continue to frame the first floor atPerry Hall and begin measurements to work on the flooring and start layout forframing on the second floor. We are looking forward to having the McLeanInterfaith Coalition members back to Perry Hall on their next work day!

The following faith communities make up the McLeanInterfaith Coalition:

Immanuel Presbyterian Church

Saint Luke Catholic Church

Lewinsville Presbyterian Church

Redeemer Lutheran Church

Saint Dunstan Episcopal Church

St. JohnEpiscopal Church

St. Luke United Methodist Church

Temple Rodef Shalom

Trinity United Methodist Church

McLean Baptist Church

Click here to see pictures of McLean Interfaith Coalition’s latest build day!

We Love Our Volunteers!

2011-02-14T08:35:00.002-05:00

At Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, we love our volunteers!

To all of those wonderful people who are on our committees, assist in our offices, help run special events, work on our construction sites as Sandlot Gang, corporate, and community volunteers, and all of those who volunteer at our ReStores as cashiers, floor stockers, and drivers - we say thank you!

We love your support and dedication to Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia and wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!

Visit the ReStores at the Capital Home & Garden Show

2011-02-11T09:58:00.002-05:00

Be sureto look for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia'sReStores at this year's Capital Home and Garden Show at the Dulles Expo Center February 25-27! In addition to occupying a booth at the show,the ReStores will also partner with As You Like It Landscaping, anaward-winning residential landscape design, build, and maintenance companyserving the Washington metro area. We'll be selling paper flowers, which serveas entries where participants will have the chance to win $5,000 towardachieving their dream landscape. All proceeds from the flower sales are donatedto Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia. Participants who have purchasedflowers will "stake" them in the onsite flowerbed where a winningmedallion is secretly buried. The person whose flower is closest to themedallion at the end of the show wins the $5,000 credit toward their dreamlandscape from As You Like It Landscaping.

The Dulles Expo Center is located at 4368 ChantillyShopping Center in Chantilly, VA,right around the corner from our Chantilly ReStore. Show hours are:

Friday,February 25: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Saturday,February 26: 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Sunday, February27: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Don't miss the fun at the Capital Home & Garden Show...youcould win the $5,000 credit toward a dream landscape!

TheHabitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia ReStores, located in Alexandriaand Chantilly, sell used and new building andhome improvement supplies to the general public at 50% to 90% below retailprices. All materials are donated bylocal retail businesses, building contractors, suppliers, and individuals. Miss a day, miss a deal!

Yoga for Good at Sun & Moon Yoga

2011-02-09T10:05:00.000-05:00

Capital One Builds Financial Stability and Homes!

2011-02-08T10:43:00.000-05:00

Capital One Bank is a longtime partner of Habitat forHumanity of Northern Virginia and one of our Perry Hall sponsors. Throughouttheir history with us, Capital One has donated over $250,000 toward our buildingprojects and general administration costs. They have partnered with us to helpfund homes at our projects at Stevenson Street, Westbrook Forest, Briarwood Trace,and Maple Ridge. This past week, volunteers from Capital One participated in abuild day at Perry Hall as well as a financial education workshop series withour future homeowners.

Capital One’s Moneywi$e Financial Education workshop wastaught by strong Habitat advocate Greg Cohen, Capital One’s Director ofCommunity Development Banking and 2010 Volunteer of the Year. For the Perry Hall series, Greg is partneringwith the branch manager for Capital One’s Columbia Pike branch, Martine Gidonito deliver the training. This session on good credit helped the futurehomeowners understand how to build and maintain credit, its benefits, andhow to check their credit reports. All the homeowners were very engaged in theworkshop and found the information presented very helpful. The best practices they learned will helpprepare them to be financially stable homeowners, which will allow them tomaintain a healthy environment for their children. It is a priority at Habitat Northern Virginiato help our homeowners gain financial stability, and we are grateful that wecan assist them in achieving that goal through our strong partnership with CapitalOne.

But Capital One isn’t all about dollars and cents – they arealso about hammers and nails! On Wednesday, a group of volunteers traded intheir business suits for tool belts and hardhats and came out to Perry HallCondominiums to help build homes for families in need. These enthusiasticvolunteers helped to continue framing out the first floor of the building andbegan work on subflooring on the second floor. We look forward to having theenergetic Capital One team out for more build days as the construction at PerryHall progresses.

Click here to see pictures of Capital One’s build day on flickr!

Women Who Build!

2011-01-31T15:57:00.000-05:00

Calling all strong and capable women! Habitat Northern Virginia is revitalizing its Women Build program!

Women Build is an international program that seeks to bring together women from all walks of life to support the work of Habitat for Humanity. Women sometimes feel intimidated on a male-dominated construction site and often find themselves doing low-skill tasks such as painting and clean-up. While this work is necessary and important, it is also important that women realize their full potential on a construction site and learn new skills. Women Build provides an environment in which women are encouraged to try new tasks, use new tools, and work together as empowered and capable workers. Women Build is not about excluding men – it’s about including women. Men are welcome to participate as teachers and supporters.

Women build is a global project: Women Build programs at Habitat affiliates around the world have helped to construct more than 1,750 houses worldwide! And Women Build has been active in your own Northern Virginia community, as well. In 2002-2003, a Women Build group sponsored and built one of the town homes on Stevenson Street in Fairfax. In 2008, a group of dedicated Habitat advocates formed a local chapter called Women Who Build. They raised nearly $5,000 and participated in a build day during National Women Build Week in May of 2010.

Now, the Northern Virginia affiliate is concentrating on building up a strong committee to lead a sustained Women Build initiative. The ultimate goal of the Women Who Build chapter is to fund and build a home for a Northern Virginia family in need.

Stay tuned for upcoming Women Who Build events! To get involved, contact Development Coordinator Melissa Raley at mraley@habitatnova.org or (703) 521-9890 ext. 107.

Habitat Northern Virginia Welcomes Jenny!

2011-01-28T16:54:00.000-05:00

The Habitat staff is excited to announce that Jenny Meleski joined the Habitat Northern Virginia staff this week as our new Marketing and Communications Manager! Her extensive knowledge of marketing and communications will be a great asset to Habitat’s outreach efforts. She has worked as a marketing consultant in the Washington, DC metro region for the past five years doing fundraising and marketing for nonprofits and commercial companies. Prior to moving to Washington, Jenny earned a degree in Marketing from the University of Texas in Austin.

Jenny enjoys reading, going to concerts, running, and spending time with friends. She is an active member of her church, the Church of the Resurrection in Eastern Market, where she has been involved with the homeless outreach lunch program for over two years. It is also where she met her fiancé, who she will marry in March.

Habitat Northern Virginia is happy to welcome Jenny to the team and looks forward to her positive contributions to our affiliate. Jenny said, “I love joining the Habitat family and promoting a cause I strongly believe in: providing safe, decent, affordable housing for Northern Virginia families.”

You can contact Jenny by email at jpitts@habitatnova.org or by phone at (703) 521-9890 ext. 105.

E*TRADE Financial Kicks Off Volunteer Build Days at Perry Hall!

