Through the Hurricane Rita and Katrina relief program Operation Home Delivery, the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity will place between 15 and 20 families in homes.

“We’re going from an affiliate that did two to three, possibly four houses a year to 20 houses in one year,” said Fonda Rush, executive director of Lauderdale County Habitat for Humanity.

“Habitat for Humanity International does not want us to drop back to a two—to-three houses a year affiliate. They want us to stay at 15 to 16 houses a year, or nine or 10 houses a year.”

To accomplish this not only will require more personnel, but also more funds. And while money and other contributions from businesses, organizations and individuals have and will continue to be crucial to Habitat’s cause, even more is needed.

“For our affiliate to grow, we need to find more sources of income,” Rush said.

One source has materialized through a recently formed partnership between the local Habitat affiliate and United Way of East Mississippi.

“When Habitat for Humanity applied for funding in August, we were really excited about it,” said Thad Quarles, executive director of United Way of East Mississippi. “We see a lot of promise and hope for Habitat in respect of what we’re doing here in the community.”

Rush and Quarles met recently with The Meridian Star’s Editorial Board to discuss the new merger, as well as the future of Habitat for Humanity, the organization that helps families achieve independence through home ownership.



The Star: How long has Meridian had a Habitat for Humanity affiliate?

Fonda Rush: In March, we were 17 years old.



The Star: What was the deciding factor to become a United Way agency at this time?

Rush: For our affiliate to grow, we need to find more sources of income. Habitat homeowners pay very low mortgage, some less than $100 a month. But if we want to really grow to meet the need of low-income housing in Lauderdale County, we need a lot more sources of income to help us out.

A lot of Habitat affiliates are becoming United Way agencies and it has been a really good experience for our sister affiliate in Tupelo. After talking with their executive director several times and meeting with Thad and the United Way Board members, we felt it would help us. By becoming a United Way Agency, we can grow.



The Star: Do you have to find land to build houses?

Rush: Here in Meridian, we are very blessed with land. Our city, through its programs of grants they receive have torn down dilapidated homes and they have donated lands. And we have private individuals who have vacant lots who donate to us. We don’t build subdivisions, we’re doing infield housing. Our main goal is to help revitalize our neighborhoods through home ownership.



The Star: Has Habitat for Humanity been impacted by the current dispute over building low income housing in North Meridian?

Rush: Unfortunately, yes. I was especially afraid of what message that issue would send to those families who have decided to relocate in Meridian. Sure enough, after the first public hearing, one of the families contacted me and said, “Miss Fonda, I don’t understand. Are we not wanted in Meridian?” I explained to him no, that there’s a difference in home ownership and they were talking about rental projects, low-income complexes.

Unfortunately for our city, we’ve gotten so caught up in the terminology of low income, that we’re forgetting who is low income. And that low-income home ownership is different than low-income rental and is actually a positive for our community. In Lauderdale County, for a family of four, low-income is $28,000 a year or lower.



The Star: So how does Habitat for Humanity housing differ?

Rush: Habitat is not a hand out, it’s a hand up. We help people to become home owners, we don’t give them a free home. There’s a lot involved in the process of becoming a Habitat homeowner. After undergoing a screening process, families are required to work sweat equity hours — helping with other Habitat projects — and they have to make a $500 down payment. After qualifying as a homeowner, it takes a year or two to get into your own home.



The Star: How many homes have been built by the local affiliate and what is the average cost of homes?

Rush: We’ve placed 43 families in homes of their own. The houses range in prices from $65,000 to $67,000, depending on the size of the lot and the neighborhood. Some lots are bigger than others.

And we don’t just help them build a home, we also equip them with the tools to be successful. Homeowners must attend classes in banking and finance, so they will know how to budget and manage.



The Star: How does the community benefit from Habitat homes?

Rush: Homeowners pay takes and through home ownership they become better and more productive citizens. We’ve seen children’s grades improve, many of them go to college and often return to Meridian to work and give back to the community. It’s a win-win for everyone.



The Star: What are some of your upcoming projects?

Rush: We’re going to try to have 14 houses completed by the end of July for our Katrina victims. This is an unusual year for us in that we’re not asking for money from the community — of course, we will accept it — but what we really need is people to help out with the builds. We need people to manage the construction sites, contractors, and need volunteers to help build — even if you’ve never built a house, you can help. We’re building six days a week and have even been asked to build on Sunday.

We’re asking our church community, clubs and organizations and even individuals to help out by providing food. And we need volunteers to set up and serve the food. There is something that everyone can do to help out with this project.

And we need furnishings for the homes once they are completed. A lot of the families from the Hurricane Katrina areas have nothing — no furniture, sheets, towels, cooking and eating utensils — to put inside the home. We’re asking that the items be new; if they are used, no more than a year old. God is opening doors and we’re able to provide safe, decent housing for families.