About Mason County Habitat for Humanity

Mason County Habitat for Humanity is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization.  Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build decent, affordable housing.  The houses are then sold to those qualifying families at no profit and with little or no interest charged. 

Volunteers provide the majority of the labor while individual and business donors provide money and materials to build Habitat homes.  Partner families themselves invest hundreds of hours of labor ("sweat equity") into building their own homes and otherwise serving various needs of the affiliate.  Their mortgage payments continue to further the work of the affiliate.  

Habitat for Humanity works to help low-wage earners who do not qualify for conventional loans. Through this approach, Habitat gives partner families a hand-up, restoring the hope and dignity that poverty can strip away. 

Mason County Habitat for Humanity (MCHFH) was incorporated in 2002 and became affiliated with Habitat for Humanity that same year.  This was the result of many local citizens recognizing the overpowering need for safe, affordable housing for many families in Mason County.  Some of the founding supporters included Don Jacques, Charles and Barbara Pluenneke, Wayne and Jean Dudney, Noni Stringer, Amelia Banner and Pat Hrdlicka.

The goal of the organization was to build one new home a year for a partner family and that goal has been achieved with the completion of our eleventh home in April, 2013.

At first the homes were built by local volunteers, but it became obvious that our small population prevented us from getting the number of volunteers needed to build a home in a timely fashion.

In 2007 we began utilizing the assistance provided by Care-A-Vanners and now build a new home in about three months.  In that same year MCHFH began focusing on building energy efficient homes for the families.  It was recognized that energy costs would be increasing, taking a larger portion of the homeowner’s income each month.

Through the tremendous work of Construction Supervisor, Keith Kaan, the last five houses have been built in accordance with Energy Star standards and meet or exceed those standards.  This work was recognized by Habitat for Humanity Texas in 2012 when MCHFH was honored as “Homebuilder of the Year” by that organization.  This award is given to the outstanding affiliate in the state that builds one to forty-nine homes a year.

MCHFH is very proud of what is has accomplished since 2002.  Eleven families now enjoy the pride of owning their own homes and soon a twelfth family will share the same pride.

This accomplishment is even greater when one considers that there are only 3700 residents in Mason County.  Just think, one new home a year for every 3700 people.  How many homes would cities such as San Antonio, Austin or Dallas have to build if they built one for every 3700 residents?

The success of MCHFH would never have happened without the physical, financial and moral support of the citizens and friends of Mason County.  We look forward to continuing this great tradition of building a home a year and providing a family “a hand up…not a hand out.”

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