Editorial

Habitat for Humanity celebrates 58th area home build

One of the better charities going is Habitat for Humanity.

The organization helps impoverished people move into home ownership.

Applicants who are approved for a loan put up some money to start an escrow account, and Habitat is the loan holder, according to a recent article by Marybeth Niederkorn.

The home is built, using "sweat equity": the future homeowners put in work on the home, alongside volunteers, using donated materials.

In Perryville, Jackson and mostly Cape Girardeau, Habitat for Humanity has built 58 homes.

Jeff Long, president of the Cape Area Habitat for Humanity, said one of the biggest hurdles for home ownership is scraping enough money together for a down payment.

"We don't give homes away," Long said. "Applicants are vetted, we interview them -- they must have income, must have a certain credit score."

"We're the agency that helps people that can't get a loan anywhere else, but have income and the credit score and are willing to do sweat equity," Long said.

As the saying goes, one person might not be able to change the world, but you can change the world for one person. In its own way, Habitat for Humanity does this, changing the world one family at a time.

We tip our caps to all those who volunteer and donate to the organization.

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