Special to The Message
All her life, Andrea W. has been a renter, but it’s been her goal to own a home to provide stability for her family. When a friend told her about the Habitat for Humanity homeownership program, she initially hesitated to apply, fearing her credit score wasn’t high enough.
However, she applied anyway, and on Dec. 16, 2024, she celebrated the dedication of her new Habitat for Humanity home, sponsored by Catholics for Habitat, in the 500 block of Taylor Avenue in Evansville.
Andrea’s home is the 613th home built by Habitat-Evansville in Vanderburgh and Posey counties, and Catholics for Habitat has sponsored more than 19 homes.
Andrea is the hard-working mother of four daughters ranging in age from 12-19. The family is always at a sporting event with all four girls playing softball and a couple of them playing volleyball. The family also has a dog and a rabbit. Andrea has worked at Schnucks for 14 years and is currently a store manager.
In many ways, her partnership with Habitat has been a process because she said it’s like taking on another full-time job. However, she found a lot of support from family, her oldest daughter helped volunteer, other future Habitat homeowners, and her employer, who allowed her to adjust work hours as needed to complete her 300 hours of sweat equity required for Habitat’s homeownership program.
In addition to her sweat equity hours, Andrea found the required Money Management course extremely helpful. She is especially grateful for everything her instructors taught her and said that it “works wonders.”
Andrea is “very grateful” for her house sponsor, Catholics for Habitat, and for all the volunteers who helped her family move towards their dream of homeownership. She looks forward to planting a garden in her yard and hosting family get-togethers. The girls are excited to decorate their own bedrooms for the first time.
Andrea’s partnership with Habitat has allowed her to achieve a lifelong goal.
“It’s always been a dream to own a home and have something to leave for my girls,” she said.
Susan Louise Weis Service Award
Don, pictured holding a cross, and Elaine Kuhn are the 2024 recipients of Catholics for Habitat’s Susan Louise Weis Service Award. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to Habitat-Evansville and honors the late Susan Weis. Submitted photo
During the home dedication, Don and Elaine Kuhn were named the 2024 recipients of Catholics for Habitat’s Susan Louise Weis Service Award.
The award recognizes outstanding contributions to Habitat-Evansville and honors the late Susan Weis, who impacted numerous families during her service as Habitat-Evansville’s mortgage specialist, as chair of Catholics for Habitat and service as a member of Habitat’s Family Selection Committee.
The Kuhn family joined the Catholic Build in 2008 as representatives of Evansville’s Corpus Christi Parish. The Kuhns and Mike Schapker are the longest-serving active members having been involved in more than 18 Catholics for Habitat homes over the years.
From 2009 until Covid restrictions stopped their efforts, Don and Elaine served as the Catholic Build Food Coordinators, collaborating with Catholic parishes and the community to provide lunches for build workdays. The Kuhn family annually leads the half pot volunteers at Habitat Otters Nights.
The Kuhn family played a crucial role in establishing St. Boniface Parish in Evansville as a BBQ Fundraiser pick-up location to better serve Westside Catholics by teaming up with the Blessinger family. Since the expansion in 2019, the families have successfully managed the Westside site adding over $13,000 in BBQ sales benefiting Habitat for Humanity of Evansville.