About Us (Wausau Affiliate)

Our Beginning
Local citizens who were concerned about the housing problems in our area attended meetings in 1989 and organized a steering committee.

Substandard housing in the Wausau Area
where a family lived prior to partnering with
Habitat for Humanity of Wausau to build their own home.

Your donations and time make the difference
in helping families help themselves move into
acceptable housing situations like this one being
built in the Wausau area.

The steering committe group worked with Habitat for Humanity International and developed a set of bylaws in keeping with the principles of Habitat for Humanity. The group was recognized as an official affiliate, Habitat for Humanity of Wausau in July of 1990. As an affiliate we follow the philosophy and operation guidelines setup by Habitat for Humanity International, but operate as a separate entity. Each affiliate is registered with their state as a non-profit organization and completely responsible for funding and building homes in their area. Affiliates are governed by a local board of directors and operate through working committees.

What We Do
Habitat for Humanity of Wausau builds houses using volunteer labor and funds raised from the support of local businesses, churches, individual donors and fund-raising events. These houses are sold at no profit and no interest to a partner family chosen through a nondiscriminatory selection process. Partner families become 'Habitat Homeowners' after they have completed the required number of sweat equity hours. A small down payment of $250 is required, and the interest-free mortgage is held by our affiliate. Homeowners are required to make monthly mortgage payments which include home insurance. It should be noted that families are also paying municipal real estate taxes on their homes.

What is Sweat Equity?

Each partner family of Habitat for Humanity Wausau is required to complete a minimum of 300 hours of Sweat Equity. Our sweat equity policy includes hours of construction on the home, other Habitat homes, community service projects, financial counseling, and homeowner education courses.

Habitat has this requirement because we are a hand-up, not a hand-out. We want the family to develop a sense of ownership through hard work on their own home. Applicants who lack interest or motivation to help themselves are not viable candidates for our program.

Since our beginning Habitat for Humanity of Wausau has built 45 homes for families who have met all Habitat criteria. These homes have helped the families out of substandard housing, and expanded the tax base for the greater municipal Wausau area.

What is Habitat for Humanity of Wausau
doing right now?

We presently have four homes under construction. A unique partnership has been developed between Wausau Homes, three Wausau area high schools; Mosinee High School, Wausau East High School, and DC Everest High School, and Habitat for Humanity of Wausau, whereby the residential construction program students in the respective high schools each build a Habitat home during the school year at their high school.

With support provided by Wausau Homes for construction materials, upon completion of each home at the end of the school year, the homes are moved by WH Transportation to lots purchased and prepared by Habitat for Humanity of Wausau. The homes are then completed by local Habitat volunteers with assistance of the families.

This unique program is a “win-win” situation for all involved. The students gain experience and life-long skills in the construction trade program, and Wausau Area Habitat for Humanity is able to build more homes per year than otherwise possible, and as the late Mr. Marv Schuette CEO/Owner of Wausau Homes stated, “I believe in this program because of the exposure of students to construction processes. Who knows? They may even become Wausau Homes employees in the future.”

Find out more about Habitat for Humanity Wausau's Partner
Wausau Homes

The late Marv Schuette (right) of Wausau Homes

Executive Committee

• Ark Rhowmine – President
  
  
• Berland Meyer – Vice President
  
  
• Jamie Rice Heckendorf – Secretary
  
  
• DuWayne Kleinschmidt – Past President
  
  
• Chris Pfender - Member at Large

Board of Directors

• Chris Buzzell - Construction Committe

• Joanne Genrich - Family Selection Chairperson & ex-officio board member

• Lynn Grass – Volunteer Committee Co-Chairperson

• DuWayne Kleinschmidt - Volunteer Committee Co-Chairperson
& ex-officio executive committee member

• Berland Meyer – Vice President & Construction Division Chairperson

• Chris Pfender - Executive Committee & Finance Committee

• Ark Rhowmine - President

• Jamie Rice-Heckendorf - Secretary & Operations Division Chairperson

• Chuck Strek - Construction Committee

• Warren Torgerson - Construction Committee

• Karla Westcott - Deconstruction Chairperson

• David Wiegand - Construction Committee & Public Relations Co-Chairperson

Support Staff Members

• Tim Mytton – Construction Supervisor

• Jackie Giede – Office Manager

• Henry Osswald – Auction & Donation Pickup Manager

• Steve Martinson – Auction & Donation Pickup Assistant Manager

• Don Christiansen – Construction Committee

• Michael Erwin – Web Site Development & IT Support

• Thom Passow – Past President

Contact Us

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