WHAT WE DO

Habitat for Humanity of Washington County is a 501(c)(3) organization that seeks to eliminate substandard housing and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action.  We are a volunteer based, donation driven organization with a mission to provide safe and simple, decent and affordable homes for low-income families in need.  With the help of many, we build houses and we sell houses.

WHY WE DO IT

Everyone, every single person, deserves decent shelter.  It speaks to the most basic of human needs.  We each have need for food, clothing, education, medical care, and companionship; but first we must have a place to live and grow.  Furthermore, having a safe, affordable place to live has a profound effect on nutrition, health, childhood education, and relationships, making housing a primary concern for the community. 

HOW WE DO IT

WITH YOUR HELP...Creating partnerships in the community with individuals, businesses and other organizations, we build houses with and sell houses to low-income, hard working partner families. By working with families and volunteers of all backgrounds in equal partnership, Habitat builds homes, builds communities, and builds hope. Since 1994 the Washington County affiliate has literally built blessing right into the homes so that our partner families may live and grow in God's love and grace.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

We offer MANY opportunities to to build lives as well as houses.  Habitat strives for lasting change, not a quick fix. Through the houses we build hope is restored, lives are changed, and communities become healthier as the cycle of need is broken.  By their own initiative, through their own pride and hope, families change and become more productive, stable, and giving members of the community. And, YES, you can be a part of this whether in the actual construction or in the opportunities beyond the hammer. 

Check out our PROGRAMS page to get more info AND to find out how you can get involved 

Check out our EVENTS page to find some fun stuff to do while supporting Habitat!

We Couldn't Do It Without You!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT Cassandra Latimer

 “It’s been suggested that given a cape and a nice tiara, Cassandra could save the world. I tend to agree,” says Sherry Cooper when speaking about Board President and long- time Habitat supporter Cassandra Latimer. There are more than a few folks in that camp.

In the second year of her two-year term as Habitat’s Board leader, Cassandra is guiding the organization through some rough, but happy waters filled with change, growth and program expansion. Cassandra, always humble, credits the overall Board of “very talented individuals that bring a variety of skill sets” to the table with helping steer the overall strategic direction of Habitat’s development.

 As a Public Affairs and Communications professional at Citi’s Hagerstown OperationsCenter, Cassandra is no stranger to the nonprofits in Washington County. Habitat and Citi enjoy a partnership globally as well as locally, so, Cassandra’s connection with Habitat of Washington County was never a stretch. Involved personally and professionally with a number of local organizations in various capacities over the years, Cassandra leaves a gentle, levelheaded mark wherever she goes.

Joining the Habitat board in 2009, Cassandra’s involvement has grown and evolved in many ways over the years. You can catch her on the build site swinging a hammer, carrying lumber, and powering up a saw. You might also find her preparing and delivering a lunch for other volunteers on the site. In fact, there’s not much you won’t catch her doing when it comes to Habitat. “I whole-heartedly believe in the mission of the organization, of helping families find their path forward, stabilized by decent, affordable housing,” Cassandra says. It’s that level of commitment and belief that frames the labor of love Cassandra provides to Habitat.

Habitat’s mission is all about helping and working to prop up and strengthen families. This relationship is critical to what makes Cassandra tick. The bonds of family are vital to Cassandra and regardless of how busy her professional and volunteer lives become, she also manages to focus on her own family. A firm believer in packing as much as possible into every waking moment, Cassandra keeps busy with her family in addition to her volunteer efforts. Both family-oriented, she and her husband expend a lot of energy keeping up with their son who’s baseball, Scouting and school activities keep them all on the go. Gardening, reading and snow skiing help to round out even more of Cassandra’s “down” time interests.

But, whatever activity you might find Cassandra in the midst of, one thing is for certain: she believes, not just in the mission of Habitat, but in the concept of giving back to the community. Cassandra advocates strengthening community in whatever fashion you can afford whether it be through leadership, governance, dollars, sweat equity or some combination of all of the above. What it all boils down to is helping your neighbor, offering a hand up, not a hand out. And, when it comes to the many volunteers who help Habitat survive and thrive, Cassandra offers this, “Thank you. Thank you for all you do to help Habitat put more families in homes.” She understands the many components necessary to make Habitat function and she appreciates all of our volunteers and the simple fact that “Habitat would not be what it is today without all of your dedication and commitment. It takes an army of volunteers to make a Habitat house possible, but in the end, when a family goes to settlement and receives the keys to their new home, it all becomes worth it.”

Worth it and then some; just like Habitat Board President Cassandra. Regardless of whether she’s sporting a nice tiara and cape or not, Cassandra has made a profound difference in the world of Habitat and in our community. Thank you Cassandra for all you do and do so well. We are both humbled and blessed by all you bring to the Habitat table.