Habitat for Humanity International builds on faith to fight poverty

Habitat for Humanity International recently designated Sept. 14 through 21 as "Building on Faith Week." During this annual event, affiliates around the world partnered with local religious groups to make a strong statement about the need to eliminate substandard and poverty housing. Participation in this event ranged from worship services to "blitz builds," where congregations worked together to raise houses within the week’s time. As a proposed Habitat home is currently being sponsored by the Oxnard Interfaith Community, the local chapter invited all Ventura County faith groups to participate in the week’s celebration by raising funds within their congregations to benefit this particular home.

The Interfaith-sponsored house is one of two Oxnard Habitat homes which are soon to be built on the corner of C Street and Roberts Avenue.

They are the first Habitat homes ever to be built in Oxnard.

As with all Habitat projects, the selected future homeowners will put in 500 hours of "sweat equity" and repay the cost of the home with a zero percent interest loan over 20 years. The remaining labor and financing for this house will come almost exclusively from faith-based organizations.

Construction can begin after half of the needed $75,000 is raised. So Building on Faith Week offered a time when religious groups, both large and small, "stood shoulder to shoulder, spoke in one voice and made a substantial contribution to this effort," according to the agency.

For more information on the Oxnard Interfaith Build or if you would like a Habitat representative to speak to your congregation, call the Habitat business office at (805) 485-6065.