25 days, 25 stories: Habitat for Humanity of Omaha’s 25th Anniversary Timeline

Each day from October 5 to October 29, 2009 we will be posting a new story in celebration of Habitat for Humanity of Omaha’s 25th anniversary. These stories have come to us from people who have been involved with Habitat Omaha in a variety of ways at some point in the past 25 years. We hope that you enjoy these reflections, some old and some new, about Habitat Omaha and that they inspire or renew the spirit of service in you. If you have a story of your own that you would like to share please send it to us at buildinghope.omaha@gmail.com.
 

Habitat for Humanity of

Omaha’s 25th Anniversary

Timeline

 
1983
MAY: Mary Lyons calls together an organizational meeting to discuss the possibilities of a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Omaha, NE.
NOVEMBER: First board of directors elected, articles and bylaws adopted.

1984
JANUARY: Omaha Habitat for Humanity is officially incorporated in the state of Nebraska.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER: Omaha Habitat completes more than 40 minor repairs for low-income homeowners.
SEPTEMBER: Ground blessing ceremony at 3711 Spencer, Omaha Habitat’s first house.

1985
JANUARY: Work in progress by North High Construction Class on 3711 Spencer Street.
FEBRUARY: First Omaha Habitat family selected.
MARCH: Millard Fuller in Omaha to speak for HFH.

1986–Built/Renovated 1 house
AUGUST: Spencer Street house is completed and the family moves in.

1987
DECEMBER: A partnership is proposed with United Ministries of Northeast Omaha (UMNEO) for rehab project (“North Omaha Rehabbers”).

1988–Built/Renovated 1 house
JANUARY: “Rehabbers” begin work at 4803 No 24 Street.
SEPTEMBER: “Rehabbers” start on Grand Ave.
Total house built or renovated to date: 2
Total tithe amount to date: $50

1989–Built/Renovated 3 houses
JANUARY: Family Nurture committee is established.
SEPTEMBER: A corporate-funded owner-occupant repair project with UMNEO is adopted.
Total house built or renovated to date: 5
Total tithe amount to date: $550

1990–Built/Renovated 6 houses
FEBRUARY: Omaha Habitat makes a landmark decision to tithe $2,000 per house completion to build Habitat houses in Mexico.
SUMMER: In addition to week-long youth work camps, a crew from Boystown worked 1/2 days the entire summer.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 11
Total tithe amount to date: $2,891

1991–Built/Renovated 8 houses
APRIL: “Covenant Church” program is being pursued. Seven churches are involved so far.
JUNE: The second Blitz Build is a success. MOBA partners build one house, a second house is funded by a single individual donor, and a third house is rehabbed, all in seven days.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 19
Total tithe amount to date: $23,391

1992–Built/Renovated 4 houses
MARCH: A formal “Delinquent Payment Policy” is developed and put into practice.Junior League partners for one year with Omaha Habitat.
JUNE: Blitz Build at Florence Boulevard and Larimore Avenue closes in three new houses.
JULY: “Covenant Church” program now has 19 churches involved.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 23
Total tithe amount to date: $33,791

1993–Built/Renovated 8 houses
FEBRUARY: Sweat Equity workshop is established to help prepare families for worksite experience.
APRIL: Office moves from Pearl Church choir room to a renovated house at 2241 Larimore.
JUNE: Adopt-a-House Blitz Build – five houses, start to finish, funded and built by “adopting coalitions”.
AUGUST: “Blitz Rehab Week” at Crown Point successfully involved businesses, churches and foundations not involved in the new house builds.
SEPTEMBER: An Omaha Habitat work crew goes to Shenandoah, Iowa to help rehab a HFH house.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 31
Total tithe amount to date: $43,191

1994–Built/Renovated 12 houses
MAY: Habitat Omaha homeowners, through HOPE committee, hold a successful joint garage sale.
JUNE: Adopt-a-House Blitz produces seven homes on Erskine Street. First handicap accessible house built with partnership of Home Economists in Business group.
OCTOBER: Target Stores sponsor a new house which Target employee volunteers help build.
DECEMBER: In 1994, 99 congregations have participated with Omaha Habitat and have contributed nearly $215,000.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 43
Total tithe amount to date: $55,524

1995–Built/Renovated 13 houses
JANUARY: Board decides to sponsor Adopt-a-Rehab this year.
MARCH: Habitat hosts a Collegiate Challenge work crew from St. Louis University (MO).
JUNE: Piper Jaffray sponsors an entire rehab. First Omaha Habitat house is resold on the open market.
SUMMER: 5346 N 25 Avenue is designated the 50th Omaha Habitat house to be completed.
Total house built or renovated to date: 56
Total tithe amount to date: $77,524

1996–Built/Renovated 9 houses
JUNE: Seven new houses are built during Blitz Week.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 65
Total tithe amount to date: 98,191

1997–Built/Renovated 8 houses
SUMMER: Adopt-a-Crews work on houses. New model of slow build by coalitions proves a success.
DECEMBER: First meeting for all-women built house is held. Family selection committee creates credit policy. Vacated fire station at 2204 Ames Ave acquired for warehouse/office for $1.
Total houses built/renovated to date: 73
Total tithe amount to date: $118,191

1998–Built/Renovated 12 houses
JULY: First all-women built house is completed. Lucent, ConAgra, Creighton University and five church coalitions build.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 85
Total tithe amount to date: $142,191

