Community Bridgebuilders
Coalition is Growing:
16 Churches Join Community BridgebuildersCommunity Bridgebuilders is a coalition of churches in Fairfield County who work with Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County to construct housing for families in need. Coalition members provide funding and volunteers, and Habitat provides planning and construction supervision. The original coalition was formed in 1999 and built 5 houses in Bridgeport by the end of 2006. St. Mark’s led the formation and recruitment of the current coalition with the goal of sponsoring part of Habitat’s new housing project in Stamford. Coalition Chair, Bob Stephan, reported that member pledges and other donations have reached a total of $135,350 and that the coalition is well on its way to becoming a major sponsor of the Stamford project.
Coalition Members:
Christ the
Grace Church Norwalk St. Mark’s NC
St. Andrew’s
St. Francis Stamford St. Paul’s
Hands On Project – Sign up now!
Community Bridgebuilders Coalition invites volunteers (16 and older) to help with on-site framing and other outdoor work on the Stamford housing project in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Check the following days in February and March and let George Wright know which days are of serious interest to you:
Thursdays: 2/25, 3/25 Fridays: 2/12, 2/26, 3/12, 3/26 Saturdays: 2/13, 3/27, 3/13, 3/27
Signing up does not commit you to work that day - CBC is trying to balance the work load among 15 other coalition churches. Experience is not necessary - there are chores of every type and size. Sign-up sheets are outside Morrill Hall or contact George Wright: gw4@pips.com.
Donations to the Community Bridgebuilders/Habitat for Humanity project can be made by sending your tax deductible check, payable to "Habitat for Humanity CFC" with "Community Bridgebuilders #6" in the memo line, to Habitat for Humanity CFC, 1470 Barnum Avenue, Bridgeport CT 06610.
Habitat and Bridgebuilder Timeline
§ 1999—Original coalition of 19 Episcopal churches is formed to build houses in
§ Episcopal Bridgebuilders completes construction of 5 houses by end of 2006.
§ November 2006—original coalition concludes its work in
§ August 2007—Habitat clears site for a 6-unit housing project in
§ September 2007—St. Mark’s New Canaan commits $20,000 toward
§ November 2007—Five churches hold first meeting of new coalition at St. Mark’s with goal of participating in Habitat’s
§ May 2008—Coalition membership increases to 10. Total amount pledged by members plus individual donations reaches $135,350.
§ May 2008—Habitat obtains planning board approval for revised
How the Coalition Works:
§ Parishes provide money and volunteers (skilled and unskilled, men and women). Habitat provides project administration, on-site supervision, screening and selection of resident families.
§ Coalition Steering Committee consisting of representatives from member parishes organizes fundraising, work team schedules, publicity, and liaison with Habitat.
How the House gets Built:
§ Habitat does the site work, pours the foundation and puts in the sub floor.
§ Member churches provide teams of workers, men and women, skilled and unskilled.
§ Preliminary construction of forms done by volunteers in Habitat's warehouse
§ On-site work done mainly on weekends by volunteer teams until completion.
§ On-site volunteers age restricted to 16 and over until finishing work begins.
§ Flexible in scheduling volunteer team member assignments.
§ Other volunteer opportunities: work team leader, volunteer coordinator, serve on the coalition steering committee, publicity, family liaison, fund raising
Would You like to join this effort by donating time, treasure or talent?
Please contact: Bob Stephan 203.972.5800 or George Wright 203.652.0526
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