“If you have the ability to give, you should. We’re so excited for more new neighbors.” – Jeanne Shold
An investment by Duke and Jeanne Shold is making it possible for Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing in the Tri-Area. The couple have made a generous commitment to fund the purchase of land in Port Hadlock and to sponsor the house Habitat builds there in 2018. The Sholds have been supporters of Habitat for over ten years and they are the first donors to sponsor both the land and house.
The gift represents the couple’s continued commitment to the Tri-Area – in 2014 and 2015 the couple sponsored the construction of two homes built on land donated by Jim and Noreen McCarron in Chimacum. The oldest child growing up in one of those houses is now in college, which is fitting given that the Sholds have long sponsored scholarships for college-bound students from Chimacum High School. Jeanne believes, “if you have the ability to give, you should,” adding, “We’re so excited for more new neighbors.”
Currently, Habitat is accepting applications for houses in Port Hadlock and Port Townsend scheduled to break ground next year. Learn more about Habitat’s homeownership program.
Six of the 40 homes built by Habitat over its 20-year history are in the Tri-Area, a number that Executive Director Jamie Maciejewski believes is not proportional to the community’s very great housing need. “Street after street tells the story of this housing need– despite the large number of working families who need housing.”
Even faced with the difficulty of finding decent and affordable housing in the Tri-Area, people have sometimes turned down the opportunity of homeownership through Habitat over the years if it meant relocating to Port Townsend. “Residents have strong ties to family, friends, school, and work. Habitat must be able to serve people in their own community,” explains Maciejewski.
Serving the entire community is central to Habitat’s new strategic plan which includes building one new house each year in the Tri-Area. The plan also calls for additional resources to be deployed for home repairs in Brinnon and Quilcene and continued new construction in Port Townsend.
“We’ve seen the impact of affordable housing for the six families who already live in the Tri-Area Habitat homes. Ten children raised in stable housing, parents who have returned to school, improved their job situations, and had enough money left over at the end of the month to save for home repairs and their children’s schooling,” says Maciejewski. “Duke and Jeanne’s investment is making it possible for Habitat to strengthen its commitment to the Tri-Area, and their remarkable leadership gifts are inspiring generosity from others, too.”