Cary, NC – Habitat for Humanity of Wake County, an independent affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, has announced their “Passport to Habitat: Tour & Party,” taking place at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 18 at the Habitat Wake ReStore, 181 High House Road in Cary, N.C.

The event will raise awareness for the Cary ReStore, as well as the affordable housing shortage in western Wake County. During the party, attendees will have the opportunity to tour the store and several local Habitat homes.

Since 1985, Habitat for Humanity of Wake County has partnered with more than 425 families, including 50 Western Wake families, to help them build and purchase safe, affordable housing, including 47 homes in Cary, four in Morrisville and one in Apex. There are eight homes currently under construction in Apex, with an additional eight planned for fall 2013. Affordable housing is still an issue, with 25,000 area families still in need of affordable homes. Partner families earn only 25 to 60 percent of the local median income, with an average of $29,000 per household, which puts them out of the range for conventional mortgages.

“Affordable housing is an issue for many families in our area, especially in the midst of a down economy,” said Kevin Campbell, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. “Our mission is to assist these families in becoming homeowners and make the public aware of the necessity of supporting an organization like Habitat. This helps us in our goal to provide a safe place to live for everyone in Wake County. Through the ‘Passport to Habitat’ event, we hope to give local residents a first-hand look at how we are making a difference in the lives of others and how they can help.”

Each Habitat home is built in partnership with homeowner families, sponsors, and volunteers. Our houses are safe, decent, affordable homes which are sold for no profit to the partner family who repays an affordable mortgage over 20 years. Homeowners attend a series of workshops on financial literacy and home maintenance so they are well prepared to be homeowners. Affordable homeownership makes new opportunities available to these families and their children, including savings, a sense of security, space to grow, and good neighbors.

Families Build Sweat Equity

Qualifying families make a significant commitment to earn a Habitat home, including a no-interest mortgage payment, at least 250 “sweat equity” hours, home ownership and budgeting classes, and a modest down payment to purchase the homes they help build. With this model in place, Habitat for Humanity of Wake County’s foreclosure rate is less than 2 percent after 28 years of building homes. The Cary ReStore sells donated building materials and furniture to help fund these homes and enable Habitat to fulfill their housing mission.

 Event Info:

Passport to Habitat: Tour & Party
April 18

Habitat Wake ReStore
181 High House Road
Cary, N.C.

Tickets are $25 each, to purchase visit http://www.habitatwake.org/donatenow/Passport.html.

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Photo by Mike Shield via HabitatWake on Facebook.