Ascension St. Vincent takes active role with Habitat for Humanity and Catholics for Habitat -

Special to The Message

Habitat for Humanity of Evansville has announced that Ascension St. Vincent has committed to donating $40,000 per year, beginning immediately, to help build a Habitat home in coordination with Catholics for Habitat, which will fund the remaining portion of the home.

This crew from Evansville’s St. Boniface Parish laid the foundation for the new Catholics for Habitat home. This work, organized every year by Steve Kercher and Bernie Mayer, represents a significant contribution to the annual effort. Shown in the photo are Bernie Mayer, left, Dan Dick, Alan Tenbarge, Jerry Kirchoff and Kenny Miller. Others who helped were C.J. Johnson, Conner Johnson, Blaine Oliver, Gene Gries, Jeff Thomas, Larry Muensterman and Steve Kercher. John and Julie Talley provided lunch. Habitat and build family family of Abigail B. are grateful for the St. Boniface foundation crew! Submitted photo

Catholics for Habitat includes representatives from several Evansville-area Catholic parishes who come together to raise money and build a Habitat home each year. With the help of Ascension St. Vincent, they will now be able to fund a second home that will be jointly sponsored by the two groups.

The first home as part of the new partnership is already underway in the Tepe Park neighborhood, and volunteers from both sides have been actively helping to build the home alongside the Habitat Core Crew and the future homeowner, Abigail B.

To date, Catholics for Habitat has completed 17 homes in the Evansville area, representing $1 million in support for Habitat and its homeowners.

Catholics for Habitat volunteers and members of the Habitat Core Crew work to install the base floor of the new home. It is the first to be supported by the partnership with Ascension St. Vincent. The Message photo by Tim Lilley

Alex Chang, President of Ascension St. Vincent’s Southern Region, said, "As the region's leader in Catholic healthcare, we are proud to support the work of Habitat for Humanity of Evansville and Catholics for Habitat. The Ascension St. Vincent mission drives us to serve others, with special attention to the poor and vulnerable. Safe housing is key to maintaining one's health. Working alongside organizations like Habitat for Humanity is one way we strive to live our mission and support the health and safety of our community."

Future homeowner Abigail is extremely grateful to Habitat for Humanity of Evansville and Ascension St. Vincent for this opportunity, saying, “Without them, none of this would have been possible. I couldn’t have done this on my own, and I can’t say thank you enough to everyone.”

Abigail’s home will be completed by early spring in 2024.