Habitat and Whirlpool Corp give families energy efficient climate resilient homes
Miriam could not believe that the rug had once again been pulled beneath her feet: the rented house in which she lived, was sold by her landlord without her knowledge. To make matters worse, this was the second such incident wherein she and her three children were uprooted.
“It seemed like I was never able to establish myself,” said Miriam, a single woman who is the mother of 3 children, 11-year old Reina and 9-year-old twins Romeo and Raelyn. “But after the last house was sold, that’s when I said, ‘I need to buy a house.’”
That’s when Miriam’s sister told her about Habitat for Humanity and that she should apply for it. Miriam, who was living from “paycheck to paycheck”, had always felt that she could make it on her own. However she heeded her sister’s advice and applied to Habitat for Humanity of Findlay / Hancock County’s homeownership program in 2019. Her application was approved and in November 2021, Miriam and her family moved into her new house.
Homeownership has made a huge difference in their lives. “This is our house,” said Miriam. “We love it and we’re not moving anymore. I don’t have to worry about someone selling the house. It’s a great feeling.”
She went on to add, “Most people have the assumption that a house is given to you, but it’s not given to you. I have a mortgage. You have pride in that it’s not a hand-me-down, but a hand-me-up. You have to work for it. And it’s worth it.”
Miriam’s new home was built as part of Habitat for Humanity’s BuildBetter with Whirlpool’s initiative, which is an expansion of Habitat’s existing BuildBetter initiative that will build more than 250 climate-resilient and energy-efficient homes to help hundreds of families in need of affordable housing over the next three years.
The new three-bedroom house has a tankless hot water system, a 2-by-6 stud walls for additional insulation to help lower heating and cooling costs, it is air sealed to improve indoor air quality and remove moisture, odors, and pollutants; it is also fully insulated.
Since Findlay, Ohio is located in a high-wind area, the house has a fortified roof system with taped zip-panel roofing and features high-wind-rated shingles. Furthermore, Miriam also received an energy-efficient refrigerator and range, which Whirlpool Corporation donates to every Habitat-built home in North America.
Miriam’s family was also gifted a Whirlpool brand dishwasher.
“I tell the kids the appliances are so pretty, let’s keep them pretty,” said Miriam laughing. “Let’s keep this new look going.”
She is now very grateful that she listened to her sister. She has now a clear understanding of how Habitat, and how it collaborates with Whirlpool Corp., to transform the lives by families to build and improve places which people can call a home.
“Most people have the assumption that a house is given to you, but it’s not given to you. I have a mortgage. You have pride in that it’s not a hand-me-down, but a hand-me-up. You have to work for it. And it’s worth it.”
“It seemed like I was never able to establish myself,” said Miriam, a single woman who is the mother of 3 children, 11-year old Reina and 9-year-old twins Romeo and Raelyn. “But after the last house was sold, that’s when I said, ‘I need to buy a house.’”
That’s when Miriam’s sister told her about Habitat for Humanity and that she should apply for it. Miriam, who was living from “paycheck to paycheck”, had always felt that she could make it on her own. However she heeded her sister’s advice and applied to Habitat for Humanity of Findlay / Hancock County’s homeownership program in 2019. Her application was approved and in November 2021, Miriam and her family moved into her new house.
Homeownership has made a huge difference in their lives. “This is our house,” said Miriam. “We love it and we’re not moving anymore. I don’t have to worry about someone selling the house. It’s a great feeling.”
She went on to add, “Most people have the assumption that a house is given to you, but it’s not given to you. I have a mortgage. You have pride in that it’s not a hand-me-down, but a hand-me-up. You have to work for it. And it’s worth it.”
Miriam’s new home was built as part of Habitat for Humanity’s BuildBetter with Whirlpool’s initiative, which is an expansion of Habitat’s existing BuildBetter initiative that will build more than 250 climate-resilient and energy-efficient homes to help hundreds of families in need of affordable housing over the next three years.
The new three-bedroom house has a tankless hot water system, a 2-by-6 stud walls for additional insulation to help lower heating and cooling costs, it is air sealed to improve indoor air quality and remove moisture, odors, and pollutants; it is also fully insulated.
Since Findlay, Ohio is located in a high-wind area, the house has a fortified roof system with taped zip-panel roofing and features high-wind-rated shingles. Furthermore, Miriam also received an energy-efficient refrigerator and range, which Whirlpool Corporation donates to every Habitat-built home in North America.
Miriam’s family was also gifted a Whirlpool brand dishwasher.
“I tell the kids the appliances are so pretty, let’s keep them pretty,” said Miriam laughing. “Let’s keep this new look going.”
She is now very grateful that she listened to her sister. She has now a clear understanding of how Habitat, and how it collaborates with Whirlpool Corp., to transform the lives by families to build and improve places which people can call a home.
“Most people have the assumption that a house is given to you, but it’s not given to you. I have a mortgage. You have pride in that it’s not a hand-me-down, but a hand-me-up. You have to work for it. And it’s worth it.”
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