Habitat for Humanity is a national nonprofit whose purpose is to provide housing to community members in need. With a chapter in Northwest Arkansas, several families are selected each year to be a "Partner Family" for the affordable homeownership plan program. The homebuying program provides a unique opportunity for families to build and buy a home of their own, and pay an affordable mortgage personalized to their needs. which includes Throughout the process, Partner Families attend financial literacy courses and training classes that empower them with necessary skills to prepare them for the responsibilities that come with homeownership. Additionally, selected families are involved with the homebuilding process – as part of the nonprofit’s service requirements, selected families must meet a quota of “sweat equity" or labor hours. These hours range from aiding in the homebuilding process to other Habitat for Humanity-sponsored volunteer activities.
The nonprofit’s services are reaped by a number of families each year.
“Habitat for Humanity of NWA serves multiple families each year through our homeownership program,” said Samantha Keith, community and volunteer engagement coordinator for the nonprofit’s Northwest Arkansas location. “We are currently working alongside seven local families as we prepare to build their forever homes.”
Manuel Stopani,director of Youth Matters, and his family were selected for Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Arkansas’ homeownership program in 2021, and Stopani met with me to share his testimonial:
Could you tell me about your time before connecting with the Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Arkansas?
I was working for the Mayor’s office doing gang intervention and youth development, but, before that, I grew up in an unstable home. I didn’t really have much structure, and I ended up being a youth-at-risk and eventually an adult-at-risk. I made some bad decisions that had some serious consequences, but God got ahold of my life, and that’s when everything changed. I actually went into Habitat for Humanity because I was taking juvenile probation kids to volunteer at the build sites.
What did the timeline look like between your connection with the Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Arkansas and being accepted into its homeownership program?
One day, I was with some juveniles that were volunteering, and we had the main director there. She came over there to speak with me, and she briefly explained to me what Habitat for Humanity was. My pastor had informed her that I had five kids, so she said, ‘Hey, if you want to and think this will benefit you, you should sign up,’ and she gave me the packet, and I filled it out.
I understand that, in exchange for affordable housing, the nonprofit requests the completion of “sweat equity.” What projects did you work on, and how many hours did you complete?
The sweat equity is completed throughout the entire home build process. Whenever they are doing work on the land where they are building the house or if your house is already framed, you have the ability to come and complete some equity hours. For me, a lot of people from my church participated and we did the framing and the floor and the cement – along with a contractor, of course. We’re just there to help them. I completed 250 hours of sweat equity.
When did you and your family move into your new home?
We moved inside in 2021. It took around six or seven months for the house to be constructed.
How would you say your life has shifted since being connected with the nonprofit and its services?
Oh, the stability of having a home! Whenever you work for a nonprofit, there’s not a lot of financial gain, but the homeownership program gives me the freedom to do things to give back to the community without having to worry about housing. We do pay a mortgage, Habitat for Humanity gave us a loan that we are paying back. It’s not a free home, but it’s affordable. This program helps families – especially mine.
The Stopani family is only one of the several families that have received an affordable home through Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Arkansas.
“Our mission is made possible through community support and involvement. You can get involved with Habitat by volunteering on build sites or at our ReStores, sponsoring projects, donating funds or materials, shopping or donating to the ReStore, and advocating for affordable housing in Northwest Arkansas,” Keith said.
Learn more by checking out the nonprofit’s website at HabitatNWA.org.
…The homeownership program gives me the freedom to do things to give back to the community without having to worry about housing.