CONTACT: Delis Alejandro |  (310) 566-1530  | 

St. Monica Catholic Community is honored to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity by sponsoring volunteer builds in various locations in Southern California and other states and countries.

Back to Building: August 2022

The first Saturday in August, we were excited to be back on a Habitat build site in LA!  Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA (HFHGLA) continued building homes with their staff but without volunteers throughout the pandemic.  We spent time on Zoom participating in Catholic Coalition meetings, homeowner selections, and fundraising events, so to be back in person was well overdue.   

For this Catholic Coalition Build Day, we were paired with volunteers from St. Timothy’s in West LA, each bringing 15.  We all met at the site of Isabel Villas in South LA, where eight homes are being built and scheduled for completion next year.  Two homes had already been framed, and the next few spots were readied. 

Our volunteers were a mix of new and familiar faces, and we had a nice time getting to know each other and those from St. Tim’s.  Habitat set out hard hats, gloves, and nail bags for everyone, and after taking a group photo, we gathered to receive our assignments for the day from the site supervisor, Mishelle.  It doesn’t matter whether you know what you’re doing or not, the Habitat crew members are there to help teach and guide you, so you are comfortable with your assignment.  And, if you are still uncomfortable, they are happy to find another task.  There is never a shortage of things to do on a build site.

Everyone came eager to get to work, and you could feel the energy of everyone out there – you could almost say it was “buzzing,” and I’m not referring to the power tools!  And, as the temperatures climbed higher, we took more water breaks and enjoyed the misters set up to keep everyone cool.  While the heat slowed some of us down (speaking for myself), it didn’t lower our spirits or determination to finish what we came to do. And, before we knew it, the day was over, but our hearts were full and eager to participate again.

We are looking to schedule another team build day early next year, but individual opportunities are detailed HERE if you want to volunteer on your own.  

See a family learn they’ve been selected, featuring co-chair Lorilynn:

Habitat LA and Catholic Coalition Surprise Family Homeowner Announcement. - YouTube

Want to make a gift?

If you'd like to make a gift to our Habitat ministry, click here. Select "Outreach and Pastoral Care in the designation menu and put "Habitat" in the comments box.

Angelus News Article: Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LA’s homeless crisis

We are honored to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity through our founding membership in the Habitat LA Catholic Coalition, created in 2014 as a way to demonstrate the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching by bringing Catholic churches, schools, and other organizations together to build hope and homes for families in need across greater Los Angeles.

Recently, the Coalition's efforts were featured in an Angelus News Article, with an interview with our very own Associate Director of Outreach and Pastoral Care, Christine Gerety!

You can read the full article by clicking the link below.

Thank you to our volunteers and sponsors who make our work through the Coalition a reality, even in the most difficult times. #StillStMonica 

“We can find no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing.”
—Pope Francis, St. Patrick’s Church in Washington D.C.

Angelus News: Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LA's homeless crisis

CONTACT: Delis Alejandro |  (310) 566-1530  | 

St. Monica Catholic Community is honored to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity by sponsoring volunteer builds in various locations in Southern California and other states and countries.

 

Back to Building: August 2022

The first Saturday in August, we were excited to be back on a Habitat build site in LA!  Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA (HFHGLA) continued building homes with their staff but without volunteers throughout the pandemic.  We spent time on Zoom participating in Catholic Coalition meetings, homeowner selections, and fundraising events, so to be back in person was well overdue.   

 

For this Catholic Coalition Build Day, we were paired with volunteers from St. Timothy’s in West LA, each bringing 15.  We all met at the site of Isabel Villas in South LA, where eight homes are being built and scheduled for completion next year.  Two homes had already been framed, and the next few spots were readied. 

 

Our volunteers were a mix of new and familiar faces, and we had a nice time getting to know each other and those from St. Tim’s.  Habitat set out hard hats, gloves, and nail bags for everyone, and after taking a group photo, we gathered to receive our assignments for the day from the site supervisor, Mishelle.  It doesn’t matter whether you know what you’re doing or not, the Habitat crew members are there to help teach and guide you, so you are comfortable with your assignment.  And, if you are still uncomfortable, they are happy to find another task.  There is never a shortage of things to do on a build site.