1999–Built/Renovated 15 houses
JANUARY: New application process instituted for applications to be received three times a year.
APRIL: Office space completed. Twila Martin becomes the first homeowner to pay off her mortgage.
MAY – JUNE: First Ladies Build with governor’s wives helping with Women’s Build.
JUNE – JULY: Nine AmeriCorps NCCC members at Omaha Habitat build sites.
AUGUST – OCTOBER: First Omaha Habitat Youth Build.
AUGUST: Six AmeriCorps members to volunteer with Habitat for one year. New partnership with Omaha Community Correctional Center and inmate volunteers is formed.
SEPTEMBER: Millard Fuller in Omaha to kick-off the 100th house during Building on Faith week.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 100
Total tithe amount to date: $164,191

2000–Built/Renovated 16 houses
MAY – NOVEMBER: Ten coalitions build – five church, five civic and corporate.
JUNE: Habitat for Humanity ReStore is opened at 1003 So 24 St. Additional AmeriCorps VISTA members join Omaha Habitat- three at the office and three at the ReStore. A “Building on Faith” breakfast and tour of work sites with guests from prospective churches is held. Hearthstone Homes is 1st official Omaha Habitat sponsor pledging $50,000 per year for four years.
OCTOBER: Pre-winter framing blitz encloses three houses on South 20th Street.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 116
Total tithe amount to date: $194,391

2001–Built/Renovated 17 houses
MARCH: Grand opening of Omaha Habitat ReStore is celebrated.
SEPTEMBER: Habitat for Humanity International’s 25th anniversary celebration is held in Indianapolis.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 133
Total tithe amount to date: $226,201

2002–Built/Renovated 20 houses
JANUARY: Implementation of the giving clubs: Golden Hammer and the Foundation Club.
MAY: Kick-off of the Women’s Build “Women Building a Legacy” house. Four houses framed at 46th & Fort.
JUNE: Dundee Presbyterian becomes the first church to be a whole-house adoption partner. Omaha Habitat Board approves new revised by-laws.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 153
Total tithe amount to date: $263,801

2003–Built/Renovated 16 houses
JANUARY: Name is changed from Omaha Habitat for Humanity to Habitat for Humanity of Omaha.
JULY: Church Relations Coordinator position is added through the AmeriCorps VISTA program.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 169
Total tithe amount to date: $307,601

2004–Built/Renovated 16 houses
JANUARY: Habitat Omaha’s 20th anniversary is celebrated.
MAY: Habitat Omaha hosts its first Raise the Roof Gala in honor of the 20th Anniversary.
OCTOBER: Mayor Fahey proclaims Oct. 20th Habitat for Humanity Day at building site. Kick-off of “More than Houses” campaign is announced.
Total house built or renovated to date: 185
Total tithe amount to date: $341,301

2005–Built/Renovated 12 houses
MAY: Ground-breaking at 33rd & Spaulding – a mixed income development – partnering with Holy Name Housing and the City of Omaha. Lord of Love Blitz Build on Ellison (where six other lots are going to be developed).
AUGUST: YouthBuild USA forms – partnership between Goodwill, Turning Point and Habitat to train at-risk youth as they work for their GED.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 197
Total tithe amount to date: $386,821

2006–Built/Renovated 17 houses
FEBRUARY: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans sponsors five houses for $345,000.Advisory Council is created. Staff and volunteers, as well as people from Sarpy County HFH, go to Mississippi to do Katrina relief.
SUMMER: Habitat for Humanity of Omaha Friends group is formed and become active in Habitat Omaha events.
DECEMBER: Habitat Omaha’s 200th house is dedicated. First Data sponsors a house for a Hurricane Katrina evacuee family who relocated to Omaha, NE.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 214
Total tithe amount to date: $439,351

2007–Built/Renovated 22 houses
JUNE: Habitat Omaha’s first Washington County build begins with the first project in Blair, NE.
JUNE: At the College World Series, Habitat Omaha builds a house to be shipped to a Hurricane Katrina evacuee family in New Orleans.
SEPTEMBER: Wells Fargo’s “Millionth Dollar” house dedication is held. The First Annual Habitat for Humanity of Omaha Friends MicroBrewHaHa takes place.
MARCH: Habitat Omaha’s first Power Women, Power Lunch takes place.
Total houses built or renovatedto date: 236
Total tithe amount to date: $515,524

2008–Built/Renovated 20 houses and replaced 2 roofs
APRIL: Pinnacle Bank becomes the first partner in the Building Blocks Program and buys two mortgages totaling $100,000 for face value (0% interest).
MAY: TDAmeritrade sponsors and builds a house in Omaha. Omaha helps secure sponsoring in Fort Worth, Texas, of a sister TDAmeritrade house.
JUNE: The first Habitat Omaha Home Builder’s Blitz takes place – three houses built in one week. Partners include: Hearthstone Homes, JT Builders, & The M Group.
AUGUST: Roof & Repair Program is initiated with funding of $200K from the William & Ruth Scott Foundation to pilot the program. ABC subsequently offers $150K to help fund the program as part of the North Omaha Redevelopment Plan.
DECEMBER: ReStore boasts record profits at $275K ($112K in ‘07 and $49K in ‘06).
Total houses built or renovated to date: 256
Total tithe amount to date: $597,950
Total roofs repaired to date: 2

2009–Built/Renovated 25 houses and replaced 34 roofs
JUNE: Second Home Builders Blitz takes place—three houses built in one week. Partners include: HearthStone Homes, The M Group and Sullivan Homes. (The Women Build house is started along with these homes and finishes in August.)
JULY: The first and second Habitat Omaha Kids’ Days are held.
OCTOBER: Habitat Omaha’s 25th Anniversary celebration takes place.
NOVEMBER: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat Omaha celebrate Thrivent Financial’s $1 millionth dollar donation. Seven houses are dedicated on one day.
Total houses built or renovated to date: 281
Total tithe amount to date: $686,226
Total roofs repaired to date: 36

 

 
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