Botwana RPCV Kendall Cox promotes Habitat for Humanity
Building for those who can't
Habitat aids low-income families
By PHALIA McCORKLE - Delta Democrat Times
Nearly 30 million U.S. dwellings face some sort of housing problem, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
These areas can range from paying an excessively large percentage of income on housing costs, living in overcrowded homes to living with severe physical deficiencies such as no hot water or working toilet in their home.
Many families find themselves in dire need of better housing situations, housing experts say.
And that's where Habitat for Humanity comes in.
Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International's mission is to put an end to poverty housing and homelessness.
On Tuesday, Kendall Cox, volunteer coordinator for Habitat for Humanity of Washington County, spoke to the Greenville Kiwanis Club has about the importance of the habitat program in Mid-Delta communities.
Cox, who works as the breast-feeding coordinator for the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, is relatively new to the volunteer coordinator position, but not to answering the need of people.
Serving as a Peace Corps. volunteer in Botswana, Africa for 3 1/2 years, she learned that housing the masses is a universal problem.
"We really do have the resources to answer this problem," she said. "I look at the work we do with habitat as planting seeds for the future."
Washington County's habitat unit has been active since 1990 and has constructed six houses over the period.
"That's an indication that we need to widen our circle of volunteers," she said.
Cox continued to point out that among the ways that people can help is to volunteer, spread the program's mission and to keep the Christian-based program in their prayers.
"People live in substandard housing not because its God's wish," Cox said. "It's because we haven't done anything yet."
Barthell Joseph, president of the Washington County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, said the typical cost of a habitat home ranges from $38,000 to $39,000 — a price that includes everything except the price of subcontracting.
"Habitat is one of the most important nonprofits in the community," Joseph said, "because we provide people who would not otherwise get the opportunity of home ownership a chance."
Qualified applicants for habitat homes put down a $500 down payment and pledge 500 hours of sweat equity toward their home or another habitat home.
The average mortgage payment for a habitat home is $250 to $300. For more information on Habitat for Humanity and about being a volunteer, contact Kendall Cox at (662) 332-9498.
Phalia McCorkle can be reached at (662) 378-0724 or at phalia@deltanewsroom.com.
