Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region Inc
Bring people together to provide and preserve affordable housing opportunities and create a community where all feel they belong.
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The fair housing shortage in the US persists due to various factors, including insufficient affordable housing supply, discriminatory practices, zoning regulations, and economic disparities. This results in limited access to safe and affordable housing for marginalized communities, exacerbating social inequalities. Efforts to address the issue of the fair housing shortage involve policy reforms, community initiatives, and increased investment in affordable housing programs to ensure fair and equitable access to housing for all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Homebuyer Program
Habitat for Humanity partners with low-income families to build/repair simple, decent, and affordable homes.
Habitat ReStore
The ReStore sells new and used home building materials and supplies. It is open to the public.
Critical Home Repair Program
Working with homeowners in their owner-occupied homes who struggle to maintain a safe and healthy home, critical home repairs are defined as extensive interior or exterior work performed to alleviate critical health, life and safety issues, or code violations for homeowners in need.
ReClaim Salvage Program
With the help from volunteers, we remove useable materials from homes and businesses being demolished or remodeled. The items collected are diverted from the landfill and are sold at the Habitat ReStore.
Sustainability Program
We are working to create vibrant, healthy communities in which people want to live. We believe that caring for the environment goes hand-in-hand with building quality housing. We envision a Driftless Region with healthy land, clean water, and resilient neighborhoods that can prosper for generations to come. We have a firm commitment to reducing waste and energy use across our programs.
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Habitate for Humanity Mid America 1992
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of people no longer living in unsafe or substandard housing as a result of the nonprofit's efforts
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Ethnic and racial groups, People with disabilities
Related Program
Homebuyer Program
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
Habitat for Humanity has significantly expanded its building capacity, progressing from approximately 1.5 houses constructed annually to now managing nine active construction projects.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
1. WE BUILD HOMES. This is what most people think of when they hear about Habitat for Humanity. With the help of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of volunteer hours, our organization builds 2-4 homes each year for income-eligible families in our area. Each family must contribute at least 350 sweat equity hours to help build their home and must pay for the home through a 30-year, 0% mortgage.
2. WE FIX HOMES. Many families struggle to make needed repairs on their homes. Through our Critical Home Repair program, we help 20-30 families complete emergency repairs on their homes, so they can stay in their homes and keep their families safe. Families must repay Habitat for the costs of the repairs through a 3-5 year, 0% interest loan.
3. WE REVITALIZE NEIGHBORHOODS. ReNEW La Crosse Neighborhoods (Revitalizing Neighborhood Empowerment With La Crosse Neighborhoods), is a partnership of neighbors and local organizations working together to make neighborhoods an even better place to live, work and play. ReNEW engage in home rehab and repairs, painting, new construction, weatherization, and help homeowners beautify their yard!
4. WE OPERATE A RESTORE. Open to the public, the Habitat ReStore is a unique retail outlet that enables you to buy the supplies you need for home or office renovation, remodeling, and decorating projects at a fraction of the cost. All proceeds from ReStore benefit the mission of the Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area. Materials in the store are donated from individual and business donors, and include such items as appliances, cabinetry, furniture, doors, flooring, hardware, HVAC, lighting and electrical, lumber, masonry, plumbing, flooring, home decor, windows, and more. Through the donation process, tons of materials are diverted from the landfill each year!
5. WE SALVAGE MATERIALS. With the help from volunteers, we remove useable materials from homes being demolished or remodeled. The items collected are diverted from the landfill and are sold at the ReStore.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Habitat collaborates with a variety of community partners to accomplish our goals, including the City of La Crosse, La Crosse County, local businesses, and other non-profit organizations. We receive funding and pool resources to develop projects which will best meet the needs of people in our communities.
We also operate a ReStore, which sells donated household and construction items, and which all profits are used to further Habitat's mission.
We count on the dedication of hundreds of volunteers donating thousands of hours of their time to construct our homes, operate our ReStore, and provide guidance to the organization.
We also county on our many donors, both monetarily and to our ReStore.
Finally, we receive funding from a variety of local, federal, and State resources.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Habitat for Humanity La Crosse Area has operated in the Coulee Region since 1992. Since then, we have built approximately two homes yearly for low-income families. Currently we are building 9 homes. We have helped hundreds of families with repairs on their homes. We have operated our ReStore for over 18 years. We are a low-income housing leader in our community, with staff, partnerships, donors, and volunteers who help us grow year after year.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Over the past few years, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region has undergone remarkable growth and expansion, significantly amplifying its impact on housing needs across multiple counties and even spanning into two states. Our organization has strategically broadened its reach, extending our services and programs to encompass a larger demographic of individuals and families in need.
Currently, we are actively involved in the construction of nine houses, demonstrating our commitment to providing affordable housing solutions to those facing economic hardships. Through these efforts, we strive to create safe and stable living environments that foster dignity and empowerment for our homeowners.
In addition to our direct housing initiatives, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region has also cultivated a strong presence within the advocacy community. By leveraging our voice and influence, we advocate for policies and initiatives that support affordable housing, working towards systemic change that benefits marginalized communities.
Furthermore, our organization has made significant strides in sustainability and environmental stewardship through the growth of our ReStore over the past 18 years. The ReStore serves as a vital resource for the community, offering affordable home goods and building materials while simultaneously diverting waste from landfills. This initiative aligns with our mission to promote sustainability and responsible stewardship of resources.
As a result of our dedication and collaborative efforts, Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region has emerged as a leader in low-income housing within our community. We prioritize partnerships with like-minded nonprofits, donors, and volunteers who share our vision of creating a world where everyone has a decent place to live. Together, we continue to strive towards fulfilling our mission and making a tangible difference in the lives of those we serve.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Habitat for Humanity of the Greater La Crosse Region Inc
Board of directorsas of 02/23/2024
Jim Szymalak
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
For a listing of the board of directors visit the website at www.habitatlacrosse.org
Varies
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 02/13/2024GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.