RETRIEVING THE REUSABLE: THE RESTORE PRE-DEMO TEAM
Pre-Demo Team members: Jeff DiBella, Jack Hilback, Stephanie Raffer, Richard Stec and Francis Murphy

" The objective of the  Pre-Demo Team is to retrieve reusable items from homes being renovated that can be sold in the ReStore," explained  Jack Hilback one of two founding members of the Sussex County Habitat for Humanity ReStore Pre-Demo Team and still volunteering.

The Pre-Demo team strips homes of any salvageable materials before they are demolished or renovated. Items differ from home to home but often include lighting fixtures, appliances, vanities, ceiling fans, cabinets, and sometimes floorings and carpet. The team will take anything that is still in good shape.
The Pre-Demo Team members include Jeff DiBella, Jack Hilback, Francis Murphy, Stephanie Raffer, Bob Roche, Richard Stec, George Taverner, and Larry Whitten. Other ReStore volunteers join the team on occasion.  They are good at what they do.  Collectively, the team has an estimated 260 years of construction experience.
Stephanie and Jack work on a donated item

To date, the Pre-Demo team annually completes between 6 and 10 pre-demolitions.  Member Richard Stec says this number has gone down in recent years as permitting laws have changed.  So, the Team developed partnerships with area contractors who work carefully in the pre-
demolition process and make significant donations to the ReStore.
Displays made by Pre-Demo Team

The homes the Pre-Demolition team works on vary.  Some homes are as young as five years old others are 90 plus years. The homes differ in scale as well. The Pre-Demo team said one of the most memorable homes was a mansion in Rehoboth Bay, a 12,200 square foot bay-front home that was leveled in 2014. The pre-demo of that house took nearly 3 months. 

 Pre-Demo Team members also volunteer at the Lewes and Georgetown ReStores.   They build shelves, racks, merchandise displays, and carts used for transporting the products. They repair items that are donated but need a little extra TLC before sale.
 
Proceeds from the sale of pre-demoed items support Sussex County Habitat for Humanity's mission to provide affordable housing.  Importantly, they keep tons of reusable household products out of landfills.   We thank the Pre-Demo team for their continued work. 

READING OPENS DOORS DELIVERS TO 99TH AND 100TH FAMILIES
Ed Gossett and Roxanne Nelson read with the Rogers family


The Morales family reading
On Thursday, August 16th Roxanne Nelson of Reading Opens Doors delivered books to the 99th and 100th Sussex County Habitat homes for the program.    Ed Gossett, President- Elect for the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Club and Sussex County Habitat AmeriCorps Member Julia Knopf joined Roxanne in delivering the books to the Rogers and Morales families in the Ingram Village subdivision of Ellendale.

During the two home visits Ed showed the older children the longest word in the dictionary, a word 1,909 letters long.  Roxanne explained a new partnership with Lewes ReStore's Book Nook where Habitat family children can exchange the books when they are finished reading them for free new books. This new addition to Reading Opens Doors will allow the children to have a continuing supply of age-appropriate books as they grow.
Two of the Rogers family children

"I am thankful I was able to be part of the delivery; seeing the families open their bags of books was special.  The older kids looked through books with their younger siblings making the moment even more touching," Julia reported.

Reading Opens Doors has donated 6,500 specially selected books to 270 Habitat family children over 10 years.  This most recent round of donations included dictionaries and bookcases donated by the Rehoboth Beach Sunrise Rotary Club.

We congratulate Roxanne and Reading Opens Doors on touching 100 Sussex County Habitat homes and look forward to working with her to bring books into the lives 100 more families. 
SUSSEX COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY IS HIRING!
Sussex County Habitat for Humanity is seeking applicants for full-time and part-time employment, and for AmeriCorps service positions.  The Habitat affiliate is expanding services in home construction, house rehabilitation, repairs, neighborhood revitalization, family empowerment, and community relations.
 
Sussex County Habitat provides opportunities for low-income families to purchase a home or repair the home they currently own.  Annually, Sussex County Habitat repairs 30 or more homes and builds or rehabs 15 to 17 homes, a notable level of productivity for a regional Habitat affiliate of this size.  Also, the affiliate manages two ReStores.  Founded in 1991 as a Christian Housing ministry, Sussex Habitat has built or rehabbed 116 homes and repaired 148.  In all, Habitat staff, loyal volunteers, AmeriCorps members, and generous donors stabilized and strengthened the lives of 264 families.
 
To apply, send a letter of interest and resume to  apply@sussexcountyhabitat.org and put the job title in the subject line.
 
Construction Site Supervisor (Full & Part Time): The Site Supervisor is responsible for "hands-on" residential home construction at SCHFH construction sites. The Site Supervisor is also responsible for scheduling and leadership of Construction AmeriCorps, volunteers and partner family members, as well as project planning, site organization and safety, and property management. The main role of the Site Supervisor is to add support for the Construction Manager by ensuring that volunteers, homeowners and staff work in a safe, efficient and productive environment.  Click here for a full position description.
 
Neighborhood Revitalization Site Supervisor (Part Time): The Neighborhood Revitalization (NR) Site Supervisor is responsible for all owner-occupied home repairs and NR projects performed by SCHFH. The NR Site Supervisor schedules, manages, and performs repairs and NR projects, overseeing work planning, site organization, and safety. Additionally, the NR Site Supervisor is responsible for leading an NR AmeriCorps member, volunteers, homeowners, and subcontractors.  Click here for a full position description.

