Why We Give and Build

After a prayer that opens every Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton home dedication, Executive Director Norm Miozzi perfectly summarized why a large group of friends, family, neighbors, sponsors and volunteers had gathered at Pease Avenue in West Carrollton: “We believe without God’s help, things like this would not be possible.”

Faith is what brought Habitat and the members of Catch the Building Spirit together for 29 years producing one new house for a Montgomery County family to purchase every year of that time. Catch the Building Spirit or CtBS was a non-profit partnership of Catholic and Presbyterian churches that existed for the same reason Habitat does, to help low-income families obtain affordable housing. And it was faith that made it possible for CtBS Co-Chairman Roger Duffy to hand new homeowner Saadia Koko the keys to her new home on that joyous afternoon. Together CtBS and Dayton Habitat had just finished another affordable home.

For Saadia and her two teenaged daughters, Aya and Karen, their dream of homeownership had just become a reality. Saadia had a beautiful three-bedroom home to move into with an affordable mortgage payment.

CtBS not only built a home each year, CtBS was also the primary financial sponsor for the home as well. CtBS raised money directly from their church memberships, sponsors, and donor companies.

While in the past, the church congregations and sponsors would give through the umbrella of CtBS, they are now asked to continue giving directly to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Dayton.