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This March, our team joined over 2,500 Habitat for Humanity colleagues at the 2024 Affiliate Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of this year highlighted how we’ll create a world where everyone has a decent place to live: We Build. We Influence. Together. Each day of the conference focused on one of those three calls to action. We discussed Habitat's incredible work in our communities and where our ministry is headed in the future. Our team enjoyed coming together with other Habitat affiliates to learn, celebrate Habitat’s work, and highlight how we can build and influence a better world together!
We are excited to share that because of our affiliate’s tremendous growth in Chester County over the past four years; we were selected to be one of four panelists at the international conference. Our Executive Director, Chris Wiseman, addressed the initiatives and factors that have allowed us to serve our community better.
Chris shared, “I was excited for the opportunity to present to over 2,500 Habitat Affiliate leaders from across the country and share the incredible work that we are doing in Chester County. A few short years ago, we were building 2-3 homes a year, had only 1 ReStore, and no Home Repair program. Now, we are under development in 3 different 40-home communities (as well as several other smaller projects and rehabilitations); we've opened a second ReStore and started the Habitat Home Repair program with 200 repairs scheduled to be completed in the next year.
All of this has been made possible by a shared vision from our donors and volunteers that everyone deserves a decent place to live. We have become the model for growth for other Affiliates across the country, and we are seeing the impact of our collective work."
As Chris stated, our mission is made possible through the immense support we receive from our donors and volunteers who join in our shared mission towards worldwide affordable homeownership. It is a rewarding feeling to be recognized at an international level as a model for other Habitat affiliates across the globe. We are so happy to do our part here in Chester County, Pennsylvania, and to share our success story with the Habitat community. For more information about our affiliate’s growth over the past four years (2020-2024), facts and figures are below:
Data Recorded from 2020-2024
Since 2020, our overall fundraising in Chester County has increased by +103%! Our numerous events, such as the Driving to Build golf outing, Build A House contest, Hops for Homes, and more, have brought the Chester County community together to raise funds for affordable housing. In addition, since 2020, our grant funds have increased by +2,400%. In our Cars for Homes program, in which a donated car, truck, boat, RV, or other vehicle is sold on behalf of Habitat, funds have increased by +315% since 2020, and in our Team Build program, in which corporate sponsors join us for a day on the construction site, funds have increased by +562.5% since 2020.
In Chester County, we opened the doors to our second ReStore location in Phoenixville in May of 2022, with our original Caln location being open since 2002. Habitat for Humanity ReStores are home improvement stores and donation centers that sell new and gently used furniture, appliances, home improvement products, building materials, and more at a fraction of the retail prices. All proceeds from shopping and donating to the Chester County ReStores benefit the construction of affordable homes for community members. We are truly so blessed to have two ReStore locations in Chester County, which are an excellent opportunity to get involved in our mission.
Because of this increase in funds, prior to 2020, we were building 1-2 homes per year, and after 2023, we are now able to build 8-15 homes per year. We continue to expand our ongoing new construction projects in West Grove and Coatesville while also rehabilitating the current housing stock through the Habitat Home Repair program. This is all thanks to you, our generous donors and supporters. In 2020, we had 608 active donors, and in 2023, we grew to 783 active donors, with a 56.17% retention rate (the average being 40%).
Thank you for empowering our mission here in Chester County as a part of a worldwide initiative for global affordable housing. We are so grateful to have grown in Chester County over the past four years and to share our success with our fellow Habitat affiliates at the International conference.
Please visit our website to learn more about Habitat homeownership, volunteering with us, upcoming events, or our ReStores.