Imagine
Imagine that you are working two jobs and still can’t afford the rent for yourself and three children.
Imagine that the medical bills caused by your son’s condition suddenly overwhelm the household budget. And that more bills are on the way.
Imagine that your car breaks down and you don’t have the money to to fix it and you depend on that car to get you to your workplace.
Or that your daughter has a persistent cough that you just know is worsened by the drafty, leaking apartment you live in.
These are the situations that actual, hard-working Warren County residents have found themselves in, through no fault of their own.
Working but struggling financially
According to a United Way report, 1.2 million households in New Jersey are unable to afford the state’s high cost of living. New Jersey has as severe of an affordable housing crisis as anywhere in the country. This means, of course, high and rising rental costs. And wages of middle-class workers have been totally flat over the last twenty years, while low-wage worker paychecks have actually fallen. This often leads to hard spending choices involving housing, transportation, healthcare and daycare. What would you do if you found yourself in one of the situations described above?
You have impacted the lives of hundreds
Through donations of time and money, people like you have helped these families and others get on their feet again and attain the financial stability that we all seek. That starts with mortgage payments which are often much lower than rental costs for apartments which are often substandard.
If you’ve donated to Habitat in the past, you have helped provide the spark that keeps these families strong and self-reliant. That continues with healthcare and education options that would not otherwise have been possible for these families. (Click here for one partner family’s amazing story.)
And, you are helping to build a Habitat home with this veteran family, which will be completed in the spring.
The need is large and growing
The raw numbers are staggering. It is estimated that more than eight thousand working families in Warren County are one emergency away from a serious financial setback. The Habitat for Humanity model centers around building simple, decent housing in partnership with such a family. Mortgage payments for a home like this are kept low by using the family’s sweat equity, construction volunteers, and donations of money and materials.
You can help us help more families
We will soon be accepting applications for other working families in circumstances similar to those above. As you prepare for the busy holiday season ahead, please pause to consider how you can be of help to more people in Warren County who just need a hand up. Click on the link below and you’ll be on your way!
