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Like Many Other Events, Habitat's Overall Ball Goes On With Adjustments

Habitat for Humanity

Like many other local non-profits, Habitat for Humanity for Summit and Wasatch Counties is having to make Covid adjustments—even for their Overall Ball Gala, as Habitat celebrates its 25th anniversary.   

According to Heidi Davidson, the Resource Development Director for Habitat, their event this year is called “The Overall Ball 2020 Unbuckled.”    She said that there won’t be an auction and instead they’re conducting an on-line “ask.”

She said it’s impressive that after 25 years, a majority of their beneficiaries are still in the homes they helped build.      

“We created a bunch of videos this year.  We did some white-board animation, short video, to try to explain stories of our different homeowners that we have, and their stories, their struggle of what was it that was holding them back from being a homeowner, and how was Habitat able to help them overcome those challenges, and really give them empowerment to be a homeowner, and actually change the course of their lives through homeownership.”

She said that they hope the Overall Ball this year nets $120,000, which is usually the amount they raise.    She said their 10-member board is pitching in by raising $60,000 to match donations.

Davidson said most of the money they raise goes to building homes.     They’ve been gifted land in Silver Creek Village, where they plan to construct two stand-alone homes, two ten-unit townhomes and a four-plex townhome.       

“It always is all about building homes, and then also about financial education.   We offer free financial education to anybody that would like it in Summit and Wasatch Counties.  Right now, we have a new series coming up, “She Means Business”.  And that one is really geared towards women, of any income level, to just learn more about business.”

She talked about the owners selected for the two single-family houses, who are working on what they call their “forever homes.”      

“Our first homeowner is a manager at a local coffee shop right in Kimball Junction.  She’s the mom to an autistic 13-year-old boy.  And she’s very vocal about that, and that’s why I don’t have any problems saying this.  She wants to be an advocate for that, but that in itself has had its struggles.   And when she first started doing some of our free financial literacy classes, she thought, “There’s no way I could be a homeowner.  But she was encouraged, “Just put your paperwork in and see what happens.”  And she’s like, “I cannot believe I’m here today, doing sweat equity on my home.”

The second owner is a teacher at Treasure Mountain Middle School.      

“With his young family, his wife is about to have a baby any day now.  And then they’ve got a little three-year-old girl who’s just adorable.  And, again, they’re just so excited to doing their sweat equity, which is putting in the volunteer hours of actually building on their own homes.   It really gives them a sense of “It’s our home.  We know what to do if we have troubles with it.”   And just a very proud sense of ownership.”

Davidson said the construction on the homes has been modified to deal with Covid.      

“Our Habitat homes are definitely on the smaller side.  They’re between 1100 and 1300 square feet.   So we’re not having volunteers on site, like we would like to have, just because we can’t have that many people in a small space.  But we’re making sure that our construction manager and our homeowners are in the home.”

Heidi Davidson from Habitat for Humanity for Summit and Wasatch Counties.    To make a donation, you can go online to “habitat-utah.org.”

Known for getting all the facts right, as well as his distinctive sign-off, Rick covered Summit County meetings and issues for 35 years on KPCW. He now heads the Friday Film Review team.
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