Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh’s 26th annual Walk for Housing, this year in partnership with Mount Saint Mary College, raised critical funds and awareness for Habitat’s affordable homeownership program on Sunday, April 27.
Themed “Building Tomorrow Starts at Home,” the walk drew more than 100 participants from Newburgh and beyond. It consisted of a 2.8-mile walking route that both began and ended at the Mount’s campus.
The event showed off Habitat Newburgh’s past accomplishments, as well as some of its current build sites. Walkers were guided by students from Newburgh Free Academy’s Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC), and members of the district’s Goldbacks cheering squad performed before the walk began. City of Newburgh firefighters were on-hand to give out water and candy to walkers about halfway through the walking route.
The Walk for Housing T-shirts given to walkers and fundraisers, and sold at the event, were designed by Mount student Issiah Figueroa of Newburgh, N.Y.
“It has been an honor to work and walk side by side with the staff, faculty and student body of Mount Saint Mary College,” said Maureen Lashlee, Interim Executive Director of Habitat Newburgh. “Since 2015 we have been in lockstep making safe and affordable home ownership a mission and priority of our organizations. We are blessed with this partnership and look forward to many more years of building together.”
The Mount recently donated two properties for the construction of affordable housing for local families to Habitat Newburgh. The properties, located at 417 and 419 Liberty Street just behind the college, will be the site of two new Habitat homes. Mount students, faculty, staff, and alumni will partner with Habitat through several Build Day events to ensure the progress of these homes and others like it in the Newburgh area.
“Mount Saint Mary College and Habitat have had a long and strong relationship,” said Fr. Gregoire Fluet, vice president for mission and ministry at the Mount. “I would like to believe and know that Habitat and you all here, in so many ways, live the words of scripture: ‘I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me to drink, naked and you gave me clothes, alone and you visited me.’”
Sponsors of this year’s Habitat Greater Newburgh Walk for Housing included: Impact PR & Communications, RE/MAX Benchmark Realty Group, Dr. Michael Koumas, DDS., Wallkill Federal Savings & Loan, Leprechaun Lines, Inc., Walden Savings Bank; Vail’s Gate United Methodist Church, In Loving a Memory of Newburgh Mayor Judy Kennedy, DiLemme and Sons, Inc., Rocky Bagels, Collection Bureau Hudson Valley, Inc., Pepsi Cola of the Hudson Valley, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 363, Stewart’s Shops, Affordable Housing Concepts, Northrop & Stradar, P.C., Joy Insurance, Robert Persing, In Memory of Maureen Mushlit and Kate Malkan, First Presbyterian Church in Cold Spring, Saint James; Episcopal Church in Goshen, Workshop Art Fabrication LLC., Karen Rae Adamson, Knights of Columbus – Msgr. Henry O’Carroll Council #444, Christina Randazzo Law, PLLC, United Methodist Eastern Orange Cooperative Parish, LAN Associates, Calvary Presbyterian Church, The First Reformed Church in Walden, Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, BJs Newburgh, Starbucks Newburgh, and Beacon Natural Market.
About Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newburgh brings together people to build homes, communities, and hope. Founded in October of 1999, it has completed 111 decent and affordable homes in one of the most distressed urban areas in the United States and the largest contiguous historic district in New York State. The E. Parmenter Street Neighborhood, a 22-house development on what was formerly one of the most blighted blocks in Newburgh, is now a thriving community of Habitat Greater Newburgh homeowners. To date, 129 families earning between 30-80% of the area median income have demonstrated a willingness to partner with Habitat Newburgh by investing sweat equity into the construction of their homes, participating in required homeowner education classes, and signing a mortgage. Habitat Greater Newburgh homeowners contribute over $550,000 per year in school and city taxes. In addition to its work in this community, Habitat Greater Newburgh has helped over 182 families in Haiti, Ethiopia, India, Jordan, and Mexico secure shelter. Visit its website at www.habitatnewburgh.org and follow @habitatnewburgh on Facebook and Instagram.
About Mount Saint Mary College
Mount Saint Mary College, ranked a Top-Tier University by U.S. News & World Report, offers bachelor’s and master’s degree programs for careers in healthcare, business, education, social services, communications, media, and the liberal arts. The Mount was founded by the Dominican Sisters of Newburgh in 1959, with the Dominican Pillars of service, community, study, and spirituality as their guide. More than six decades later, aiding the community remains a central part of the college’s mission. For more information, visit www.msmc.edu
View the Photo Gallery:
