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By Scott Mims | Community Columnist

It’s great to see Habitat for Humanity continuing to build homes for families in the Chilton County area.

The recent projects for the Agee and Kennedy families reminded me of my past involvement with the nonprofit organization, and it is one that has always been close to my heart.

Several years ago, I had the privilege of serving on the board of the local Habitat for Humanity, prior to its merger with the equivalent organization in neighboring Autauga County. While I had little to no knowledge of home construction (my primary job was to report on the meetings and interview the families for articles, while assisting in any way that I could), it was always emotional to see the families participate in the building of their own home, and even more so to witness their reactions on the day of the key presentation.
Homeownership has become a lofty goal for young Americans. As inflation continues to drain our pocketbooks, it seems more and more families are being priced out of a home. At the time I was a Habitat Board member, I was not yet a homeowner—my wife and I rented properties for nearly 10 years before purchasing our first home in 2015. So, taking part in an organization that helped families achieve this goal really hit home for me. This also made me want to work hard to become a homeowner.
I like Habitat for Humanity’s multi-faceted approach. Applicants must prove their need for a home in order to be selected. Secondly, applicants must show that they have the ability to pay for a home. Third, HFH requires a certain amount of “sweat equity” as families must partner with Habitat to complete a required number of hours working on their home and that of another recipient family.

Families must also take educational courses covering finances, home maintenance, gardening and even nutrition in order to prepare for homeownership. Needless to say, this is an important step. Certainly, for those who have never owned a home before, it would be quite unwise to enter into it blindly.

That said, I believe everyone should participate in a Habitat for Humanity project. Even if you only do it once, go out and volunteer at one of the work sites and I guarantee that it will change your perspective on some things.