Our annual home revitalization event, Rock the Block, starts this week on Thursday, Sept. 25. We are welcoming more than 300 volunteers, have almost 20 repair projects lined up, and are grateful for so many generous sponsors! 

Thank you to our Community Sponsors: Van Horn Automotive Group, Prevea Health, and Pleasant View Realty.

Thank you to our Neighborhood Sponsor: Riverstone Wealth Partners. 

Thank you to our Block Sponsors: Salem United Church of Christ, Redeemer Lutheran Church, SACO AEI Polymers, Lakeshore REALTORS Association, United Way of Sheboygan County, NextStep Insurance, and New Hope United Methodist Church.

Special thanks to PolyVinyl Corp. for a generous in-kind donation.  

Rock the Block is one of the most unique and energizing ways to get involved with the community. It promises to be a pleasant fall Wisconsin weekend, and what better way to spend it than in the company of like-minded people working together to make our corner of the world even more beautiful? Our dedicated volunteers will be pulling weeds, painting fences, helping with home-improvement projects, and many of these projects will be done for homeowners who couldn’t manage them on their own. God’s love in action!
 
Rock the Block embodies an important, and perhaps lesser known, aspect of our mission: Affordable home repair. Pretty much everybody knows that Habitat builds affordable and decent homes for families, and that these homes are not free. Homeowners get a zero percent-interest mortgage keyed to their income, and they volunteer hundreds of labor hours building the home and working in our ReStore. 

We think more people should know about our home-repair initiatives. Our Aging in Place program installs grab bars, ramps, and other features that make it easier for Sheboygan County residents age 55-plus to stay in their family homes, rather than relocate to assisted living or another home. Our regular Home Repair program helps everyone with affordable critical home repairs so they can keep their houses safe and comfortable. Affordable housing encompasses purchasing a home as well as the ability to maintain it well. 

Rock the Block is the cornerstone of our Home Repair program. It is an opportunity to make improvements to homes and truly transform entire neighborhoods within just a few days. This effort is what makes Rock the Block a one-of-a-kind event. Volunteers get to see the results of their work instantly and it truly shows the impact that can be made when the community comes together. We help these families maintain affordable housing to make sure that they can remain in their homes, surrounded by the community they have built their lives in. 
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Rock the Block takes place Thursday, Sept. 25, Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in this area of Plymouth: Orchard Lane to the north, Elizabeth Street to the south, Milwaukee Street to the west, and North Street to the east. The meeting place for volunteers is at 128 Smith Street in Plymouth. 

Stop by if you’re not busy any of those days. Day-of volunteers (we will train you!) are welcome on Friday and Saturday and we’re happy for onlookers to witness our mission: Seeking to put God’s love in action, we build houses, communities, and hope. 

A scene from a previous Rock the Block event

By Charlie Allis, Habitat for Humanity Lakeside marketing intern

Habitat for Humanity Lakeside is now building its 53rd home, with Nos. 54 and 55 not far behind. By the time all 55 homes are completed, we will have helped put almost 100 children in a safe, decent, affordable, and stable home.

Here’s why that part of our mission matters more than ever.

Every child deserves a safe place to learn, laugh, and grow up. However, for many families, this expectation feels nearly impossible to meet. The average income in Wisconsin is about $50,000 a year, yet the income needed to purchase a home hovers around $87,000. Clearly, the American Dream is out of reach for many people. 

Lack of affordable, stable housing affects more than adults. Many studies show that lack of an affordable, safe home can directly affect a child’s health, both physically and mentally. 

Children who grow up in an unsafe or overcrowded home face a higher risk of severe health conditions or illness. Things such as lead paint, mold, and pests often contribute to health complications down the line for children who grow up in these conditions. Unsafe or overcrowded living conditions can also lead to both emotional and behavioral problems. Children who consistently move around often have an increased level of emotional stress. These conditions can interrupt a child’s social network, limiting their learning opportunities as well as their opportunities to meet new people and make friends.