2011-01-25T12:22:00.001-05:00

On Saturday, Habitat Northern Virginia kicked-off our regular volunteer schedule at Perry Hall with longtime partner E*TRADE Financial. Volunteers from E*TRADE, the Habitat staff, future Perry Hall homeowners, and the Sandlot Gang were all on site on a VERY cold winter day to start framing walls inside the condominium, which will be home to 12 low- to moderate-income families.

E*TRADE Financial has given nearly $600,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia over the past 7 years. The company has sponsored homes at Westbrook Forest, Maple Ridge, and now at Perry Hall. In addition, E*TRADE’s Senior Vice President, Head of Global Bank Compliance Celie Niehaus is a member of Habitat Northern Virginia’s Board of Directors. Celie was working hard on the job site on Saturday with other E*TRADE staff members.

Sandlot Gang member Gary worked with volunteers from E*TRADE and homeowner Rosa.

Meredith Magwire, Habitat Northern Virginia’s Director of Development, also volunteered at Perry Hall on Saturday. She was excited to work alongside E*TRADE at Perry Hall: “It is partners like E*TRADE Financial that provide our affiliate with the opportunity to further our mission and fulfill the dream of homeownership for Northern Virginia families. We are so grateful for their incredible support and continued partnership.”

Here at Habitat Northern Virginia, the build days are the embodiment of our mission. It is an incredible experience to see people from such diverse walks of life come together to work toward a common goal: the eradication of poverty housing in our community. A special thanks to all who were involved on Saturday!

Click here to see more photos of the E*TRADE build day!

If you’re interested in volunteering at Habitat Northern Virginia, click here to find upcoming opportunities. For more information about becoming a Perry Hall sponsor, email Meredith at mmagwire@habitatnova.org.

Students Learn Professional Skills at the ReStore

2011-01-14T14:02:00.002-05:00

Yesterday five eager high school students showed up to volunteer at the Chantilly ReStore a part of the Work Awareness and Transition (WAT) program. The students, who are receiving special education services at Chantilly High School, enrolled in the WAT course to build their professional and interpersonal skills. For about 45 minutes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for the rest of the school year these five students will come to the ReStore with their teacher, Michele Bechtel. The skills they gain will help them make a successful transition into the world of work and the course credit counts toward their high school diploma.

When the students arrived on site at the ReStore yesterday, they went though an orientation and tour of the store, then jumped right in to begin organizing and sorting items in the tile and paint aisles. Michele said, "The students were very excited about coming to work today since their start date had been delayed a few times already. They are energized about supporting Habitat for Humanity and seeing the tangible results of their labors."

The WAT Program, which is available to special education students at several high schools, allows students to explore potential career options while developing and improving the skills needed for success in employment. They will work on interpersonal and coworker relationships, organizational skills, and communication, as well as learn new tasks.

Herb Campbell, District Manager of the Habitat Northern Virginia ReStores, said, "We are excited about our new partnership with the WAT program. It's a pleasure to work with this group of young people."

The ReStores are happy to host small groups of volunteers like the WAT program. If you or your group would like to volunteer at the ReStores, contact Volunteer Manager Rachel Krempasky at rkrempasky@habitatnova.org or (703) 521-9890 ext. 111 or click the Volunteer Today button below.

Meet a Perry Hall Family - The Briscos

2011-01-13T10:25:00.002-05:00

Rosa and her grandson, Justin.

The Family

Rosa Brisco is a proud mother of two and grandmother of two. She has called Arlington her home for over 20 years. Both of her children are still in the area: her oldest daughter has one son and works and lives nearby, and her son, Terry, and his son, Terryion, live with Rosa. Her family is incredibly important to her, and she loves having all of her babies close to her. It has always been a dream of Rosa’s to own her own home where she can take care of her family.

Although she has many blessings, Rosa’s life has also been full of challenges and obstacles. She has chosen to overcome these challenges with a positive attitude and a grateful heart. Originally from Mississippi, Rosa was a young single mother who worked as much as she could to take care of her two small children. She decided to leave her home in Mississippi because her husband was a drug addict, and her number one priority was to take care of her children. So she moved to Arlington and started to work at George Washington University, where she has worked for 23 years. She goes to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church on Columbia Pike.

Rosa’s thoughts on becoming a Habitat homeowner: “I think it is going to be beautiful. It is something I have always dreamed of. If it is something that you want, you reach your goal and you maintain it, and that is what I am going to do. It is just a dream come true. I am going to appreciate it and be thankful.”

Rosa has a beautiful family.

The Habitat Approach to Homeownership

To qualify for a Habitat home, families must live in substandard housing prior to becoming homeowners and earn between 25% and 80% of the area median income ($98,000 in Arlington County).
We believe in a hand up, not a handout. As such, each Habitat family contributes 300 to 500 hours of "sweat equity" in the building of their home and other Habitat homes.
Habitat homeowners pay a 20- to 30-year, zero interest mortgage and make a 1% down payment on their homes.
Homeowner mortgage payments are reinvested into future Habitat homes, and Habitat for Humanity does not make a profit on any homes sold.

Perry Hall

Perry Hall is a 12-unit condominium community located at 2912 South 17th Street in Arlington, Virginia. It is a renovation project that will provide 12 low- to moderate-income families in Northern Virginia with a home of their own.

Play Monopoly, Win $500, Support Habitat!

2011-01-07T09:23:00.003-05:00

Realtors Ron Kowalski and Susan Borrelli with Long & Foster Real Estate will host the 4th Annual Monopoly® Game Tournament on Saturday, February 26th from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Glory Days Grill in Lorton. All proceeds from the tournament will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia.

Ron & Susan Associates hope to top last year's total of $3,500 by raising $5,000 in the 2011 event through their sponsorship of this half-day long competition. The tournament includes two 75-minute preliminary Monopoly® rounds and a final round where the top six competitors will play for the grand prize of $500! The second place player will win $250 and the third place player will receive $100. Players will also have the opportunity to win one of several door prizes!

The 2010 Monopoly® Tournament final table.

Registration costs only $25 and includes your game play, a continental breakfast, and lunch provided by the Glory Days Grill. To register, visit www.lortonmonopoly.com, fill out the registration form, and send it to Ron & Susan Associates with your check. You must be at least 8 years old to play.

"Anyone wishing to test their real estate trading skills against other top players while helping out a very worthy cause should register," said Tournament Sponsor Susan Borrelli. "If last year was any indication, a good time will be had by all who attend."

Ron and Susan are soliciting sponsors for the 4th Annual Monopoly® Tournament. Your company can support the work of Habitat for Humanity by sponsoring a table at this exciting event for only $250! For more information about sponsorships, click here.

Questions? Contact Tournament Director Aida Spalding at 888-495-6207 ext. 3 or go to www.lortonmonopoly.com.

Progress on Perry Hall Condominiums!

2011-01-05T15:24:00.000-05:00

Check out the progress our construction crew has made on Perry Hall Condominiums!

We will be ready to begin work with our volunteer teams by the end of the month. And now that Perry Hall has windows, they will stay nice and warm!

Perry Hall is located at near the corner of South Glebe Road and South 17th Street in Arlington. When finished, It will be home to 12 low- to moderate-income northern Virginia families.

Habitat Northern Virginia's 2010 Highlights - In Pictures!

