At a time when a safe and healthy home has never been more important, Habitat Humanitarians, designers and renovators Drew and Jonathan Scott joined Habitat For Humanity in Long Beach, California recently to lead a volunteer build.
Credit/Copyright: Annalise Kaylor/Habitat for Humanity International
Working alongside a future Habitat homeowner, the brothers also spoke out about how the COVID-19 pandemic has made the cause of building affordable homes more urgent than ever.
“Time and time again, we have seen the incredible impact of having a place to call your own,” said Drew Scott. “We are thrilled to return to a Habitat build site to help make that dream a reality for more families. Home has become the first line of defense against the pandemic, so it’s more important than ever to make sure more families have access to safe and healthy housing.”
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in 7 households in the U.S. — more than 17 million families — were paying half or more of their incomes on a place to live. The pandemic has only deepened these challenges for many, and a record shortage of affordable homes is locking out first-time and lower-income homebuyers.
The Scott brothers and other volunteers built alongside Kyla, who is in the process of purchasing her Habitat for Humanity home in Los Angeles. A Los Angeles-native, Kyla is studying for her MA in theology and plans to serve as a minister in her church.
While Habitat greatly limited volunteers on build sites during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the brothers were able to join Kyla and the volunteers on the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles build site with extensive safety precautions.
“Now, more than ever, Habitat for Humanity’s work is critical, and they need additional support to continue their mission of creating and improving homeownership opportunities,” said Jonathan Scott. “We invite those who are able to donate your time, money or skills to help families achieve their dreams of homeownership.”
After more than 15 years of volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, Drew and Jonathan Scott were named Habitat Humanitarians in 2017, the highest recognition offered by the organization. In this role, they volunteer on build sites, speak out for affordable housing and help fundraise so that more families can achieve their dreams of homeownership. Since being named Habitat Humanitarians, they have led builds in Nashville, Atlanta and now Long Beach, among other activities to support the leading global housing nonprofit.
