EpiscoBuilders/Habitat for Humanity Partnership Receives Outreach Grant
by Susan Dowd, Outreach Committee member
The Outreach Committee recently awarded a $5,000 grant to a partnership between EpiscoBuilders and Habitat for Humanity. This is the Outreach Committee’s first grant to this joint effort. The grant addresses one of the committee’s four priority areas for allocating grants: Hunger, Homelessness, Youth, and Seniors.
EpiscoBuilders is a ministry of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota, and it began partnering with Habitat for Humanity, a global nonprofit Christian housing organization, over a decade ago. EpiscoBuilders builds affordable housing and assists with the exterior refurbishing of homes in the Twin Cities. Each year, volunteers work three Saturdays in the winter and a week each in the summer and fall. In order to take part in this Habitat for Humanity project, EpiscoBuilders must raise $15,000-20,000 per year.
Volunteers from St. Stephen’s often work on EpiscoBuilders projects. Parishioner Jim Bizal coordinates these workdays for our church’s volunteers.
Jim shared, “I am fortunate to have been one of the founding members of EpiscoBuilders back in 2009. I’m very proud of the work we have done and continue to do with the partnership of EpiscoBuilders and Habitat for Humanity. One in seven Minnesota households spends over 50% of their income on housing needs. We offer financial and sweat equity to build affordable housing for very low-income families. The average median income for the families we support is $35,000.00 for a family of five. EpiscoBuilders to date have done the following: Over 12,800 hours of labor, over 1,600 volunteers, and completed working on 37 homes. I personally want to thank the St. Stephens community through our Outreach dollars and members working on the homes.”
Learn more about Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity on their website and watch St. Stephen’s communications for the next opportunity to help EpiscoBuilders with upcoming builds.
SUPPORT THE BASH AFTER DARK
The Bash has been a part of our community since 1988 and in its 34-year history, the Bash has raised over $900,000 for outreach. These funds enable us to support organizations like the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery each year. We hope you’ll join us for an elegant evening stroll through the woods this fall as the Bash After Dark returns on Saturday, October 9th. Visit the Bash After Dark page to learn how YOU can support this event and help us raise the funds to continue supporting our outreach partners in 2022.
