truman-habitat

Habitat for Humanity Chapter Needs Help after Tools Stolen

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:29:37 GMT

Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity had an unfortunately different appeal to make on what many people bill as GivingTuesday.

The Habitat chapter, based in Independence and serving much of Eastern Jackson County, is looking to replace most of its supply of power tools, which were stolen out of a trailer sometime last week at the group’s facility on Dodgion Street.

“We found out the day before Thanksgiving,” Truman Habitat President/CEO Christina Leakey said. “Our Wednesday crew is a group of retirees who come to build with us. They showed up for work and found all the power tools were missing out of one of two standard box construction trailers.”

Those wishing to donate toward replacing tools can visit www.trumanhabitat.org and click on the appropriate link.

Leakey said they are unsure when exactly the theft took place, as they didn’t have a build day the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. As of Tuesday, the group hadn’t compiled a complete inventory of the stolen tools, Leakey said, but the total value is at least $5,000, perhaps close to $10,000.

“We collect a lot of tools in various stages of use,” Leakey said.

There is an outside camera at the facility, but the theft wasn’t in the camera’s field of vision, Leakey said. The thief or thieves busted the trailer’s padlock and tellingly left behind ladders, paint brushes, nails and screws, and left the other trailer untouched.

“It was clear they took the most valuable tools, looking for the biggest return,” Leakey said. “They took the battery packs and chargers – they got everything that was required to run them.”

Org Article posted on the examiner.net

A Community Outpouring of Support for Habitat for Humanity

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:24:42 GMT

Two weeks after some “turkeys” stole their supply of power pools right before Thanksgiving, Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity appears to have recovered.

Thanks to an outpouring of support, the nonprofit has “been restored, and then some,” President/CEO Christina Leakey said.

The theft occurred some time before the morning of Nov. 21, when the Wednesday build crew showed up and found the lock for one of Habitat’s two box trailers had been busted and all the power tools inside swiped – at least $5,000 and perhaps four-figures worth of tools, batteries and chargers. Several crew members went home and retrieved some tools in order to get some work done that day, Leakey said.

Since then a variety of donors have responded to Habitat’s appeal.

“The community has really turned up big for us in a number of ways,” Leakey said. “Several different tool companies have given or are in the process of that … asking about our inventory.”

“It’s been really encouraging to see.”

Other individuals have walked right into the Habitat’s office on Dodgion Street in Independence with bags of tools – extras from their personal or business inventory that still have useful life.

Leakey said a man from Marshall with a tool collection left from his father called to see if Habitat might be willing to travel out there and pick out any useful tools it might need. An elderly woman in North Kansas City who had a tool collection left behind made a similar offer.

In addition, many people have made cash donations.

After the theft Leakey noted that even beyond Habitat, the theft also victimized citizens who stand to benefit from the group’s projects, as well as Habitat’s donors. Currently, Habitat has five home build projects – two new houses and three substantial rehabilitations.

Police said last week they had not located any other camera footage or been able to develop any leads or suspects in the case.

But thanks to the donations, Habitat hasn’t skipped too many beats, and it also will not have to make an insurance claim, something that otherwise might have affect the organization’s insurance rates.

“People have gone above and beyond,” Leakey said.

Org Article posted on the examiner.net

Housing Aid for Veterans is Coming

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:16:50 GMT

Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity plans to build a home in Blue Springs for a veteran, the beginning of a partnership officials hope will lead to more such projects in Eastern Jackson County.

Truman Heritage and the Veterans Community Project announced the partnership Thursday, saying they want to address the shortage of affordable housing for veterans who are working to become self-sufficient.

Truman Habitat says a private family foundation’s donation is being used to build a single-family home in what it calls a quality neighborhood in Blue Springs. It hopes to break ground by early summer. The homebuyer hasn’t yet been identified.

“Our hope is to complete it by Veterans Day” in November, said Carla Simpson, Truman Habitat’s director of development.

As funding becomes available, more homes for veterans would be built.

The Veterans Community Project, probably best known for its Tiny Houses for Homeless Veterans program, has the goal of ending homelessness among veterans. Truman Habitat was named a Veteran Build Affiliate by Habitat for Humanity International last November, just one of three in the state.

This project will follow Habitat’s model of working with an individual or family committed to a homebuyer education program, contributing sweat equity and repaying an affordable loan at zero interest.

Org Article posted on the examiner.net

Volunteers Critically Needed for Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity to Continue Projects

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:07:21 GMT

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — In hopes of building more houses in the Kansas City metro, the Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity in Independence needs the public’s help.

The organization has a large list of projects, and in order to finish, officials say they want to triple their volunteer workforce.

“We have really ramped up our housing projects right now, and so we’re really excited to be able to work on those projects,” said Lindsay Browne, community engagement manager for Truman Heritage Habitat For Humanity. “The speed we can get those projects done is based on how many volunteer days we can have and how fast we can move.”

The Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity currently has around 20 to 30 volunteers a week, but officials would like to see that number increased to 80 to 100 volunteers, preferably on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

“We would love to just fill that roster so that we can just get these projects going fast before it gets too cold,” Browne said.

On Wednesday, a team of volunteers were working on a house near U.S. 24 and Sterling Avenue in Independence. For many of them, this is the kind of work they enjoy doing.

Aging In Place Home Rehabilitation Program

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 18:44:10 GMT

Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity has received funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank to rehabilitate 10 homes in Eastern Jackson County. To qualify for this program:

The house must be owner-occupied and located in Eastern Jackson County
Total household income must not exceed 80% of the area median income
One of the permanent residents in the household should be age 62 or older

This new program is for houses which need $15,000 or more in home repairs. Applications to participate in this program are processed on a first come, first served basis. Program applications will be available starting May 24, 2022.

To obtain an application for this program, contact Truman Heritage Habitat for Humanity by calling 816-542-0569 or by email to HOMES@trumanhabitat.org .