Habitat Faith Partnerships

Cleveland Habitat prioritizes relationships with faith groups in the community. The following is a list of ways to serve with Habitat:

• New Homeowner Donations
• Participate in our annual Faith Build program
• Playhouse Project
• Serve Lunch to Volunteers
• Community Pickup Event

New Homeowner Donations

"Welcome home." Two words Habitat homeowners work so hard to hear. Every family receives a toolbox and welcome basket when they move into their newly purchased home. If you would like to help welcome our families to their new homes, make a purchase in honor of a new homeowner today. Here are some ideas!

• Shop our welcome basket Amazon wish list: http://tinyurl.com/mwkdv543
• Shop our toolbox Amazon wish list: http://tinyurl.com/np9459d8
• Collect new or gently used children's books to donate

Faith Build (Checkout photos from our 2023 Faith Build here!)

Since 2015, our Faith Build program has brought faith groups together to help uplift the work of affordable housing. Each congregation provides prayer, funding, and volunteer power to help build a home and revitalize a neighborhood. This year marks the 15th home and 15th family the program has served. God is good! 

Since 2016, Habitat has been working hard in Buckeye-Woodhill. We have built or rehabbed 100 homes and assisted 261 existing residents with minor home improvement projects. We are committed to the Buckeye-Woodhill neighborhood till at least 2027.

The 2024 Faith Build home will be a new build on Crestwood Avenue. This is one street North of Grandview Avenue where we have built 11 new homes and rehabbed 4.

Depending on the sponsorship level - each congregation will have the opportunity to volunteer at a construction site on a Thursday or Saturday with up to 8 volunteers.

In addition, this year we are holding 2 Neighborhood Spruce-Up Days. This is an opportunity to bring together 75 - 100 volunteers, to help existing homeowners with needed minor exterior repairs, landscaping, and debris removal. It is a rewarding, transformative day as you volunteer alongside partner families, community members, and longtime Habitat volunteers and staff.

Things to Know:

• Commit by April 15th to be included in the initial banner and communications. Return the letter of intent to pkatsadouros@clevelandhabitat.org. Once returned, we are happy to schedule your volunteer dates.
   
• Establish a Faith Partner Liaison This is the wonderful point person responsible for sharing information and coordinating between your faith organization and Habitat.
   
• Sponsorship We ask each faith organization to fulfill sponsorship as soon as possible, but no later than December 2, 2024. We can help you with a fundraising kit and amazing ideas.
   
• Select Dates for Volunteer Opportunities There is no requirement to volunteer on-site or off-site, but we have some opportunities and welcome you to join.

For more information on the 2024 Faith Build please contact Philip Katsadouros at (216) 318-0274 or pkatsadouros@clevelandhabitat.org.

Serve Lunch to Volunteers

On a daily basis we have volunteers helping out on a construction site. Please consider having a group from your congregation help prepare lunches for those volunteers. It's a great way to thank and support those who dedicate their time and effort to building homes for our families!

Community Pickup Event

Come together with your congregation to host a Community Pickup event. Our ReStore will bring a box truck for you to fill with donated items to sell in our ReStore. 

This event can be held in a location of your choosing (like your parking lot). This is a great opportunity for your congregation to clean out their garages and donate unwanted and unused tools, building materials, and furniture to a great cause!

Playhouse Project

A playhouse is one of the first opportunities a child has to imagine what having a home of their own means to them. Your playhouse, built by volunteers at Greater Cleveland Habitat, will be built and customized specific to a qualified family in the community. Toward the end of the build day, the family will arrive to take home their playhouse. In many cases, the playhouses are a surprise to the children and getting to see their reaction is priceless. In addition, funds raised go toward building big houses right here in Cuyahoga and Lorain Counties!

• $2,500 Donation
• Full-day volunteer event to construct and decorate the playhouse for an employee team of up to 10 volunteers 
• Location of build day may be at Habitat or at a workable location of your choosing (like your parking lot)
• Recognition in one newsletter
• Recognition on Habitat social media
• Photo opportunities during playhouse build
• Habitat T-shirts for each volunteer

Hear from a Faith Build-Sponsored Homebuyer:

Thank you to the following congregations who have committed to the 2024 Faith Build:

Chagrin Falls Methodist Church
Church of the Covenant
Church of the Gesu
Church of the Redeemer UCC
Church of the Saviour, UMC
Church of the Western Reserve
Fellowship City Church
First Lutheran Church of Strongsville
John Knox Presbyterian Church
Lord of Life Lutheran Church
Old Stone Church
Rocky River Presbyterian Church
St. Joseph Church, Strongsville
St. Mary of the Falls
St. Mary's Parish, Berea
St. Mark Parish, Cleveland
St. Mel Church
St. Paul's Episcopal, Cleveland Heights
Strongsville United Methodist Church