 

Everyone came eager to get to work, and you could feel the energy of everyone out there – you could almost say it was “buzzing,” and I’m not referring to the power tools!  And, as the temperatures climbed higher, we took more water breaks and enjoyed the misters set up to keep everyone cool.  While the heat slowed some of us down (speaking for myself), it didn’t lower our spirits or determination to finish what we came to do. And, before we knew it, the day was over, but our hearts were full and eager to participate again.

 

We are looking to schedule another team build day early next year, but individual opportunities are detailed HERE if you want to volunteer on your own.  

 

See a family learn they’ve been selected, featuring co-chair Lorilynn:

Habitat LA and Catholic Coalition Surprise Family Homeowner Announcement. - YouTube

 

Want to make a gift?

If you'd like to make a gift to our Habitat ministry, click here. Select "Outreach and Pastoral Care in the designation menu and put "Habitat" in the comments box.

 

Angelus News Article: Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LA’s homeless crisis

We are honored to support the mission of Habitat for Humanity through our founding membership in the Habitat LA Catholic Coalition, created in 2014 as a way to demonstrate the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching by bringing Catholic churches, schools, and other organizations together to build hope and homes for families in need across greater Los Angeles.

 

Recently, the Coalition's efforts were featured in an Angelus News Article, with an interview with our very own Associate Director of Outreach and Pastoral Care, Christine Gerety!

 

You can read the full article by clicking the link below.

 

Thank you to our volunteers and sponsors who make our work through the Coalition a reality, even in the most difficult times. #StillStMonica 

 

“We can find no social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing.”
—Pope Francis, St. Patrick’s Church in Washington D.C.

 

Angelus News: Parishes partner with Habitat for Humanity to take on LA's homeless crisis

 

About

Our ministry sponsors team build days, typically one Saturday, two or three times a year between October and June, generally in the South LA/Long Beach area. Everyone is welcome to participate! No experience or special skill is necessary—Habitat will provide the tools, and you will receive any necessary construction guidance on the builds themselves.

 

We have also taken our volunteers on the road, building in other places serving families needing affordable housing, such as New Orleans (post-Hurricane Katrina), Isleta Pueblo, New Mexico, and Belfast, Northern Ireland.

 

Habitat for Humanity also operates ReStores, their version of a home improvement thrift store, where we volunteer.  It’s also a place where you can donate items, with the proceeds going toward the cost of building homes.

 

St. Monica’s has been a consistent supporter of Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA for over 15 years and was one of the founding parishes of the Catholic Coalition.  To help support all these efforts and those of the St. Monica Catholic Community in general, we host an annual community party and participate in parish events.

 

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity, visit habitat.org

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, visit https://www.habitatla.org/about-us/about-hfh-gla/

 

Past Events

 

 "Welcome Home!" Caravan Parade at Culver City Homes in Late May 2020

 

 

  Kaoru & one of her sons in front of their new home!!

 

We have exciting news!  Six of the Culver City homes that you helped to build have been completed, and the homeowners have moved in, including our friend Kaoru and her three sons!

 

To celebrate, Habitat LA hosted a safe & socially-distanced Caravan Parade on Saturday, May 30.  Several of our St. Monica Habitat volunteers were a part of the fun. Cars, festooned with balloons, posters & pom-poms lined-up at Vet's Memorial Park in Culver City, winding their way through the city to Globe Avenue, the location of six newly completed Habitat homes (with four additional homes under construction).

 

Driving past the beautiful homes, decorated by tons of balloons & thank-you posters, there was a wild and joyous frenzy: of horn-honking, waving from the drivers, and an enthusiasm matched by our new home owners and their families. The energy, smiles, hellos and happiness shared that day was enough to power a city for days!

 

We look forward to the completion of the additional four homes, and to what we know will be another joyous celebration!