As the temperatures dip to the dangerously cold, emergency shelters are going to be working overtime to help keep people safe. Below is a list of shelters in both Lancaster and Lebanon Counties that offer a warm place to stay. Lebanon County Community Action Partnership 503 Oak Street, Lebanon (717) 273-938Provides an array of services to Lebanon County residents through a variety of programs. Services include child care assistance, transportation,
Each family’s journey to Habitat homeownership is special in its own way. And the Kaberamanzi Family’s journey is no exception. In fact, their story is one that exemplifies that when community, commitment and faith come together, amazing things can happen. The family’s story is told through Marie Claire, the daughter of soon-to-be homebuyer Jean Kaberamanzi. Originally from Democratic Republic of the Congo, Marie Claire was around 4 years old when
Tool belts on. Hammers in hand. We are launching our most ambitious effort for the preservation of homeownership in the history of our organization! 50 Homes Now is Lancaster Lebanon Habitat’s appeal to provide affordable homeownership opportunities to 50 families by the end of 2019. For over 30 years, Habitat has partnered with first-time homebuyers. By empowering families with the skills and knowledge they need for success, families purchase a home from Habitat with an affordable monthly mortgage that meets their budget. But, while we have helped hundreds of individuals with the purchase of their first home, there are many others who are facing different kinds of challenges as they look to secure and maintain a decent place to live. So we’re doing more. By expanding our services to include
Habitat doesn’t just build new homes; we also renovate houses that are old, damaged or in disrepair. There is, of course, a degree of uncertainty with renos. “We start with inspection of the property. It’s kind of like a forensic thing… looking for sources of cracks, assessing the state of the house and finding various problems that would need to be fixed,” said our Director of Construction, Jim Eberly. Jim also spends time talking with the future homeowner to understand what a typical day is like, so the renovations fit the family’s needs and lifestyle. In the case of Enid, future Habitat homebuyer of a renovated home on Lehman Street in Lebanon, the renovations needed to accommodate her mother, who has physical disabilities. Our team of construction volunteers made updates
Rose has lived long enough in her Southwest Lancaster home to remember a short walk to Darrenkamps grocery store, before it moved to Willow Street. A resident of 24 years, she recalls neighborhood gardens with abundant cabbages (reflective of the neighborhood’s nickname, Cabbage Hill) and was friendly with many of her neighbors. The gardens have disappeared, and many neighbors have moved away, but she loves her home and couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. “I’m up in years,” she admits, having outlived her husband and her siblings. “But I’m trying to remain as independent as long as I can.” It seems like a simple wish, to stay in her home, but Rose finds there are obstacles to aging in place, including the physical and financial challenges of home maintenance. For other homeowners, the obstacles