2010-12-30T10:00:00.062-05:00

JANUARY AND FEBRUARY 2010:
Volunteers helped put the finishing touches on Maple Ridge Condominiums, including Maple Ridge sponsors E*TRADE Financial, Freddie Mac, Capital One, Fannie Mae, Dr. Richard Semmler, and McLean Interfaith Coalition.

FEBRUARY 20, 2010:
Ron & Susan Associates held their annual Monopoly Tournament to benefit
Habitat Northern Virginia.

MARCH 6, 2010:
We held the dedication ceremony at Maple Ridge Condominiums and presented keys to 9 new Habitat homeowner families.

APRIL 21, 2010:
We ceremoniously broke ground on Perry Hall Condominiums in Arlington.
Rosa Brisco, future Perry Hall homeowner, was excited to see the renovation of her new home underway.

MAY 5, 2010:
A group of powerful female volunteers did demolition work on Perry Hall in solidarity with women all over the country during National Women Build Week.

MAY 22, 2010:
Local youth showed their excitement to support Habitat during the
LEGO Building Block Blitz at Pentagon City Mall.

SEPTEMBER 24 - 26, 2010:
Area redesigners joined forces with the Chantilly and Alexandria ReStores to create two showrooms at the Capital Home Show at the Dulles Expo Center.

OCTOBER 2010:
The Chantilly ReStore celebrated its 1-year anniversary and the Alexandria ReStore celebrated its 6-year anniversary of providing new and used building materials to the general public at huge discounts.

OCTOBER 23, 2010:
Habitat Northern Virginia celebrated its 20th anniversary at the Black Tie & Tool Belt Gala. Our honorees were (left to right): Dr. Richard Semmler, Mrs. Judy Smith, Mrs. Cynthia Penrose Magazine, and Mr. Mitch Opalski.

OCTOBER 23, 2010:
We unveiled our fantastic new 20th Anniversary video
produced by PCI Communications.

NOVEMBER 12, 2010:
The TD Charitable Foundation awarded Habitat Northern Virginia with the 2010 Housing for Everyone Grant for Perry Hall - worth $50,000!

December 2010:
Habitat Northern Virginia volunteer and advocate Greg Cohen (second from left) was named Capital One Bank's Volunteer of the Year.

LOOKING AHEAD - JANUARY 22, 2010:
Volunteers from our sponsor E*TRADE Financial will kick of regular build days at Perry Hall!

Thanks to all our volunteers, sponsors, donors, advocates, and homeowners who have made 2010 a very special and successful year at Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia. We look forward to an even better 2011!

Meet a Perry Hall Family - the Moldanados

2010-12-23T09:57:00.011-05:00

The Family

Ignacio and Rosario Moldanado are the parents of a close, hard-working family living in South Arlington. They have two children: Alvaro, a 25 year-old, and Veronica, a 16 year-old. They are originally from Lima, Peru, and they moved to Arlington in stages. Ignacio came to the area in 2000, but Rosario had to wait until 2007 when Ignacio finally got his residency. They were happy to finally reunite their family. They decided to leave their extended family in Peru to provide more opportunities to their daughter Veronica, who has learning disabilities that were not being catered to in Peru. Rosario and Ignacio hope that they can build a life in the United States that will provide Veronica with opportunities to be independent and successful.

Ignacio, Veronica, and Rosario Moldanado

In Peru, Ignacio taught mathematics at a high school, and Rosario taught Spanish. They hope to be able to teach here one day, but the language barrier and certifications are quite a challenge. Until that time, Ignacio is working as a mechanic. Their son, Alvaro, has followed in his father’s footsteps as a mechanic while he continues his degree in business from Northern Virginia Community College.

When they began looking for a home, they realized that all the homes were much too expensive in this area. When they heard about Habitat they were really thrilled that Habitat would help them build a home of their own. Their hard work and perseverance has paid off!

The Habitat Approach to Homeownership

To qualify for a Habitat home, families must live in substandard housing prior to becoming homeowners and earn between 25% and 80% of the area median income ($98,000 in Arlington County).
We believe in a hand up, not a handout. As such, each Habitat family contributes 300 to 500 hours of “sweat equity” in the building of their home and other Habitat homes.
Habitat homeowners pay a 20- to 30-year, zero interest mortgage and make a 1% down payment on their homes.
Homeowner mortgage payments are reinvested into future Habitat homes, and Habitat for Humanity does not make a profit on any homes sold.

Perry Hall

Perry Hall is a 12-unit condominium community located at 2912 South 17th Street in Arlington. It is a renovation project that will provide 12 low- to moderate-income families in Northern Virginia with a home of their own.

The Moldanados (left, front) in front of their new home at
a TD Charitable Foundation check presentation.

Nice Car!

2010-12-21T10:02:00.001-05:00

Do you have a vehicle that isn't functioning well or won't provide a decent trade-in value at a dealership? You can donate it to Habitat for Humanity through a fast, easy, and efficient process. Your donation is tax deductible and will help Habitat in its mission to provide safe, decent, affordable homes for local families.

All types of vehicles are accepted. You can donate cars, trucks, RVs, boats, airplanes, and farm and construction equipment — running or not! To donate, simply go online to www.carsforhomes.org or call (877) 277-4344 toll free and provide information and answer questions about the vehicle they wish to donate, including the make, model, vehicle identification number and current mileage. Most whole vehicles with proper title information are accepted, unless the costs of processing and towing fees exceed the auction value of the vehicle. This information is processed at the national Cars for Homes office and a pick-up is arranged with Advanced Remarketing Services Inc. within 2 to 3 days at the location requested.

Donors are also provided instructions for processing the vehicle’s title. The vehicle donation is processed and sold on behalf of Habitat for Humanity. Donors receive an acknowledgement letter thanking them for their support and providing automobile donation information. This letter may be used as a receipt for tax deduction purposes, if the donor itemizes deductions.

Net proceeds generated from the car donation are directed to Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia to help eliminate poverty housing and transform the lives of low income residents in Northern Virginia.

Your Cars Are Building Homes In Northern Virginia!

Your local Northern Virginia Habitat for Humanity affiliate has made over $150,000 from the Cars for Homes program! That puts us in the top six affiliates nationwide and is enough for Habitat Northern Virginia to build a home for a family in need.

Every car counts! Make your donation today to help Habitat fulfill its mission!

Habitat Thanks Virginia Patton for Four Years of Service!

2010-12-20T09:50:00.001-05:00

Today is Virginia Patton’s last day on staff with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia. We have always been able to count on Virginia for a smile and a laugh and she has been an invaluable part of our team. We will miss Virginia’s energetic spirit and her passion for fulfilling our mission.

As our Marketing Communications / Media Manager, Virginia Patton has informed the community about the mission of Habitat for Humanity through public relations, events, direct mail, newsletters, and social media, as well as raised awareness about the need for affordable housing in Northern Virginia. During her 4 years with us, Virginia has served on Habitat Northern Virginia’s Marketing, Special Events, and ReStore Committees.

