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Looking Back: 18 Months of Growth and Gratitude In April 2024, I shared my hopes for the future of Mecosta County Habitat for Humanity as we celebrated the two-year anniversary of our quarterly newsletter. Now, with 18 months behind us, I’m amazed by how much we’ve accomplished, far more than I ever predicted! Back then, we were preparing to work with our new partner family, the Pledgers, and expected to close on their home by mid-summer 2024. For a variety of complex reasons, none due to our wonderful family or Mecosta Habitat, we finally closed in August 2025. Today, the Pledgers are happily settled in their home, preparing to celebrate their first Christmas there. Congratulations, Michelle, Jaden, and Maverick! During the next several months MSHDA launched the MI Neighborhood Program and MCHFH have successfully been awarded two different grants for our Critical Home Repair Program. The State of Michigan has invested funds to support low-income households to help the housing issues in the state of Michigan. MCHFH has served 11 households in the past year investing $154,000 in home repairs with these funds. These are the largest grants in our history for Critical Home Repairs and while they include modest administrative support, they are designated solely for that program. We still rely on community donations to sustain our other projects and build new homes. In short, we always depend on our community’s continued support. In August 2024, our board took a major step toward our five-year strategic goal: purchasing a permanent home for our ReStore and administrative offices. After much work, we purchased the former PT Plus building at 15200 220th Ave in Big Rapids, closing on September 23, 2024. Over the following months, we tackled architectural plans, township approvals, budgets, and contractor bids. Then, true to Habitat spirit, our volunteers jumped in and amazed us all. Their dedication saved countless hours and dollars, and by August 19, 2025, we proudly opened our new ReStore to the public! If you haven’t visited yet, we hope to see you soon. Looking back, I’m astonished by all we’ve achieved. None of it happened alone. Our small but mighty team made it possible to write complex grants while completing more than 120 Critical Home Repairs. Our Homeownership Program team pushed tirelessly to see families move in and celebrate home dedications together. Our board, volunteers, staff, and contractors turned our dream ReStore into a lasting legacy for Mecosta County Habitat.
We did it, y’all… the best team in the world in the happiest place in Mecosta County! This new ReStore, our growing programs, and every home we build together are part of our shared legacy. We’re kind of a big deal — because this community makes it possible. Thank you for all you do! Barbara Seabolt, Executive Director
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