Inspiration in One Woman’s Hard Work and Faith

All it takes to start a business is a dream and some elbow grease. But to be successful, business owners may need something else. If that business is located in a poverty-stricken country, the chance of getting a loan or finding a foothold to grow a business becomes slim.

Homes for Hope and Hope International believe the way to fight poverty is to secure small loans for individuals in struggling countries. The loans are used to help people grow their businesses to be economically viable. The loans are repaid and given to other business owners in need.

The loans do not need to be substantial to be significant. Just $50 was enough to change the life of Ramona Ciprian, a colmado owner in San Pedro, Dominican Republic. About 18 years ago, she received her first loan.

Ramona worked hard to build her business. Her colmado, a one-stop shop catering to an entire community, now makes more in a day than her entire first loan. She stocks clothes, food, school supplies and anything else residents might need. Customers always leave satisfied because she has it all.

That feeling of having it all extends to Ramona too. Ramona feels the loan was a blessing, and she uses her store as a way to let others know the power of her faith. Psalms 113:5, “Who is like the LORD our God, the One who sits enthroned on high” is written along the front of Ramona’s colmado. She talks about Jesus to customers as they pay, and she can often be found ministering throughout the area.

For Ramona, the store is not just a place of business. It’s a way for her to preach the Gospel to those around her. She is a true example of how faith and hard work can accomplish almost anything.

Visit www.homes4hope.org and www.hopinternational.org to learn how you can help make a difference and break the cycle of poverty in other countries.

Until next time,

Jeff Rutt

A Look Back at a Great Year for Homes For Hope

The start of a new year is a good time to look back and see the good from the past year. Homes for Hope broke ground on a number of homes throughout the United States, helping not only local families but thousands of underserved and underprivileged families all over the world.

We often think of the time around the holidays when we want to give back, but the needs of the impoverished are year-round.

In 2013, Homes for Hope was busy all year and built homes in Colorado, North Dakota, Southern California and more. These houses were more than just homes. The money raised reached families overseas who used it to build their own businesses and break the cycle of poverty.

Let’s take a look at some of the homes and their impact:

·         Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes built the first Homes For Hope home in California. The goal of the home was to raise $100,000 to fund entrepreneurs in 17 countries like Haiti, Afghanistan, Romania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

·         In North Dakota, Red Door Homes broke ground on the state’s first Homes For Hope home in September. Red Door Homes owner Art Goldhammer said, “It is hard to put your finger on just the sense of joy that you can help out that many people and that, things you can’t even relate to, but you can make that big a difference in the world from Bismarck, North Dakota.”

·         Baessler Homes raised $123,777.97 after building and selling a home in Millikin, Colorado. The money will provide microloans to more than 5,000 people. “At Baessler Homes, we realized that Homes for Hope offered us the opportunity to meet the needs of many more people than we could serve alone,” said Jamie Baessler, vice president of the company.

All of these companies are local, yet their impact to end poverty is being felt on a global scale. With so much success in 2013, it’s exciting to think what the new year will bring for Homes for Hope and the thousands of people it will help.

For more information about Homes for Hope or to find out how you can help, visit www.Homes4Hope.org.

 Until next time,

Jeff Rutt

Homes for Hope Program Expands to California

Jeff Rutt, here.

I recently got back from a Homes for Hope trip a wonderful group of people from all over the country to the Dominican Republic. This trip, like so many others I've taken, reminded me of the true purpose behind Homes for Hope and HOPE International. It's still amazing to me how so many people have banded together over the past few years to help make a difference in global poverty.

Following on the heels of this trip, I am glad to announce that Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes has joined the Homes for Hope team, and that they have started construction on our first Hope home in California.

Wathan Castanos is nationally recognized for their quality, green homes. However, the builder also embodies a culture of stewardship, supporting organizations such as Project Playhouse, Youth for Christ, Habitat for Humanity and now Homes for Hope.

Through this build, we hope to raise more than $100,000 in funds for HOPE International who will use the money to find micro-loans to aspiring entrepreneurs in 17 developing countries, including the Dominican Republic.

The new home will be located in the Artisan Harlan Ranch subdivision at 4317 Salem Lane, Clovis, CA 93619.

If you're in the home building industry either as a builder or trade supplier, I hope you will take the time to check out Homes for Hope. To date, we've generated more than $10 million, which has helped more than 100,000 entrepreneurs break the cycle of poverty. By joining our team, you too can experience how giving a "hand up" can build a future of hope and promise.

Blessings,

Jeff Rutt

First North Dakota Home for Hope Under Construction

Credit: Homes for Hope

I love building homes, but there's nothing more rewarding than building lives.

In my life, I am proud to stand by this statement. When I founded Homes for Hope back in 1998, I knew I was doing something good by providing home builders and their trade partners with the opportunity to build new homes for a greater purpose. Hopes for Hope was a project that allowed me to combine what I am good at, home building, with my passion to help others and to help my still relatively new nonprofit, HOPE International. Since that time, Homes for Hope has been able to build more than 90 homes, impact more than 500,000 lives and raise more than $10 million in revenue benefiting HOPE International.

Last month, we were lucky enough to break ground with Red Door Homes to build North Dakota's first Home for Hope. The Bismarck-based builder and its trade partners will build and sell the home knowing that the profits, which are estimated at $100,000, will benefit thousands of people in more than 17 countries.

Art Goldammer, owner of Red Door Homes, said, "Homes for Hope gave us the opportunity to help more people than we could possibly serve alone. It is hard to put your finger on just the sense of joy that you can help out that many people and that, things you can’t even relate to, but you can make that big a difference in the world from Bismarck, N.D."

If you're looking for a new home in North Dakota, this home located at 3819 Crest Circle in Bismarck is a great opportunity to help a lot of people.

If you're a builder looking to benefit your community, not just locally, but also globally, I hope you'll consider getting involved with the Homes for Hope program.

Until next time,

Jeff Rutt