Habitat for Humanity - Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity

Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity has been serving Cowlitz County since 2000. Our focus in serving out our mission to the community continues with both new home construction and in exterior repair and rehab work. The new homes are sold to qualified families with zero interest mortgage loans and the payments do not exceed over 30% of their qualified and verified income. All applicants, whether it be through a new or rehab/repair program participate in the sweat equity model. We are a "hand-up" organization and believe that all applicants best learn and maintain their status when they are invested with sweat equity and educational requirements. We are an actively engaged affiliate partnering with several organizations to enhance building hope, homes & community. We work diligently with the neighborhood revitalization efforts in Cowlitz County and have worked in two specific neighborhoods (south kelso and the highlands). We worked with the community to enhance the existing revitalization plan and to engage the residents to improve their own lives and that of their neighborhood. We are committed participants (including board service) with the kcba (kelso community and business association) which is made up of residents and a wealth of non-profit agencies and representatives of organizations and local jurisdication for the purpose of communicating needs, beautifying and solidifying the neighborhoods and finding solutions related to neighborhood renewal projects. Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity also offers training, education and leadership development opportunities. We additionally partner with organizations such as esd112 and work with their youth employement services program, amoung others. We provide hands on training to youth (typically ages 16 to 24) at both our Habitat store and on our construction sites. We believe that by providing the youth with these skills, they will continue on with their education and remain in our community providing these necessary and important trades. A brush with kindness (abwk) is a growing program within the Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity offerings. It is a program that provides exterior home improvement projects to low income homeowners. Similar to our new home construction program, applicants must be willing to participate (via sweat equity) and meet the project qualifications and criteria. We currently undertake 12 - 15 abwk projects each year. This opportunity also allows us to engage youth.