Journeys- May 2009 Making Dreams Come True

Making Dreams Come True

Carolyn Hall has been volunteering at HabiJax since 1995, but you won’t ever find her with a hammer in her hand. For the last 14 years, she has been working on the Family Selection Committee (FSC) interviewing HabiJax applicants and making recommendations for those she believes will be good homeowners. FSC volunteers visit applicants after they have passed the financial approval process, then either endorse or oppose their application to be accepted into the HabiJax program.

“We visit people in their homes to see if they take good care of their property and if they have a real passion to own a home,” says Carolyn. “Good applicants who are living in substandard housing, dangerous neighborhoods or are paying high rent move to the top of the list. We look for a nice mix of families, seniors and single people to bring into our neighborhoods.”

Asked why she has volunteered for so long, Carolyn replied, “I believe in what HabiJax does. Helping people own a home doesn’t just help that family, it helps the whole community.”

Carolyn believes that there are too many people who misunderstand how HabiJax works. “I’ve talked to people who think that HabiJax gives homes to needy people,” she says. “I explain that our homeowners have to make a down payment, put in 300 hours of sweat equity and qualify for their mortgage. They are hardworking people who need help finding affordable housing. We offer people a hand up, not a hand out.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Family Selection Committee, please contact Regina Suggs at (904) 208- 6654 or [ email ] . To volunteer, please contact Stephanie Ransom at (904) 208-6676 or [ email ] . You can also sign-up online at www.habijax.org .