The mission of Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, Inc. is to help fulfill the greater mission of Habitat for Humanity International to eliminate poverty housing in the world.  We seek to witness to and implement the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Evansville, Ind., and throughout the world by building homes with God’s people in need and by working with them to create a better neighborhood and community in which to live and work.

Habitat News

Shadewood Place builds begin Aug. 7

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Five Homes Underway, More Starting Soon at Shadewood Place

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Women Build Cornerstone Set Sept. 2

Evansville, Indiana (September 2, 2010) – Habitat for Humanity of Evansville set the cornerstone on its Women Build today at the future home of Amanda Bratcher and her 5-year-old daughter, Maddie.

"The people I have worked with are incredible," she said. "The fact that they do this out of the goodness of their hearts really inspires me and, hopefully, it will inspire Maddie as she gets older."

Her home will be located in Habitat’s newest development, Shadewood Place, at the corner of Shadewood and Sweetser avenues.

During the event, Christina Ryan, CEO of Deaconess Women’s Hospital, presented a check for $5,000. And Carol Hull, a member of the Women Build committee, spoke about the need for more affordable homes in the Evansville area.

"For so many families, particularly those headed by single mothers, women are the cornerstone of the home," she said. "In fact, nearly 80 percent of families that purchase homes through Habitat for Humanity of Evansville are single women with children."

This is a significant population that needs help in the area. According to Vanderburgh County’s 10-year plan to end homeless, Destination Home, released in 2004, Vanderburgh County had the highest rate of single-female headed households in Indiana during the 2000 Census. Even more startling, the number of children age 0-17 in poverty in Vanderburgh County for 2008 was 23.8 percent, according to Kids Count data provided by the Indiana Youth Institute.

With so many female-headed households and children in poverty, it’s important for women of this community to advocate for simple, decent housing for families. Women have the capability and determination necessary to build Habitat for Humanity houses, addressing the problem of substandard housing in a con¬crete way, so that families have safe and decent homes.

Nearly 200 women in the community are involved in the Women Build, the fifth for Habitat for Humanity of Evansville. This Women Build home will be sold to Amanda Bratcher, a single mother who will be present for the cornerstone placement.

The Women Build is part of the Glenwood Community Development Initiative, an effort among many entities to revitalize the Glenwood neighborhood, bordered by Veterans Memorial Parkway, Kentucky Avenue and Riverside Drive. Habitat started building in Shadewood Place, just west of the new Glenwood Leadership Academy, in early August. When completed a year from now, Shadewood Place will have 19 Habitat homes and four market-rate homes built by Bussing Construction.

For more information about the Women Build, Shadewood Place or the Glenwood Community Development Initiative please contact Lydia Johnson, community relations director at Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, at 423-5623.