Virginia has loved working with the ReStores and the ReStore staff. One of her favorite projects was the HaBootat Fall Festival in 2007 at the ReStore, which generated a tremendous amount of community involvement and media attention. Virginia is proud that major news networks such as NBC4, WUSA 9, Fox 5, ABC7/WJLA-TV and many others, including print news reporters, have covered our work throughout her time here at Habitat Northern Virginia.

What will Virginia miss most about Habitat? “The sense of community that comes naturally from carrying out our mission. I will miss the community among the staff, volunteers, families, and board members. I will miss the people.”

“I’m very grateful for having the opportunity to serve at this organization and it has been a joy to be part of the Habitat team.”

Virginia (far left) with staff, our board chair, and a Perry Hall family at the
TD Charitable Foundation check presentation at Perry Hall.

Habitat Thanks Ginna for 16 Years of Service!

2010-12-16T13:18:00.000-05:00

Today is Habitat Northern Virginia staff member Ginna Schneider’s last day. Although the staff and Habitat families will miss Ginna and her excellent work, we are grateful for the many years she has faithfully served Northern Virginia families and for the strength and stability she has brought to our affiliate.

As our Director of Family Services, Ginna Schneider has worked with our homeowners, those who would like to be homeowners, and those who are working to qualify for Habitat homeownership. During her16-year tenure with us, Ginna has also served as the Volunteer Coordinator, the Office Manager, Development Director, and interim Executive Director. Since there is a much greater need for housing in Northern Virginia than our affiliate can provide, a large part of Ginna’s job as Family Services Director has been to manage expectations. However, since we serve a limited number of families, they are all friends to us and we are able to touch their lives in special ways, which might not be possible if we were working with a larger number of families. Ginna has had a special connection with our Habitat families. She has embodied our mission through her willingness to work alongside them to help them navigate an unfamiliar system and succeed.

Ginna’s favorite projects at Habitat Northern Virginia have involved helping the children of Habitat homeowners achieve their goals. Ginna and the Habitat team helped a young man get tutoring to pass the entrance exam for the Navy, after which he began a very successful Navy career. Ginna helped one young woman get into college and later transfer to the University of Virginia. And she also helped a boy with autism find a good placement after school. She is particularly proud of the homeowners who have worked to improve and upgrade their homes, which shows that they truly understand the concept of owning a home.

Ginna says what she will miss most about Habitat is the people – the homeowners, the staff, and the volunteers… just not the paperwork! “It all comes down to people,” she said.

“It has been an incredibly enriching experience. Most people don’t have the opportunity to work with people from so many different cultures and walks of life, and I’m grateful for the years I’ve worked with the Habitat community.”

Ginna (front, in green) with Habitat staff and a homeowner at the
Maple Ridge Condominiums dedication ceremony in March.

Dine Out for Perry Hall!

2010-12-15T12:01:00.001-05:00

These events were coordinated by the Perry Hall Steering Committee, a group of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers from Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington. These Arlington churches collaborate to put on a Martin Luther King, Jr. concert every year on MLK Day and decided they also wanted to work together to support Habitat Northern Virginia's Perry Hall Condominium build, which is going on right in their own neighborhood. So far, they have organized a concert and a luau to benefit Perry Hall. Now, you can help them make their next project a huge success ... and save yourself the hassle of cooking at the same time!

Please visit this website to register for the Dine Out event and receive a donation voucher to present to your server before you order at Applebee's or Cowboy Cafe. Thanks for your support! And special thanks to the Perry Hall Steering Committee for their great work!

Habitat for Humanity Celebrates Its 400,000th House

2010-12-13T15:56:00.002-05:00

Habitat for Humanity International surpassed its 400,000 house milestone during its most recent fiscal year. Since the nonprofit organization was founded in 1976, its self-help, hand-up model has resulted in rehabbed, repaired, or new housing for more than 2 million people worldwide.

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia is part of this global effort. Since its founding in 1990, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia has built, rehabilitated, or repaired 74 houses.

In January 2011 Habitat will launch another condominium build in Arlington. This is the third condo building that Habitat has built; it will be home to twelve low- to moderate-income families.

“Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia is continuing its efforts to help families in need of decent, affordable housing. We are happy to have helped Habitat for Humanity reach this important milestone in bettering communities across the country,” said Frank Lucician, President & CEO of Habitat Northern Virginia. “With continued support of our sponsors and volunteers, we’ll address affordable housing needs in Northern Virginia.”

In fiscal year 2010, Habitat for Humanity International served a record 74,960 families worldwide through a combination of new construction, rehabilitation, and repairs. Habitat also helped an additional 6,355 families establish legal rights to a house or land and provided more than 46,964 individuals with technical assistance ranging from legal help to construction advice or training.

“We are pleased that even in this difficult economy, Habitat for Humanity has been able to help a record number of families around the world have a better place to live,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Our affiliates are the backbone of Habitat’s efforts. Their hard work and dedication have made this milestone possible. We are grateful for the work of Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia.”

Habitat for Humanity celebrated its 100,000th home in 2000, its 200,000th home in 2005, and its 300,000^th home in 2008.

By 2013, Habitat for Humanity hopes to assist 100,000 families worldwide annually with new or improved housing.

A copy of Habitat for Humanity International’s fiscal year 2010 annual report, “What We Build,” is now available online at http://www.habitat.org/support/report/default.aspx. The report gives a snapshot of Habitat’s work around the world.

About Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia has built more than 70 homes since its founding in 1990 consisting of single family homes, town homes and condominiums. Habitat families put in 300 to 500 hours of sweat equity toward the building of their homes, making a one-percent down payment and paying zero interest mortgages. Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia celebrated its 20^th anniversary this year. For more information on the work Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia is doing in the community, visit www.habitatnova.org.

About Habitat for Humanity International

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built, rehabilitated, repaired or improved 400,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 2 million people. For more information, or to donate or volunteer, visit www.habitat.org.

Click here to see a slideshow of Habitat homes around the world!

December 10th is International Human Rights Day

2010-12-10T15:00:00.002-05:00

Human rights means affordable housing. Nearly 2 billion people around the world live in slum housing and over 100 million are homeless. Families are trapped in a daily struggle to survive amid substandard and often inhuman living conditions.

Although it is one of the richest areas in the country, the Washington DC Metro region is experiencing its own housing crisis. Analysts determined three decades ago that a household costs that exceed 30% of a person’s income are unaffordable. However, one out of seven homeowners and one out of five renters in the Washington area spend more than half their income on housing, a proportion that housing experts consider a severe burden. This spending puts them in significant financial risk, such that they could become homeless in the event of a disaster or other crisis.

On December 10, 1948, The United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This document is the foundation of international human rights law and was the first universal statement of the basic principles of inalienable human rights. It proclaims that the recognition of the inherent dignity and equality of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice, and peace. It provides a common standard of achievement that all nations and communities can strive toward.

Today, Human Rights Day, we commemorate the international collaboration behind the adoption of this momentous document. We commend the defenders of human rights around the world who have labored toward the principles affirmed in the Declaration. And we re-commit ourselves to the task of ensuring universal human rights.

Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing, and medical care and necessary social services...

At Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, we are working every day to help Northern Virginians exercise this right. The ultimate goal of Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the face of the earth by building adequate and basic housing. Furthermore, all of our words and actions are for the ultimate purpose of putting shelter on the hearts and minds of people in such a powerful way that poverty and homelessness become socially, politically, and religiously unacceptable in our nations and world. We strive toward this goal today, Human Rights Day, and every day of the year.

Join us!

Pave the Way to Perry Hall with a Commemorative Brick!

2010-12-08T15:39:00.001-05:00

Do you want to support Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia's Perry Hall Condominium project in a way that will last a lifetime? Become a Perry Hall Brick Sponsor!

Click here to order your Perry Hall brick!

Individuals, companies, and community groups can show their support for this affordable housing community by purchasing an engraved brick. You can print a special message on a 4x8 brick, display a company logo on an 8x8 brick, or order a custom array.

These bricks will pave the walkway to Perry Hall - but more importantly, the brick sponsorships will pave the way for Habitat for Humanity to continue in its mission to eradicate poverty housing in Northern Virginia.

Brick sponsors may also purchase a keepsake replica of their brick for only $15.00. These 1.5" x 3" mini-bricks are a perfect reminder of your partnership with Habitat for Humanity and a great conversation piece.

Sponsorship levels:
4x8 brick $ 250.00 sponsorship
8x8 brick $ 500.00 sponsorship
8x8 brick with logo $ 600.00 sponsorship
Array (four 8x8 bricks) $1,500.00 sponsorship

Click here to learn more about Perry Hall!

For more information about the brick campaign, contact Development Coordinator Melissa Raley at mraley@habitatnova.org or by phone at (703) 521-9890 ext. 107.

Click here to order your Perry Hall brick online.

Click here to download a Perry Hall brick order form.

Greg Cohen Named Capital One Bank's Volunteer of the Year!

2010-12-03T15:17:00.011-05:00

We at Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia are proud to announce that one of our star volunteers, Greg Cohen, has been named Capital One’s Volunteer of the Year! Greg, who is the Director of Community Development Banking at Capital One, was nominated by his colleagues for outstanding leadership in community service. Out of over 35,000 Capital One employees, 100 individuals were nominated and five finalists were chosen. Greg was announced as the winner at an awards ceremony hosted by Lynn Pike, President of Capital One Bank.

Left: Carolyn Berkowitz, VP Capital One Community Affairs.

Center: Greg Cohen, Capital One 2010 Volunteer of the Year

Right: Lynn Pike, President, Capital One Bank

When asked about how he felt about receiving the award, Greg responded, "I was overwhelmed! After hearing the stories of the other four finalists and the great things they are doing in their communities, I felt so proud to work for a company like Capital One that enables its employees to do so much with our non-profit partners."

One look at Greg’s Habitat resume will demonstrate that he is worthy of this honor. Greg first began volunteering with Habitat in the early 1990s, when he participated in his first build day at a row house in Baltimore. He thoroughly enjoyed the day and was amazed at what his team was able to accomplish. Having caught the Habitat bug, Greg has been involved with the Northern Virginia affiliate since 2005. From organizing volunteer teams for both build sites and our ReStores, to coordinating Capital One's generous financial contributions, Greg’s support has played an invaluable role in the success of our affiliate.

Greg (second from left) and a Capital One volunteer team
at a Habitat Northern Virginia build site.

In addition, Greg has been instrumental in organizing financial literacy classes for future Habitat Northern Virginia homeowners. Capital One provides their Moneywi$e Financial Education classes for prospective Habitat homeowners in four sessions over the course of a year: Managing your Money, Building and Keeping Good Credit, Identity Theft and Fraud, and Successful Homeowner-ship. For our Maple Ridge families Greg partnered with another Capital One employee, Tyler Yoon, to deliver the training. For Perry Hall, the branch manager for Capital One’s Columbia Pike branch, Martine Gidoni, is delivering the training alongside Greg. These trainings provide a great benefit to families in transition to homeownership – in fact, Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia is proud to say that none of our more than 70 homeowners have ever defaulted on their loans!

For an opportunity to see the extraordinary work Greg and his colleagues at Capital One are engaged in, don’t miss the Financial Education Day at the Chantilly ReStore tomorrow morning from 9:00 to noon. At this great event, kids of all ages will engage in fun financial education activities while the adults shop great deals on building and home improvement supplies.

An additional perk to Habitat Northern Virginia's partnership with Greg and Capital One is that the company generously donates tickets to Washington Nationals Games as well as their corporate suite at the stadium to be used by Habitat staff and homeowners. Talk about a home run!

And as if his extraordinary service to our affiliate were not enough, Capital One gave Greg $1,500 to donate to the non-profit organization of his choice - and he chose Habitat Northern Virginia!

So why does Greg choose to invest so much time and treasure in Habitat for Humanity? “First and foremost, I think Habitat is a great organization that does amazing things to provide safe, affordable housing for those in need. I love the feeling of accomplishment and knowing that I made a difference in someone’s life that comes from volunteering with Habitat. Whether it’s helping put up drywall or teaching about how to manage a budget, it’s very rewarding to me.”

Check out Greg’s cameo (at 1:35) in our recent 20th anniversary video!

Financial Education Day at the ReStore!

2010-11-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

Saturday, December 4th - 9:00 AM to noon at the Chantilly ReStore

Bring your kids for this fun financial education event! While you browse the great deals at the ReStore, we will have fun and educational activities for your kids.

Click the picture to RSVP on Facebook!

This Education Celebration at the Chantilly ReStore is sponsored by Habitat Northern Virginia's partner, Capital One.

- Free books for kids to take home

- Fun financial education games

- Other financial education tools

Kids of all ages are welcome!

The Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia ReStores sell used and new building materials and home improvement items to the general public at 50% to 90% off retail prices. The Chantilly store is located at 4262 Entre Court, Chantilly, VA 20151.

www.restorenova.org

Black Friday SALE at the ReStore!

2010-11-24T09:22:00.001-05:00

Don't miss these incredible deals at the Chantilly ReStore on Friday!

ALL MERCHANDISE ON SALE!

The Habitat Northern Virginia ReStores sell used and new building and home improvement supplies at 50% to 90% off retail prices! On Friday, you'll find even more discounts at our Chantilly location. See you there!

Habitat NOVA Welcomes Rachel!

2010-11-19T14:08:00.000-05:00

Habitat Northern Virginia is proud to welcome Rachel Krempasky to our staff! Rachel joined the Habitat team on Monday as our new Volunteer Manager. She will be working on the construction site, at the ReStores, and in the office mobilizing our volunteers..

Rachel is our new Volunteer Manager.

Rachel was born in Washington, DC and has lived in Maryland and Virginia. She went to Chantilly High School and studied Sociology and Early Childhood Education at James Madison University.

Although she is new to the staff, Rachel is no stranger to the work of Habitat! Having volunteered with Habitat in college, she joined AmeriCorps after graduating and moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to work as the Construction Assistant at the Twin Cities affiliate. Rachel loved working on the construction site with the volunteers and developed a passion for Habitat for Humanity. Since then, Rachel has worked for Greater DC Cares and the National Wildlife Federation, empowering members of the community to volunteer and contribute to the success of others.

Rachel hard at work on a Habitat build site in Toas, New Mexico.