AMERICORPS SERVICE POSITIONS 
AmeriCorps Member (Full Time): AmeriCorps service is your opportunity to make a difference in your life and in the lives of those around you. Habitat AmeriCorps are paid to serve full or part-time helping families build strong and stable homes, while gaining real-world experience. AmeriCorps serve in leadership roles on active build sites, in our affiliate office assisting families, volunteers and staff, or in one of our two Sussex County ReStore locations.
 
20+ AmeriCorps positions available for 2017-2018 Service Year beginning September 1, 2017
Positions include: Construction Leader, ReStore Associate, Volunteer Coordinator, Communications/PR Coordinator, Affiliate Relations/Events Coordinator, Neighborhood Revitalization Coordinator, and Family Empowerment Coordinator. Click here for a full position description.
Volunteer Voices
FAMILY BREAKS FROM VACATION TO SERVE
Bernstein Family

On August 1st and 2nd, the Bernstein family from Rockville, MD took a break from their family beach vacation to serve Sussex County Habitat.  Parents Jennifer and Brett want their daughters Sloane and Summer to know just how powerful and rewarding service can be. They reached out to Program Director Barbara Ward seeking an opportunity help. With daughters too young to work on a home construction site, Barbara responded, "Getting the outdoor office areas weed and mulched was a projected that has been on hold much too long.  Can you help us?"  This was just the type of project the Bernstein's wanted to tackle.  As good neighbors in the Georgetown community, it is important that the Habitat office must look well-cared for.  After two very hot days two of weeding, raking, trimming, and mulching, the Bernsteins presented Sussex Habitat with a very generous financial donation.  
Mulch bed family worked on

Jennifer is a Director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.  Brett is co-founder and managing partner of XML Financial Group in Rockville, Maryland and an alumnus of the Bullis School in Maryland where is daughters are enrolled.  For several years Bullis students have served on Habitat build sites as part of their senior class service program, which sparked the idea to call Sussex Habitat.   We sincerely thank Jennifer, Brett, Sloane and Summer for their dedication to service during their summer beach vacation.   They were an inspiration, to be sure.
The Repair Report
REPAIRS IN LAUREL & SEAFORD
Homeowner Dorothy works on her floors
On August 2 in Laurel a minor repair was completed on the manufactured home of Dorothy that had water damage on the floors in multiple places. The homeowner took the opportunity to assist on the repair learning skills along the way. With her help the job was finished quicker.  At the end of the day the Dorothy described her delight with the repair saying she felt like "A kid in a candy store, just being able to do the dishes without having to worry about falling through the floor."
AmeriCorp Brittni with volunteer Brian working on Karen's home.
 
 
Sussex County Habitat for Humanity's Neighborhood
 Revitalization team was called to help homeowner Karen in Seaford on Friday, August 11. Due to an unforeseen medical emergency, Karen needed help with a handicap accessible ramp  in her home. Thankfully Habitat Site Supervisor Pat Miller, volunteer Brian Florek and AmeriCorps Member Brittni Sullivan were able to help. 

Sussex County Habitat for Humanity is seeking homeowners who have major repair needs and live on the west side of Central Avenue within the town limits of Laurel.   To learn more, contact Audrey Miller, Neighborhood Revitalization Programs Coordinator, at  302-855-1153 ext. 217 . 



VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR THE JOHNNY JANOSIK CHARITY 
GOLF TOURNAMENT 
Volunteers are needed for the September 19, 2017 Johnny Janosik Charity Golf Tournament benefitting Sussex County Habitat for Humanity.  Once again, the tournament will be held at The Peninsula on Indian River Bay in Millsboro, DE.  Beginning at 7:45 a.m., volunteer tasks include games, and other tournament related activities.  Breakfast will be available in the morning and a buffet luncheon will be served when play is finished. The Peninsula is a beautiful location to spend a day supporting Sussex County Habitat and the Johnny Janosik Charitable Foundation.  To volunteer, please contact the Events Coordinator at  events@sussexcountyhabitat.org  or  302.855.1153 x 214 .
 
In May, the  Johnny Janosik  Charitable Foundation presented a $20,000 check to  Sussex County Habitat  from the proceeds of the 2016 Annual Johnny Janosik Charity Golf Tournament.   Johnny Janosik World of Furniture has been a faithful and generous supporter of Sussex Habitat's family empowerment, home construction, and neighborhood revitalization programs. In addition, Johnny Janosik employees volunteer annually to build house frames and work on home construction sites. Their support every year has a profound impact on Sussex Habitat and the families we serve.

Framing Fragments- Updates on Current Builds
Ellendale
Washington Ave.
Painting

Milton
14446 Collins St.
Paint and Trim

Lot 12 Collins Street
Beracah delivered, Work on Marriage wall

Laurel 
211 Oak
Bathroom and Laundry Addition

209 Market St.
Outside Cleanup
Inspiration 





  Questions? Ready to Volunteer? 
  E-mail Programs Director Barbara Ward at
or call 302-855-1153 x211

  We welcome all  - individuals and groups - to build with us at anytime: This is what our founder, Millard Fuller , called the Theology of the Hammer .

In This Issue

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SCHFH is a Proud Member of the AmeriCorps National Service Network


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