Each morning, Theo Bruguier, a 17-year-old student in Heart of Oregon Corps’ YouthBuild program, shows up to the construction site where the young people have poured the concrete for the foundation, framed the underfloor, and began framing the exterior walls at 362 N. Desert Rose Loop in his community of Sisters. “Working on these houses has taught me the value of teamwork, I have had the opportunity to meet new people, and learn new skills, “ says Theo. He has overcome obstacles in school and has returned to YouthBuild to work towards his high school diploma while working at the construction sites building affordable housing. “Sisters Habitat is doing amazing work with us by building homes for families in the Sisters community.”
The home on N. Desert Loop is the second home in two years that Heart of Oregon YouthBuild and Sisters Habitat for Humanity have teamed up on to build for families in the Sisters Community. Silvia Ayala is part of the Sisters Habitat for Humanity homeownership program and will spend time working with the YouthBuild students to build her home. She and her children, Silvia, Destiny and Jose, moved here nearly 10 years ago. She is employed at Five Pine Lodge and Conference Center. Her daughters attend Sisters Middle and High School and Jose is a past student with the Heart of Oregon YouthBuild program. The family enjoys going to the river and being outdoors.
Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC) trains tomorrow’s workforce today by providing “work, earn, learn” opportunities for Central Oregon youth of all abilities and ethnicities. Founded in 2000, HOC helps young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds earn their way to success. This spring and summer, youth from HOC’s YouthBuild program are completing two homes in Madras that will be available to lease by agricultural worker households in the local community. These homes are providing opportunities for local youth to learn leadership and apply homebuilding skills that will help them gain future employment opportunities – benefiting the youth, their future households, and the communities that they live in.
Affordable housing is a pressing issue throughout Central Oregon. Through a partnership between Sisters Habitat for Humanity HOC YouthBuild youth are tackling the issue, one household at a time—since 2009 Heart of Oregon YouthBuild has built or rehabbed 23 affordable homes in Central Oregon! Stable, affordable housing has broad-reaching effects on a family’s health, education, and employment opportunities. These positive influences stretch beyond the walls of the home into the community.
The Wall Raising event will take place at 362 N. Desert Rose Loop in Sisters, Thursday, April 26th, from 9:00 – 10:00 am. The community is invited! Sisters Habitat for Humanity and Heart of Oregon Corps staff will be available for questions or photos.
About Heart of Oregon Corps
Heart of Oregon Corps is a nonprofit organization invested in inspiring and empowering change in the lives of Central Oregon youth through jobs, education, and stewardship. Their programming creates pathways out of poverty while stimulating regional economic growth. They apply a “work-earn-learn” model that invests in local young people, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds, to prepare them for the workforce and to encourage their self-sufficiency.
About Sisters Habitat for Humanity
Sisters Habitat for Humanity is part of a global, nonprofit housing organization operated on Christian principles that seeks to put God’s love into action by building homes, communities and hope. Sisters Habitat for Humanity is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.
Habitat for Humanity was founded on the conviction that every man, woman and child should have a decent and affordable place to live in dignity and safety, and that decent shelter in decent communities should be a matter of conscience and action for all.