Stable housing plays a key role in a child's academic success. These poor housing conditions are often located in struggling school districts, hindering the children’s academic potential. Constantly moving around can stop a child from becoming comfortable at their school, leading to both academic and mental struggles. It becomes a challenge for students to complete their work when they do not have a safe, quiet place to study. On the other hand, children who grow up in a stable home have a better chance to prosper academically and build the skills they need for future success.

Something as simple as a permanent home address can open countless opportunities for a family. Having a stable home address — that is, one that doesn’t change from year to year — enables families to reliably apply to jobs, open bank accounts, and receive mail. It allows children to more easily apply for college, scholarships, and financial aid. Having a permanent home address can directly benefit a family’s financial position, quality of life, education, and future. Having a permanent home also enables families to build generational wealth.

Affordable housing lets children to grow up as a part of a community, often providing them with better schooling and resources to help them succeed in the future. By being a part of a strong community, children often meet new people, learn valuable skills, and are provided with the resources to help children thrive. 
The importance of an affordable and stable place to live is undeniable, especially for children. The variety of external, physical, and psychological effects that unstable, overcrowded, and unsafe housing can cause for a child, as well as the rest of a family is clear.

​By obtaining affordable housing, a parent can help better their child’s mental and physical health both in the present and in the future, while reducing stress within the whole family and often helping bring them closer together.

Kewanna, the intended buyer for Habitat Lakeside’s 53rd home, and her children.

By Sam Parnitzke, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern
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It’s strange. Life, that is. How even when it seems so hurtful, heartless, or even just plain dull sometimes, it has this almost unbelievable ability to always work out and for the good to shine through even in the darkest moments.

That’s what I call faith. Faith is trust in something better. Faith guides many and often accomplishes feats that are unheard of. 

On the chilly morning of Saturday, Sept. 6, faith took a pile of lumber and one man’s instructions and turned it into overwhelming success. Members from First Congregational Church in Sheboygan came together to build the skeleton for what will be Habitat Lakeside’s 53rd home.
 
Their faith, along with countless three-inch nails, led them to give their Saturday to a common goal.  Instead of choosing to stay warm at home or even gearing up for a full slate of college football, they answered a higher call. By the time the sun poked out from behind the clouds, 30-plus volunteers had assembled the frame for the Ashford House. The love and faith didn’t stop there. They filled the blank pieces of wood with scripture verses and messages of kindness and support. 

“One cannot be a follower of Jesus without being of service to those around them,” says Julia Hollister, pastor at First Congregational. “Being a follower of Jesus means putting faith into action in being present with those who are in need.” 

As I sat in a local church parking lot on that chilly Saturday morning, I had a first-row seat to see Habitat Lakeside’s mission in full swing: Seeking to put God’s love in action, we bring people together to build homes, community, and hope.
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The faith doesn’t stop there. Some 32 years ago, Habitat Lakeside’s roots were established in faith. After a trip to Americus, Georgia, Habitat Lakeside founder Janice Nigh was moved by the volunteer work she saw at Habitat International. She watched as 20 houses were built in a mere five days. When Nigh returned to Sheboygan, she hit the ground running. 

In 1993, she became the first Habitat Lakeside president and began the plans to build the first house here in Sheboygan. The beginning did not come without trouble. A week before the start of the building, the construction manager unexpectedly quit. Faith didn’t take long to act, Jan remembers. “We had prayed and prayed, and soon someone called us to volunteer to be the manager for the project,” she recalls. “Faith means to this affiliate that we couldn’t have done it without God, there's just no way.” 

By God’s grace, 32 years and 52 houses later, we’re still here. Faith isn’t just in our roots; it’s the entire tree. We believe everyone should have the right to fair housing, regardless of their circumstances. Even today, we hold it true that we can do nothing without the help of God. We also hold that in our affiliates’ own Faith Outreach Committee, which makes sure that all actions follow our commitment. The faith committee also connects us with pastors and churches like First Congregational.