To all of Habitat Northern Virgina's volunteers, Rachel sends the following message: "I look forward to working with all of you and thank you for your continued support and generosity of time and talents."

Rachel can be reached by email at rkrempasky@habitatnova.org or by phone at (703) 521-9890 ext. 111.

New Website Coming Soon!

2010-11-18T16:24:00.008-05:00

Habitat Northern Virginia is excited to announce that its website is getting a makeover! The new site will have a fresh, cleaner look and will be easier to navigate. In addition, Habitat staff will now have the ability to update the pages directly and frequently, keeping you informed of all the latest happenings.

The new site will launch sometime in the next two to three weeks. Here's a sneak peek at the home page:

Click the picture to see our current website!

We send a special thanks to Mark Beeson of Beeson Creative Group for partnering with us on the new website! He designed the cool new site, is collaborating with us to incorporate all the features we want, and will train our staff how to use the software. Thanks, Mark, for your exceptional and creative work!

Welcome to the Habitat team, Beeson Creative Group!

Progress on Perry Hall!

2010-11-17T16:05:00.002-05:00

This property, originally 12 very small apartments, was built in the early 1950s. In 1985, Wesley Housing Development Corporation purchased the property and renamed it Perry S. Hall Apartments in honor of the founder of the Nauck Civic Association. The units were enlarged to serve low-income families, most of whom received Section 8 rental subsidies. Rather than sell the property to a for-profit developer who would build new, market rate townhouses, Wesley Housing sold the property to Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia in 2005 so that it would continue to serve low-income families in the historic Nauck Community in Arlington.

Renovation of this property required complete demolition of the interior of the building and an expansion of its footprint: 1,335 square feet of living space are being added to both sides of the existing building and 1,260 square feet are being added to the front. Through a complete renovation of all systems within the home, Habitat staff and volunteers will convert the unit, formerly 9 apartments, into 12 three-bedroom condominium units.

Habitat Northern Virginia has contracted Dobson Building and Remodeling to expand the building and do some preliminary construction work. By the end of 2010, their work will be complete, allowing us to engage teams of volunteers in early 2011!

In addition to providing 12 low- to moderate-income families in Northern Virginia with a home of their own, the Perry Hall initiative is an opportunity to recreate a truly beautiful property, revitalize a neighborhood, and engage the whole community in a collaborative effort to eradicate poverty housing in Northern Virginia.

TD Charitable Foundation Awards Habitat NOVA $50,000!

2010-11-16T13:29:00.001-05:00

The Habitat Northern Virginia team recently put together an extensive application for the 2010 Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation. After reviewing over 300 applications from around the country, TD informed us that we were one of their award winners! On Friday, Donna and Terrence from TD Bank met us at Perry Hall to present us with the check - for $50,000!!

The whole team was delighted to receive this substantial gift for Perry Hall and to begin an exciting partnership with TD Bank.

Big smiles all around after seeing the check for the first time!

Staff, Board Members, TD representatives, and a Habitat family
who will live at Perry Hall were all present for this big event.

This larger-than-life check supports our construction at Perry Hall!

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank^®. Housing For Everyone grant recipients from Maine to Florida received a total of nearly $2 million in grants to support affordable housing initiatives.

The grants were given to non-profits looking to preserve and improve affordable housing units through upgrades to property conditions, increased energy efficiency, and cost savings realized through newer heating, cooling, insulation, window replacement, roof replacement and other renovations.

Habitat Northern Virginia's 20th Anniversary Video

2010-10-28T09:27:00.002-04:00

Habitat Northern Virginia's Black Tie & Tool Belt Gala on Saturday was a huge success! You could feel the energy in the room as we celebrated 20 years in Northern Virginia and the 74 families who have realized their dream of homeownership with the help of Habitat staff and volunteers. We honored four very special people who have played crucial roles in our success. Listening to their history of leadership and sacrificial giving inspired us to renew our commitment to the eradication of poverty housing in Northern Virginia. We look to the next 20 years with hope and energy!

One special highlight of the evening was the debut of our 20th anniversary video, produced by our friends at PCI Communications. Prepare to be inspired!

Black Tie & Tool Belt Gala - Additional Silent Auction Items

2010-10-21T18:51:00.000-04:00

SILENT AUCTION ADDENDUM

Sports Events and Memorabilia

11 UPGRADED! Deluxe Ted Leonsis Package

The perfect package for any sports fan! Not only will the winner receive a Habitat for Humanity hard hat signed by Ted Leonsis, but also 2 tickets to the November 3rd Washington Capitals game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, 2 tickets to the Washington Capitals game on November 26th against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and 2 tickets to the January 15th Washington Wizards game against the Toronto Raptors. Ted Leonsis is an internet pioneer, sports team owner, investor, filmmaker, author and philanthropist in the Washington DC area. Hardhat donated by Habitat Northern Virginia and signed by Ted Leonsis; Wizards tickets donated by Peter Iovino; 2 Capitals tickets donated by Tim & Elise Burns; 2 Capitals tickets donated by Ted Leonsis.

Value: Priceless; Tickets valued at $700

12 Caps vs. Penguins at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field

Don’t miss this opportunity to see professional NHL hockey played outdoors! The winner will receive 2 tickets to watch the Washington Capitals compete against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on 1/1/2011 at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field. (Restrictions: winner must contact Rob Wittman to obtain tickets, which will be released in November. Transportation, hand warmers, and winter weather gear not included.) Donated by Rob Wittman, REALTOR and Caps Fanatic.

Value: $320

Dining

26 Surf and Turf Dinners

Hungry for fish and steak? Satisfy your cravings with this pair of gift certificates! Enjoy a $50 gift certificate to Ruth's Chris Steak House and a $25 gift certificate to Bonefish Grill. (Restrictions: Ruth's Chris Steak House is only valid at the Arlington location. Gratuity and alcoholic beverages are not included. Expires 07/31/2011.) Donated by Ruth's Chris Steak House and Bonefish Grill.

Value: $75.00

# 27 Morton's The Steakhouse Gift Basket

Treat yourself to a mouth-watering meal at Morton's the Steakhouse with a $100 gift certificate. Then, turn your home-cooked meals into an experience with a hardcover copy of Morton's The Cookbook, featuring 100 recipes for delicious appetizers,

entrees, and desserts. You can recreate the gourmet taste of Morton's famous Cajun rib eye in your home kitchen with Morton's Cajun Seasoning. (Restrictions: gift certificate valid for Arlington location. Expires 6/11/2011). Donated by Morton's The Steakhouse.

Value: $140.00

#28 Cabot Creamery Gift Box

Enjoy a basket of award-winning Cabot cheese from the farm families who own Cabot Creamery Cooperative. This gift box includes a mouthwatering variety of waxed, sharp, and reduced fat cheddar, a wooden cutting board, and an embroidered apron. (Restrictions: winner must redeem gift certificate by mail and allow four weeks for shipping. Certificate must be redeemed between October 1st and April 30th.) Donated by Cabot Creamery Cooperative.

Value: $75

29 Lyon Hall Gift Card

Try out Clarendon’s new French brasserie from the restaurateurs at The Liberty Tavern!

