Habitat for Humanity has new officers

Monica Craven, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Mahoning County, has announced the 2011 officers and directors.

They are President John Burgan of Burgan Real Estate, Vice President, Sara Ellis of YSU, Secretary, Joan Johnston of the Ohio Desk Company and Treasurer Matt Morgan of Stifel Nicolaus (Butler Wick Division).

Elected to the board of directors were attorney James Dietz, Legal Counsel; Pam Cronewett, Immediate Past President; John Progar, Bill Schroeder Architect Building Consultant,; attorney. Don Seeley, Jim Johnston, Sandi Phillips and Dr. Jacque King.

Habitat for Humanity is a faith-based charitable nonprofit organization governed by an all-volunteer board. Its mission is to work in partnership with people of all faiths to build simple, decent and affordable homes for and with low-income families. Habitat has built or rehabbed 35 homes for its partner families.

The families are required to invest 350 hours of sweat equity and pay for the homes through a mortgage to Habitat. This program provides stability for families and assists them in establishing responsible financial habits helping to assure their future.

Funds for Habitat housing ministry come from individual donors, churches, businesses, grants, foundations, as well as the partners/owner mortgage payments. In addition to this funding, Habitat for Humanity opened the ReStore in 2008, a unique retail outlet that sells donated new or slightly used merchandise to residents in the community at substantially reduced prices. Net revenue from the ReStore operations is used to defray the administrative and operating expenses of the organization.