Door Habitat Open House: 30 years of Building

House #49: October 18th, 2-5pm, 864 Cherry Court, Sturgeon Bay

Sturgeon Bay, Wis. (October 10, 2023) – Door County Habitat for Humanity invites the community to celebrate its 30 year anniversary and the construction of its 49th new home build with an Open House – Wednesday October, 18th 2-5pm, 864 Cherry Ct, Sturgeon Bay. This is an opportunity to see a typical Habitat home and Door Habitat’s 49th new home build site; meet the Habitat team, key volunteers and community leaders; learn more about all of Habitat’s services; meet a future Habitat homeowner; discuss the affordable housing challenges of Door County with community leaders.

Habitat’s 30 year history in Door County is wide reaching to families, children, and seniors including 49 new homes and 120 home repairs impacting 496 people including 176 children. Volunteers have invested almost 130 thousand hours in the Door County community from Washington Island to Southern Door. Habitat homes are in Sturgeon Bay, Sevastopol, Bailey’s Harbor, Egg Harbor, Fish Creek, Sister Bay, Liberty Grove, Ellison Bay, Washington Island and Algoma.

Future homeowner Abigail Newman is excited about her new home: “Habitat has allowed the purchase of a home that would have otherwise been unavailable to me and my son. Having a solid, stable place to call home is incredibly healing”. Studies (1) show that housing can play a key role in positively influencing a family’s education, employment, and health opportunities. Affordable housing contributes to thriving school systems, community organizations and civic activism.

This current Habitat home build meets all Sturgeon Bay residential housing requirements: 1200 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths and a 2 car attached garage. The home is built with volunteer and homeowner labor. Construction began on May 18, 2023 and completion is estimated for November. Volunteers work every Tuesday and Thursday with a dozen or more volunteers each work day. 35 different volunteers will donate approximately 50 work days and 3100 volunteer-hours to complete this home.

Habitat volunteers are committed to making a difference in Door County. Don Ziegelbauer shares his perspective on volunteering with Habitat: “Working with good people for a good cause. That is what life should be all about!”

Bob Jaeschke spent a lifetime acquiring skills that he now uses with Habitat: “I have been building since I got my first toolbox on my 10th birthday. I worked 38 years for a major newspaper in management; I’m a licensed contractor, and have a degree in Supervisory Management. I’ve volunteered for other Habitats in Mukwonago, WI and Bentonville, AR. I enjoy supervising and teaching the skills I’ve learned over the last 66 years.”

Volunteers benefit Bob Jaeschke continued: “What is very important to me is the friendships I have made. I looked forward to the build days because of all the laughs and stories the crew shares. We are very proud of the homes we build that help so many families.”

Habitat House #49 is being built in conjunction with Door County Housing Partnership (DCHP) and will remain an affordable house forever. Door Habitat and DCHP are two of several nonprofits working on ways to address affordable housing challenges. Despite the apparent prosperity of Door County, many residents struggle to succeed (2).

Volunteers, donors, and community support enables Door Habitat to provide multiple services that build future homeowners, strengthen families and improve our community. Habitat provides families with stability of affordable homes, home repairs, and home furnishings. More information about Door Habitat can be found online at DoorHabitat.org.

Additional Information and References:

Habitat built homes generated over $113,640 in 2022 property tax dollars in Door County. Those same households added a total of $1.39 million in property tax base since 1993. Since 2010, over 2.1 million pounds of reusable materials have been diverted from landfills through merchandise sales and recycling by the Habitat ReStore.

Habitat receives additional community support with a LSCAP grant from Lakeshore Cap, Inc and an FHLB grant through Nicolet National Bank. These reduce the Homeowner’s 0% Habitat Mortgage to improve affordability.

Other community support came from food donors for volunteer build days and included: Volunteers: Stephanie Murphy and Deann Martin, Jimmy Johns, Culver’s, Greystone, Kwik Trip, Scaturos, Waterfront Mary’s, Papa B’s, Nicolet Bank (East and West), Portside Builders, Hope Church, Chaser’s Bar and Grill, Catholic Financial, Belgian Delight, and Door County Fire Company,

Habitat suppliers and construction partners include: Wisconsin Building Supply, Premier Concrete, Eagle Mechanical, Wulf Brothers, Lehman Electric, Lackie Rentals and Remodeling, Generations Landscape and Excavating, Mike’s Watertite Seamless Gutters, Alberts Plastering, Dave Rouldoph, TF Forming Systems, Ambrosius Concrete Supplies, Weather-Tite Exteriors, GAF Roofing Shingles, Cabinet Creations & Design, Sherwin Williams, Sturgeon Bay Utilities, Wisconsin Public Service, Schneider Electric, and Menards.

(1) US survey by The Mac Arthur Foundation’s How Housing Matters initiative.

(2) United Way identifies this group of residents using the acronym ALICE, which stands for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE households are hardworking members of the community who are employed (often with multiple jobs) yet do not earn enough to keep up with basic living costs. Men and women of all ages and races who go to work every day but still walk a financial tightrope. 64% of persons under age 25 in Door County fall into the ALICE category. Of those residents age 65 and older, 42% are ALICE households. Of Door County’s working population (16 years and over), 55 percent are full-time or part-time employees. The Door County Pulse* reports that 78 percent of Door County jobs pay less than $20 per hour despite a cost of living that increases faster than inflation. 3 An Outlook: Door County Wages Continue to Lag, Door County Pulse, by Steve Grutzmacher, January 18th, 2023 (and others).

Door County Habitat for Humanity is a 501(c)(3) public nonprofit. Door County Habitat earned a 2023 Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar and a 4-star rating form CharityNavigator. Check out on our profiles: Guidestar.org/profile/39-1746145 CharityNavigator.org/ein/391746145.

Door County Habitat for Humanity · 410 N 14th Ave, Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235 · (920) 743-2869 www.DoorHabitat.org.

Door Habitat Board: Carrie Becker, President; Michelle Sternard, Secretary; Julie A. Dragseth; Paula Latta; Scott Schoeneman; Chuck Stone. Lori Allen, Executive Director.