Senior News January, 2002 Vol. 21. No.  1

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

A time of giving-community groups nurture themselves and others: Pacific Union School

Health care: Senator Chesbro holds public forum

Major education summit set for the North Coast

Our community at work

Caregiver Registry: New two-tiered model will make it easier to meet community demand

Del Norte County: Northcoast Writers Group forms after conference

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Our community at work

Habitat for Humanity celebrates 25 years of building
by Jack Surmani

Habitat for Humanity International celebrated its 25th anniversary this year with the completion of its 100,000th home. HHfH, which was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in Americus, Georgia, has 2,000 affiliates in more than 70 countries. Former President Jimmy Carter, one of our most remembered volunteers, manages his own projects around the world.

Locally, Humboldt Habitat for Humanity, in its 12th year, has built six homes and provided volunteer labor on a number of home remodels and disabled access ramps. We are currently building a nine-unit subdivision in McKinleyville. As construction is usually expensive and time intensive, there is a huge number of families waiting for decent, affordable housing in our area. Habitat "Home Partners," who pay mortgages, must also put in 500 hours of "sweat equity" towards their home construction.

Six new board members have recently joined our board, which includes representation from Garberville to Orick. This year we were fortunate to win a Community Development Block Grant through Humboldt County to support the infrastructure costs of underground utilities, streets and sidewalks. Other support has come from the Cowell Foundation and our many business and individual donors.

This spring the call will go out to all volunteers to assist in the construction of two homes in Habitat Village in McKinleyville which will be completed by August 2002. We welcome and channel the skills and energy of community members who wish to build decent affordable housing in our community.

Jack Surmani is executive director of Humboldt Habitat for Humanity. For information, call him at 707-441-1006 or e-mail habitat@humboldt1.com.

Spreading hope
HOPE Coalition celebrates ten years
by Mayer Segal

Ten years ago people in Humboldt County who wanted a progressive voice in local politics met for the first time in the Redwood Alliance office in Arcata. This group became the HOPE Coalition, standing together as Humboldt Organized for Peace and the Environment.

In the decade following, HOPE's influence is improving the quality of life for all Humboldt's citizens-working on issues affecting homeless people, public health, the environment, and emphasizing a democratic vote of all people to insure a high quality of life. We put less emphasis on consumerism and more on sustainable living. Today the HOPE Coalition (with some of the original people) is still working to keep HOPE alive. Now a membership organization, it makes no demands on its members, both individuals and groups. All its support is voluntary.

Education has replaced organizing as our main function. We publish a semi-monthly newsletter of notes and actions; we try to update our web site to include a multitude of public and private county resources; we research and distribute information about the voting process, registering, issues, getting out the vote; and we push the need for like-minded groups to support each other.

Is 10 years enough? Does HOPE presently meet the needs of education, advocacy and co-operation that warrants its continued existence? We, who spend much voluntary time with HOPE, are gathering answers from members and newsletter readers.

Check out the web site at http://hopecoalition.org or e-mail Mayer Segal at hopecoalition@igc.org.

Mayer Segal has been the newsletter editor for the HOPE Coalition for the past five years.