Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County depends on community volunteers and sweat equity from the homeowners to build the houses. (Photo by Adela Crandell Durkee/for Chronicle Media)

Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County is making a wonderful life for many in need in the county.

Just like in the famous Christmas movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the purpose of Habitat is to “give a hand up, not a hand out,” said Jerry Monica, the director of Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County. “Yes, people really do show up with a loaf a bread, a bottle of wine, and salt, to welcome their new Habitat neighbors.”

HFHMC is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. The organization strives to change the systems that lead to poverty housing and build communities where everyone can afford to live. HFHMC works with partners throughout the community, including businesses, nonprofits, government entities, civic organizations, and the faith community. Their goal is to put shelter on the hearts and minds of people in such a powerful way that poverty housing and homelessness become socially, politically, and religiously unacceptable.

HFHMC dedicated its last two homes for 2015 in early December, bringing the total number of homes to nine, falling just short of Monica’s goal for the year. Since the housing crash, HFHMC found it made more sense to rehab and bring some foreclosed homes up to current code. “We just thought that was better stewardship. Some neighborhoods were devastated, with as many as five properties in one neighborhood foreclosed.”

HFHMC helps with repairs, if people have trouble and they also provide a financial literacy program. Anyone who applies can go through the program at HFHMC’s expense.

“It dawned on us a few years ago, that many people coming out of the rental system, know little about budgeting and maintenance. They’ve been living paycheck to paycheck.” With no discretionary funds, many people are unable to save.

According to Monica, it’s very expensive and difficult to rent in McHenry County, with rents averaging about  $1,088 per month.

HFHMC’s average mortgage is $300/mo; add insurance and taxes and the total monthly expenditure is around $700. With homeownership, comes responsibility for upkeep and repairs. The financial literacy program helps homeowners prepare for their future expenses.

HFHMC depends on community volunteers and sweat equity from the homeowners. Monica’s position is one of the few paid positions.

“I didn’t come to work here to get rich,” laughs Monica.

Laid off during the economic downturn five years ago, Monica said he traded a higher paying job for “currency of the soul.”

According to Monica, Habitat for Humanity is the largest homebuilder in America. In HFHMC’s 20 years, there have been no foreclosures.

“The delinquency rate is less than 7 percent; commercial lenders expect 35-40 percent,” he said.

Monica believes it’s partly because the homeowners “have skin in the game.”

Every adult 18 years old or older, who will be living in the house, must spend 100 hours working at a Habitat build site. Sometimes it’s their own home, and sometimes it’s someone else’s home. They must also contribute another 150 hours of “general volunteerism” in the county.

They may volunteer in HFHMC’s Restore (a secondhand furniture and appliance store),  BraveHearts, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, or any other local volunteer organization. In most cases, the homeowner gets the requirement fulfilled before they move into the home.

HFHMC advocates for affordable housing any way it can.

“There’s a lot of misunderstanding in the local communities,” said Monica. “People suffer from NIMBYism (Not in my back yard).”

Monica points to the loss of population McHenry County suffered since the economic downturn in 2010.

“We’ve lost so many people because they can’t afford to live here.”

Habitat for Humanity has a state organization in Springfield to support bills and a group in Washington D.C. to do same thing. Monica visits village boards to point out the importance of affordable housing to the community.

HFHMC envisions a community where everyone has a safe and decent place to live and housing poverty and homelessness are eliminated. According to its website, HFHMC believes that the home is a key catalyst in helping to permanently break the cycle of poverty.

From Monica’s front-porch perspective, “There’s no better feeling than to say ‘welcome home and give those keys to a new homeowner.’”

— It’s a wonderful life at Habitat for Humanity —