SPDP and Habitat for Humanity
September 19, 2016 at 8:00 AM
SPDP & Solutions has designated Habitat for Humanity (HFH) as their primary charity. They support Habitat for Humanity through builds, galas, product and monetary donations. SPDP CEO Lisa Granse Weglewski serves on the committee for the Women of Habitat for their annual Hope Builders Luncheon which is coming up in October. Due to the occasion, we want to provide some education on the health and wellness benefits of Habitat for Humanity Housing, specifically focusing on mold reduction. This information is based on research from the Wilder Foundation. 
Bettering Your Health
Prior to living in their HFH home, families were living in houses with mold, dust, lead paint, no furnace filters, and leaky furnaces which let in fumes. Homeowners report respiratory health issues such as asthma and skin breakouts which required oral and topical creams. Nearly 60 percent of Habitat homeowners or family members with respiratory illnesses noted improvement in those conditions.
Effects on Education
For many families, moving to an HFH home has had a huge effect on their children’s education. For example, forty percent of Twin Cities families reported their children go to school more often since becoming an HFH homeowner! Homeowners also said there has been an improvement in their children’s grades and study habits. Having the stability of being in one place to study and do home has caused this change. By having to pay less for housing, parents can use the money to save for children’s college, clothes and food. Most parents who participated in the Wilder Foundation’s survey said they feel better about their children’s future.
Quality of Life Improvements
Below are safety statistics from HFH homeowners based on research from the Wilder Foundation:
93% of residents feel safe or very safe in their new homes
78% of residents feel safer than in their previous residence
83% of residents consider their children to be safer than before living in their HFH home
Many residents previously lived in low-income housing neighbors that are often crime-ridden. Habitat for Humanity not only makes sure residents are in better quality homes to improve their health, but they make sure the homes are safe! Providing this peace of mind to homeowners is a great improvement on their quality of life.
The Women of Habitat Hope Builders Luncheon
The Women of Habitat for their annual Hope Builders Luncheon will be held October 4, at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis. Maykao Y. Hang, President, and CEO of the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, will be hosting a panel on how stable housing impacts the education of children in our community. The register, please click the following link: https://www.tchabitat.org/luncheon. We hope to see you there!