“This is the core of what Habitat does,” says RaeAnn Bebe, a member of our faith committee. “Working side by side with others, using the talents and resources we have been given to support another in home ownership or home repair,” she says. “Habitat builds community between the volunteers and the home buyers. Some of these relationships last long past the home being completed.”

One of these homebuyers is Michelle Schulz. There was no doubt that she saw the faith Habitat was able to provide her. “Each day it was undeniable, the way that faith and the Lord had worked within my life, but it was clear He had also brought these specific people into my life,” Schulz says.

Faith, by definition, is the complete trust in someone or something. We at Habitat for Humanity Lakeside firmly believe that God is present with us and guides us to do the absolute best we can. From church parking lots to brand-new build sites and critical home repair, from 1993 to the present day and many more years to come, faith has led us. All of us here at Habitat for Humanity invite you to see how faith can shape a life. 

A scene from the Sept. 6 wall building at First Congregational Church in Sheboygan. Photo: Adrienne Barrett/First Congregational Church

By Sam Partnitzke, Habitat Lakeside marketing intern

From the moment you step inside the ReStore, you quickly realize that it’s more than just a thrift shop. Each item donated and each item sold helps support our goal of providing affordable housing and home repairs in Sheboygan County.

The ReStore has built a community of people who work together toward that common goal. These people, our volunteers, make every aspect of the ReStore possible. Some have been with us for a few decades and others, for a few months. What ties them together is their ability to work hard, enjoy the fruits of their labor, and have fun.

“Every single day is busy but especially rewarding,” says Tom Ness, a recent addition to the volunteer team. “Every day I’m talking with people and hearing their stories. Sometimes they have a special reason for donating that they want to tell me, or sometimes they just drop it off and let me handle it.” His favorite part about being a ReStore volunteer: “Working with all the staff and other volunteers,” he says. “We just have a lot of fun every single day.”

Tom works at the front desk and in receiving, which is his main department. Here, he manages all the donations that enter the ReStore. His vast knowledge of donation guidelines as well as his personal discretion is put to the test with every single donated item. Most of the items on the floor, ready for their second lives, started their ReStore journey with Tom.

Angie Barringer spends her volunteer hours at the front desk. “I worked in customer service before I retired, so getting to spend my time talking and checking out customers is perfect for me,” says Angie, a ReStore volunteer since 2021. “I love all the staff and volunteers and I’m very glad when I retired that I chose the ReStore.” Angie’s role at the front desk/cashiering makes her the “face” of the whole ReStore. This role is perfect for anyone looking to make the ReStore shopping experience the focus of their day.

For people who love organizing, the perfect ReStore volunteer role is in merchandising and pricing. This role lets you be your own boss, meaning you're responsible for an entire section of the ReStore. Merchandisers handle it all, from receiving to the restoration room (where items are double-checked for workability and then priced) to the shelves. Gary Baris, a 13-year Habitat for Humanity volunteer, commands not just sections, but entire departments. “Every day, I would say the best part about my role is looking through all the really cool and unique things that get donated to us,” Gary says. “Basically, as soon as it's in our ReStore, it's my job to make sure it gets to the floor.”

Volunteer shifts start on Tuesday with preparations for the store’s opening at 10 a.m. Wednesday. The lights are on, music is playing, dollies and trolleys are rolling, and the spark of volunteer camaraderie fills the air. Want to be part of this? Please volunteer! We are accepting applications and, on Wednesday, Oct. 1, we’ll hold a Volunteer Open House at the store. Stop by to meet Tom, Angie or Gary and get more information on how your expertise can help the ReStore.

No expertise? No worries. We’ll train you. Oh, and you don’t need a fancy work outfit, either. Jeans, a ReStore t-shirt, and comfortable shoes are the ReStore uniform.
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You’ve heard the saying: “Many hands make light work.” What this means for us is that only by working together can we change the lives of the people around us. Volunteer at the ReStore, join the fun, and help Habitat Lakeside improve the lives of every Sheboygan County resident.

Volunteer Tom Ness in the ReStore receiving area