Pillars is Paying It Forward

2024 Homebuyer, Brittany, has been a long-time volunteer of 13 years at Pillars – an organization committed to providing support and shelter for those experiencing homelessness or facing housing insecurity. After years of volunteering her time and dedication to their organization, Pillars staff had the opportunity to pay it forward to Brittany and volunteer on the Habitat build site of her soon-to-be home.

To see a short recap of Pillars day on-site, click the video below!

Brittany and her brother Bradley currently live in an apartment that’s far away from family and lacks accessibility to basic needs, such as a grocery store. They are unable to drive, so they’re forced to brave the Wisconsin weather while they wait for their ride. After finding out about Habitat, they decided to apply and were filled with instant gratitude when finding out they had been accepted. Throughout the challenges Brittany has faced in her life, she has continued to make it a priority to give back to others in any way that she possibly can.

Brittany’s volunteer journey began 13 years ago when she served a meal with her church. That experience showed Brittany how strong her passion was to help others. A year after that first volunteer experience, Brittany began volunteering at Pillars on a regular basis in a variety of roles – covering the front desk, maintaining the cleanliness of the lobby, processing and labeling donations, creating client intake packages, and more! Throughout her time at Pillars, Brittany has been able to get to know and grow personal relationships with the staff. Seeing them take the time to help on her home meant so much to her.

“It makes me feel good to know that I’m actually helping the people that are struggling, and it shows me that I should be happy with what I do have… because you never know when something is going to just go away.

It means a lot to me to have Pillars here. It’s hard to describe how much it means to me in words. Pillars does a lot for me as a volunteer, and for other people, and it just makes me feel good. The people they serve deserve so much.”

– Brittany, 2024 Habitat Homebuyer

For the families both Pillars and Habitat serve, a safe place to live often feels too far out of reach – and without a home, stability can feel like an uphill battle. Both Pillars and Habitat for Humanity share the common goal of addressing housing challenges within the community.

Fox Cities Habitat had the opportunity to partner with Pillars back in December for a cookie decorating event. While Fox Cities Habitat focuses on making homeownership accessible through programs like our Homebuyer Program, Pillars specializes in offering immediate support and shelter for those in immediate need. Together, our organizations are able to address both the long-term goal of stable homeownership and the immediate need for shelter, creating a more accessible solution to combat the housing crisis in the Fox Cities community. When we combine efforts, we can welcome even more families home. Thank you, Pillars, for all that you do and for taking the time to support Brittany!

To support our efforts of providing safe and affordable housing for families across the Fox Cities, please visit our donate and volunteer pages!

“Pillars and Habitat for Humanity know how difficult the road to stability can be. It’s really inspiring to see our two organizations come together again to address the housing needs in our community. We’re really thrilled to be here and we’re so proud and happy for Brittany and Bradley.”

– Alona Boots, Pillars Development Manager

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