Home Is Where The Heart Is

Follow the yellow brick road to the Habitat for Humanity’s fourth annual “Home Is Where The Heart Is” art auction. The event will be held on Thursday, October 23rd at the Benton Event Center. According to Karma Herzfeld, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity, “The event will feature live and silent auctions of art donated by local and regional artists, as well as furniture and other home décor items. The work of local Saline County artist, Matt Coburn, will also be featured.” The theme of this year’s art auction is, “There’s no place like home,” from the popular movie, The Wizard of Oz. The local Habitat is supporting the partnership between Habitat for Humanity International and Warner Bros. in a campaign which benefits Habitat for Humanity and celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the Wizard of Oz.

All proceeds from the event will go to continue in the support of the building projects that the local Habitat has in process including the Partnership Village. “Through the many partnerships with local businesses, churches, individuals and organizations, Habitat for Humanity has been successful in providing affordable homes for low income families who otherwise could not afford a home,” Herzfeld said. “Your support of this fun-filled event ensures the future availability of affordable housing for families located in Saline County,” Herzfeld added.

Habitat for Humanity has been a part of the Saline County since 1999 and continues to make a difference in the lives of citizens of Saline County by providing shelter for those that are in need. To date, 62 families have been provided with homes as a result of the local Saline County Habitat. The goal is to build eight homes each year and the giving of labor, volunteer materials, and monetary donations make that goal possible.

Habitat for Humanity was founded in Georgia in 1976 and today, more than 600,000 decent, affordable homes have been built and shelter over 3 million people, according to habitatsalinecounty.com.

The homes are built with the help of volunteer labor, donated materials and money and the future home owners, which are habitat partner families. The partner families are required to put in a minimum of 300 sweat equity hours on their home along with an additional 150 sweat equity hours for every able bodied person over the age of 18 that will be living in the home.

The homes are then sold to the partner families at no profit, financed through affordable, no interest mortgages over normally a 20 year period. Monthly mortgage payments from the partner families are then used in the construction of other homes through the Revolving Fund for Humanity. The average appraised value of the homes is $85,000 and they are sold to the partner families for $65,000.

“All of our families help build their homes and pay for them with a 20 year zero interest mortgage that is provided by Habitat. The program has been so successful because we work with families who want to help better their lives and provide a safe place for their families,” Herzfeld said.

The Event is sponsored by Everett Buick GMC, McDonalds, Brooks Higgins Law Office, First Security Bank, and the Law Office of Parker Jones. Tickets can be purchased either on Habitat’s website, www.habitatsalinecountyar.org, or inside the Habitat ReStore between the hours of 9-5pm, Monday through Saturday. The ReStore is located in downtown Benton at 124 S. Market Street. Admission to the event is $40/person, or $375 for a reserved table. For additional information, call the Habitat office at (501) 315-5434.

“We hope everyone will come to our Annual Art Auction and support our continued efforts here in Saline County,” Herzfeld concluded. They may not be next door, but they are still your neighbors. Will you make a difference this year and help give a deserving family a home? Because, let’s be honest, there’s no place like home.