Donated by Lyon Hall

Value: $100

Arts and Recreation

35 Styx at Warner Theatre

Come see the classic Chicago rock band, Styx, in luxury and style at the Warner Theatre October 27th, 2010. You and a guest will enjoy the timeless rock band in the Warner Grand Suites, the private seats once reserved for royalty and presidents. (Restrictions: valid on 10/27/2010. Arrangements must be made in advance.) Donated by Warner Theatre.

Value: $300.00

36 The Nutcracker at Synetic Theater

Bring your family of 4 to see the classic Christmas performance, "The Nutcracker" at the Crystal City Theater, part of Synetic Family Theater, D.C.'s premier physical theater company. (Restrictions: Please RSVP at least 7 days before the show you wish to attend; valid until 01/16/2011.) Donated by Synetic Theater.

Value: $60.00

37 Creative Memories Nancy ODell Hummingbird Package

This one-of-a-kind scrapbooking collection comes with everything you need to celebrate your most cherished moments with the wonder and elegance they deserve. The winner will also receive a personal workshop with Creative Memories Independent Consultant Margaret Pride at the location of his/her choice! (Restrictions: winning bidder must coordinate a mutually agreed upon workshop date and location with Margaret Pride.) Donated by Margaret Pride

Value: $200

38 Crios: Musicians Playing Percussion (Afro-American Music)

This unique and compelling piece of art was painted by artist Crios, who was born in

Uruguay

and lived in many different countries as a child. He is inspired by his experiences among varied cultures as well as by music, rhythm, and movement. Donated by Carlos Rios.

Value: $800

39 Isabelle’s Triptych: Notre Dame Cathedral

This tri-part piece of artwork was created by Isabelle Alvarez-Tausch. Her use of bright colors would make this the centerpiece of any room. Donated by Isabelle Alvarez-Tausch.

Value: $750

Relaxing Escapes

44 Reston Away!

This item will allow you to relax and rejuvenate yourself with a loved on in Reston. Before you head to Reston stop at the Diamond Spa to use your $25 gift certificate. Next, enjoy a relaxing dinner at Clydes of Reston before you depart to the Hyatt Regency of Reston for a romantic night. Who knew you could have so much fun so close to home! (Restrictions: Hyatt Regency Reston certificate expires 10/23/2011. Clyde's certificate does not include gratuity and expires 10/2011.) Donated by Diamond Spa, Clydes, Hyatt Regency.

Value: $400

45 Getaway to the Inn at Little Washington

Use this $250 gift certificate toward a meal and stay at the peaceful and luxurious Inn at Little Washington. Enjoy refined, regional American cuisine artfully prepared by Chef Patrick O'Connell as the Sommelier plays matchmaker between you, your dinner, and the Inn's award-winning 14,000 bottle wine cellar. Then, escape to one of the Inn's eighteen bedrooms and suites, sumptuous hideaways created by Joyce Evans, a London stage and set designer, for whom The Inn has become a life's work. (Restrictions: valid for meals and/or lodging. Expires 10/13/2011.) Donated by Laurie and Harry Cole.

Value: $250

#46 Week-long Getaway to The Historic Powhatan Resort in Williamsburg

You and up to five guests will enjoy a week-long getaway at the Historical Powhatan Resort in Williamsburg, Virginia November 27 through December 4, 2010. You can feel the colonial spirit reverberating in Williamsburg, a 170 acre historic town restored to its original English condition. Amid 256 rolling woodland acres, the resort offers a variety of fun during any season, including a playground, tennis courts, and hiking trails. Accommodations include two bedrooms with king, queen, and pull-out sleeper beds, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, and balcony - a total of 1230 square feet of space. (Restrictions: available only for dates listed. Winner must contact Joseph Marfori to transfer ownership. No pets allowed. Picture identification and $100 deposit hold via credit card is required at check-in for any incidentals.) Donated by Joseph Marfori.

Value: $2,100

Special Items

65 The Meaning of "Home"

This framed drawing was created by a child who lives in a Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia home. It is a depiction of this child's interpretation of what "home" means. What a memento of the true meaning and mission of Habitat for Humanity! Donated by Habitat children and framed by K.H. Art & Framing.

Value: Priceless

66 The Meaning of "Home"

Value: Priceless

67 Hand-painted Stools

Don't miss your chance to win these two blue metal swivel stools painted by 8th grader Keaton Flaesch and 7th grader Delaney Flaesch, both students at Saint Luke Catholic School in McLean, Virginia. They want to help Habitat for Humanity because they believe everyone needs a home that is safe. These stools are perfect for the family room, playroom, teen bedroom, kitchen, or garage. Donated by Keaton Flaesch and Delaney Flaesch.

Value: Priceless

68 Book Signed by Secretary Hillary Clinton

You could be the owner of It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us, signed by Secretary Clinton. In this book, Clinton presents her vision for the children of America and advocates for a society which meets all of a child's needs. Donated by Jenny Becker

Value: Priceless

Spa & Fitness

73 Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center Package

Receive 10 adult guest passes to the Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center in Manassas, a water bottle, and towel. Located on the Prince William campus of George Mason University, Freedom's 110,000 square foot facility features two pools; a whirlpool; family locker rooms; a full gymnasium; cardio, aerobic and strength studios; racquetball courts; a child care center; and a full range of adult and youth programming. (Restrictions: expires 12/2010.) Donated by Freedom Aquatic & Fitness Center.

Value: $100

Professional Services

89 $400.00 Gift Certificate for Carpet Cleaning

Are you in great need for your carpet to be cleaned? With this item, Absolute Carpet Care, Inc. will come to your home and make your clean carpet dreams come true! (Restrictions: excludes area rugs and expires 2/28/2011.) Donated by Absolute Carpet Care, Inc.

Value: $400.00

90 Family Portrait by Renowned Photographer Bradford with Stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach, FL or New York

Have your family personally photographed by world renowned photographer Bradford at either his New York or Palm Beach Studio. Package includes portrait session plus 24" wall portrait on canvas. Package also includes an overnight stay at the Ritz-Carlton Westchester in New York or the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach. (Restrictions: portrait may be of a family or individual (no pets); winning bidder must contact Bradford Portraits for a mutually agreed upon date and for hotel booking; package does not include trans-portation.) Donated by Bradford Renaissance Portraits.

Value: $8,000

91 Woman’s Haircut and Color

Treat yourself to a haircut and color! Yorda Andemichael at PR at Partners in Shirlington will give you a beautiful new look. Donated by Yorda Andermichael.

Value: $130 - $183

92 The World Unlimited – Executive and Life Coaching from Brain McNamara

Allow executive and life coach Brian McNamara help you unlock your true potential and powerfully live a fulfilled and inspired life with four 45-minute executive or life coaching sessions. Coaching is about bringing forth your true magnificence and essence through a self-discovery process of learning and growth to awaken your life’s passions, dreams, and aspirations. It’s about being courageous, unstoppable, and fully inspired to make your dreams alive and real. Come experience the journey! Donated by Brian McNamara.

