St. Vrain Habitat receives award for international support

Mary Lechenuk, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Paraguay, presented the Malachi 3:10 award to David Emerson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley, on July 26 while in Longmont for a Habitat Global Village trip.

By John Lovell, director of development

Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley

Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley (HFHSVV)announced on Aug. 24 that it had received the Malachi 3:10 award honoring its achievement in international support. In its 27 years of service, St. Vrain Habitat has contributed $500,000 to Habitat partners around the world. Mary Lechenuk, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Paraguay, presented the award while in Longmont on a Habitat Global Village trip.

"Combatting the affordable housing crisis in the St. Vrain Valley is Habitat's primary mission. However, International development has always been a focus for HFHSVV. We strategically evaluate international regions every four years based on several criteria to decide which areas are most in need. We also take Global Village Trips to each of our tithe partner countries to build homes and cross cultural relationships," said Dave Emerson, executive director of HFHSVV.

In 2014, St. Vrain Habitat was also recognized for its global reach. Habitat for Humanity International released a report which ranked HFHSVV eighth in international giving in the nation for Habitat affiliates serving communities of its size.

"It is easy to make a huge impact overseas through Habitat's tithing program because it costs so much less to build homes in developing nations than it does in the United States," said John Lovell, director of development at St. Vrain Habitat. "Habitat International encourages U.S. Habitat affiliates to tithe 10 percent of their unrestricted funds to overseas partners. The Malachi 3:10 award acknowledges a major milestone in our program and the generosity of our supporters."

Paraguay, Lesotho, Armenia and Cambodia currently receive these tithe funds each quarter. HFHSVV has also funded homes in Mexico, Haiti and Nicaragua.

Habitat for Humanity of the St. Vrain Valley (HFHSVV) is a nonprofit, Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing in the community and to make simple, decent, affordable shelter a matter of conscience and action. In the last 27 years Habitat has built 66 houses throughout the St. Vrain Valley and has funded the construction of more than 100 homes internationally through its tithe program (donating 10 percent unallocated funds per quarter to affiliates outside of U.S.). HFHSVV is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Go to www.stvrainhabitat.org.