Mariah is a Homeowner
Huge congratulations to Mariah—she is officially a homeowner! We could not be more proud of her and wish her family a lifetime of memories in their new home.
This milestone wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of our amazing Women Build volunteers. Together, we make homeownership possible:
-361 individual volunteers showed up strong
-39 dedicated teams came together
-Over 1,286 hours of hard work were poured into the Women Build Homes
-$100,000 was raised to make it all possible

Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, energy, and heart to this build. We are so proud of Mariah and this community that came together to support her!
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We Reached Our Giving Tuesday Goal
YOU are truly making a difference for Kaylynn and families just like hers.
Thanks to your incredible generosity—and the amazing Builders Select match—Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity not only reached the goal… we surpassed it! Together, we raised an incredible $10,653.40!
Your support helps families right here in our community build strength, stability, and a safe place to call home. Every gift, every share, every word of encouragement helped make this moment possible.
Thank you for being part of something so meaningful. Because of you, hope is being built—one nail, one board, one home at a time.
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Thank you El Salvador
We’re honored to have received Habitat El Salvador’s Solidarity Award. Over the past decade, our partnership has helped support 96 families through our tithe to Habitat El Salvador.
During our visit, we saw firsthand the urgent need in one of their most remote water projects—where access to clean water, transportation, and electricity is incredibly limited.
It was a powerful reminder of why this work matters so deeply. We’re grateful for this partnership and remain committed to walking alongside Habitat El Salvador as they continue building stronger, healthier communities.
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Annual Staff Retreat
Our staff gathered for an incredible day of learning, reflection, and connection during our annual retreat. It was an opportunity to step away from our daily work and focus on growing together as a team.
A special thank-you to Traci McCausland for leading us through the Gallup Strengths framework and helping each of us identify and understand our unique talents. Through meaningful discussion and hands-on activities, we explored how to leverage our individual strengths to collaborate more effectively, communicate more clearly, and support one another in our shared mission.
The retreat left our team feeling energized, aligned, and ready to continue building a stronger organization together.
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Volunteer Training Camp
Thank you to all our volunteers who joined us for Training Camp!
We loved diving deeper into our mission and getting hands-on with a wall-framing demo. Your dedication truly makes this work possible and helped make the event a success. We were thrilled to have nine amazing volunteers attend and bring such great energy to the day!
If you want to learn more or sign up to volunteer, contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Ally Eastland at aeastland@webuildhabitat.org or call (319) 235-9946.
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337 Almond Street is on the Market
Listed at $409,900, this home features 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, a cozy fireplace, covered parking, a charming wrap-around porch, balcony, and convenient second-floor laundry.
Set on a quiet Waterloo street in the Walnut neighborhood, this historic 1895 home has been thoughtfully transformed inside and out. From restored original windows and refinished hardwood floors to a fully updated kitchen with quartz countertops and stainless-steel appliances, every detail reflects care and intention.
It’s truly move-in ready for its next family! This is a rare opportunity to own a home where the past has been preserved with purpose, and the present has been addressed with care. For more information, contact Lynette D. Sorensen at
(319) 504-2789.
| | Brian Gedliuske is our ReStore Volunteer of the Month. Brian has volunteered at the ReStore since 2019, focusing on testing and preparing donations for the sales floor. He loves the work and especially enjoys spending time with the other volunteers. | | | Before retiring, Brian worked at UNI as an environmental specialist. In his free time, he enjoys hiking, fishing, and spending time with his grandson. | | | |
Why We Build
Meet Mandy, our Program Director! She leads the team that supports families across our three core programs: Homeownership, Critical Home Repair, and Blueprints Financial Coaching. She is there every step of the way, supporting our families.
Her favorite part of the job is connecting directly with families—hearing their stories, seeing their resilience, and celebrating when they achieve homeownership.
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One mission moment she treasures is during a home assignment, when a neighbor stepped in to help her and a homebuyer map out a lot together—showing the power of community.

If Mandy were a tool, she’d be a Swiss army knife—versatile, approachable, and always ready to help. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling with her family, especially to the Caribbean. She’s happiest on a boat with a fishing pole in hand.
| Construction Volunteer of the Month | | |
Cliff Roy has been volunteering with us for about six years and loves that every day on the build site is different. His favorite moments are when a project is nearly finished, and he can see how far it's come.
Outside of Iowa Heartland Habitat, Cliff also volunteers at the hospital and enjoys woodworking.
Fun Fact: Cliff has his pilot's license and loves skydiving! He's been skydiving across states for 40+ years.
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Staff Build Day
Our office and ReStore teams came together at 427 Iowa Street to volunteer and saw firsthand why our work matters. A huge shoutout to our patient construction staff for guiding us along the way. Remember — you don’t need construction experience to volunteer.
| | Connecting with Our Communities | | Every quarter, our leadership team and Rural Outreach Coordinator Brenda Schmidtke visit the communities we serve. This past quarter, we spent time in Bremer County—celebrating strong partnerships, touring impactful repair projects, and seeing firsthand how our Homeownership program is strengthening homes and changing lives. We even enjoyed a sneak peek of the newly opened Palace Theatre in Waverly! | | | 411 Wellington Women Build Recap | | 337 Almond St Before and After Video | |
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805 West 5th St., Waterloo, IA 50702
(319) 235-9946
Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday and Sunday Closed
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4107 Hammond Ave., Waterloo, IA 50701
(319) 883-3331
Tuesday-Friday 9:30 AM - 5:30 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sunday and Monday Closed
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