Habitat delays community project due to pandemic
By Angie Landsverk
Habitat for Humanity’s Rock the Block event scheduled early next month in Waupaca is postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Despite this, we remain committed to completing 30 residential projects for the families in Waupaca as soon as we can safely do so,” the Waupaca Rock the Block Committee wrote in a letter shared last week.
Rock the Block was supposed to take place in Waupaca from May 7-9.
The program helps low income homeowners make improvements to the exteriors of their properties.
Homeowners and volunteers work together to transform neighborhoods.
“We plan to complete all projects identified as part of Rock the Block,” said Ryan Roth.
He is the community development director of the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity.
In addition to the 30 residential projects, eight community projects are planned, Roth said.
“Subcontractors are working to complete exterior projects as allowed by the state. Once Habitat operations reopen, staff will work to complete residential projects. They will continue to monitor the situation to decide when it will be safe for volunteers to return to worksites,” the committee said.
Roth said the exact volunteer need is not known, but will be shared when it is.
Conversations to bring Rock the Block to Waupaca began about 1 1/2 years ago, he said.
“Chris Anthony and Tim Neuville really started and led this effort to make it happen,” Roth said.
About $300,000 of the $400,000 cost was raised by last August.
Habitat for Humanity reached out to the entire city with a mailing, and informational meetings took place at the public library last September for those interested in participating in it.
“We talked to people,” Roth said. “Then we knocked on doors in older neighborhoods.”
Most of the planned residential projects are in the downtown area, he said.
This spring, Habitat for Humanity began reaching out to different sponsors in the community for volunteers.
“Waupaca has been very generous,” Roth said.
A total of $400,000 was expected to be raised for the project.
13 prior Rock the Block communities
When Rock the Block takes place in Waupaca, it will be the local Habitat’s 14th outreach into a community.
Roth said the organization is “excited to be coming to Waupaca and working with the city.”
Work will continue in the community after Rock the Block is held.
“We plan to do an additional five home repair projects,” he said. “Investment will continue years and years to come.”
Habitat for Humanity also buys and rehabs properties.
“We will be looking to do that and/or build new construction,” Roth said.
Through Rock the Block, Habitat identified homes in need of additional home repair work and hopes to reach out to them, he said.
Taking Rock the Block to smaller communities is new.
“We have gone to Brillion,” Roth said. “Smaller communities see good results. They (Brillion) reached out to us, as did Waupaca.”
He said they survey neighborhoods after Rock the Block projects take place in them.
Ninety percent say they saw improvements in their neighborhoods, he said.
“It takes all neighbors coming together,” Roth said.
He said Habitat is seeing results in the 13 neighborhoods where it has already taken Rock the Block.
“We’re excited to see that in Waupaca,” Roth said. “Waupaca has a lot of special things going for it. We’re excited to be part of it and build on it.”