Value: $400

93 Ten Hours of Home Handyman Services

John Wittman, Habitat Northern Virginia Board Member, operates a Home Repair/Handyman Service: Wittman Service Company. Don’t miss this opportunity for 10 hours of personal services to take on the "honey do" list or any other around the home project you need performed. (Restrictions: winner must cover cost of materials and must coordinate schedule and projects with John Wittman.) Donated by John Wittman.

Value: $850

Virginia Wine

106 Vidulce 2009 from Caihailian Vineyard, Monticello

Be one of the first to enjoy this rare dessert wine, available tonight for the first time anywhere! This is one of only 165 bottles produced by former Habitat Northern Virginia Board Secretary Bob Ramsey. Bob and his wife Anne manage a small vineyard near Wintergreen Resort in Nelson County, and—with this 2009 release—become the newest wine producer in Virginia. Previous vintages have sourced numerous awards for home winemakers, including the “Best in Show” at the Virginia State Fair. Serve chilled and partnered with a savory dessert to benefit from the balanced flavors of this special wine. Donated by Bob and Anne Ramsey.

Value: Priceless

107 Vidulce 2009 from Caihailian Vineyard, Monticello

Donated by Bob and Anne Ramsey.

Value: Priceless

108 Vidulce 2009 from Caihailian Vineyard, Monticello

Donated by Bob and Anne Ramsey.

Value: Priceless

20th Anniversary Gala Honoree - Cynthia Penrose Magazine

2010-10-18T09:24:00.000-04:00

Cynthia Magazine ReStore Award, presented to Cynthia Penrose Magazine

After she retired from working at Kaiser Permanente and United Health Care in various management positions, Cynthia Magazine called the Habitat Northern Virginia office. She was in the process of interviewing various organizations to see where she could offer significant volunteer time. After meeting with all the other organizations, she decided to spend her time and energy at Habitat. She started out by staffing the office and learning about construction by participating in the Women's Build house, part of the Stevenson Street project in 2001 to 2002.

Throughout her time volunteering with Habitat Northern Virginia, Cynthia became increasingly frustrated having to turn away dozens of people every month who had good quality furniture, appliances, and household items that they wanted to donate to Habitat. Then when Cynthia heard about the concept of a ReStore, she became determined to make the ReStore a reality for Northern Virginia. Working long and hard over a three year period, she assembled an enthusiastic team, researched the "how to", drafted a business plan and operating procedures, and found a property that would work. Through Cynthia’s initiative and perseverance, her dream of a ReStore became a reality in Alexandria on October 22 - 23, 2004 - exactly 6 years this weekend.

Although it was a tremendous effort, Cynthia does not regret her involvement in the ReStore. She says, "Besides the birth of my children and my wonderful marriage, the Habitat ReStore was the most important work I have done. Despite the roadblocks, I would do it all over again because the concept is so right."

Cynthia now serves on the Board of Directors of the Fountain Hills Library Association in Arizona, where she is in charge of membership as well as live presentations by authors. She belongs to three book groups and enjoys hiking, reading, coffee dates, visiting family in California, and taking care of her 92-year-old mother.

The Habitat for Humanity ReStore is a resale business that sells new and used building materials and home improvement items to the general public. All materials are donated by local retail businesses, building contractors, suppliers and individuals, and are made available for sale to the public at 50% to 90% below retail prices. Northern Virginia now has two ReStores, one in Alexandria and one in Chantilly. Together, their sales reach approximately $1 million a year.

To see Cynthia receive her award, purchase your ticket to the Black Tie & Tool Belt Gala on October 23rd. Call Meredith Magwire at (703) 521-9890 ext. 107 to purchase your ticket today!

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia

Play Monopoly for Habitat!

Yorktown High School Crew Team Rows for Habitat for Humanity

Let Habitat Help You With Your Christmas Shopping!

Simply CLICK HERE !

I am Thankful for our Volunteers!

The Holidays are Fast Upon Us!

President Carter: Decent housing is a right

President Carter: Decent housing is a right

The Impacts of Affordable Housing on Education

PERRY HALL PROJECT HELPS THE NORTHERN VIRGINIA HOUSING CRISIS

Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Crisis

Perry Hall Condominiums – Providing Affordable housing to 12 Arlington Families

The Families

Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia We're Moving!!

A Stellar Job at the ReStore!

Congratulations to Four New Homeowner Families!

Our New ReStore Video!

A Brush With Kindness Is Underway!

Wild West Poker Tournament and Party

We have only 40 slots for poker players available, so don’t delay! Buy-in fee (donation to Habitat Northern Virginia’s Women Build) is $100.

Win a Women Built Garden Shed!

Washington Mystics and Freddie Mac Construct Women Build Garden Shed

Eat at Dogfish Head Alehouse on Tuesday!

15% of all sales at

Dogfish Head Alehouse

Tuesday May 10, 201111:30 AM to 11:00 PM

Building Block Blitz!

Richard Semmler Donates to ABWK and Organizes NOVA Volunteers

Women Learn to Frame Walls through Women Build

Habitat Offers A Brush With Kindness

The Nest Project at the Target Gallery

The Torpedo Factory’s exhibition space, Target Gallery, in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia, is excited to share with you, The Nest Project. The Nest Project is in conjunction with the Target Gallery's juried exhibition Nest.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6, 2011

The Nest Project Update

Our First Women Build Clinic!

Nursing Students Make First Aid Kits for Perry Hall

GMU Greek Life Raises the Roof for Habitat for Humanity

GMU Habitat Chapter Collegiate Challenge

Heartland Siding Donates to Perry Hall!

Habitat ReStore at the Green Living Expo!

Cars for Homes

What a Weekend!

Meet a Perry Hall Family - The Seifus

RealNetworks Foundation Making Real Change in Our Community!

McLean Interfaith Continues to Build Homes

We Love Our Volunteers!

Visit the ReStores at the Capital Home & Garden Show

Yoga for Good at Sun & Moon Yoga

Capital One Builds Financial Stability and Homes!

Women Who Build!

Habitat Northern Virginia Welcomes Jenny!

E*TRADE Financial Kicks Off Volunteer Build Days at Perry Hall!

Students Learn Professional Skills at the ReStore

Meet a Perry Hall Family - The Briscos

Play Monopoly, Win $500, Support Habitat!

Progress on Perry Hall Condominiums!

Habitat Northern Virginia's 2010 Highlights - In Pictures!

Meet a Perry Hall Family - the Moldanados

Nice Car!

Habitat Thanks Virginia Patton for Four Years of Service!

Habitat Thanks Ginna for 16 Years of Service!

Dine Out for Perry Hall!

Habitat for Humanity Celebrates Its 400,000th House

December 10th is International Human Rights Day

Pave the Way to Perry Hall with a Commemorative Brick!

Greg Cohen Named Capital One Bank's Volunteer of the Year!

Financial Education Day at the ReStore!

Black Friday SALE at the ReStore!

Habitat NOVA Welcomes Rachel!

New Website Coming Soon!

Progress on Perry Hall!

TD Charitable Foundation Awards Habitat NOVA $50,000!

Habitat Northern Virginia's 20th Anniversary Video

Black Tie & Tool Belt Gala - Additional Silent Auction Items

20th Anniversary Gala Honoree - Cynthia Penrose Magazine

Tuesday May 10, 2011
11:30 AM to 11:00 PM