Maniacs Give Back: Habitat for Humanity

In May, PostcardMania partnered with the nonprofit, Habitat for Humanity, to help provide a home for a family in need. Habitat for Humanity exists to address the lack of affordable housing in the United States by mobilizing local volunteers to build homes for individuals who need financial support. A team of 8 maniacs helped put on the finishing touches on a house by painting, cleaning, and completing other tasks. Learn more about this partnership by reading this article.

Habitat for Humanity International started in 1976 to address the lack of affordable housing. The problem has persisted for decades and has in many areas worsened over time. Currently, the economic environment in the United States has only made the housing crisis worse. The cost of housing has risen much faster than the average incomes of many families.

According to the 2023 State of the Nation’s Housing report, we are at record unaffordability and near record housing shortages, as well as massive barriers to first-time home ownership. Harvard’s JCHS said the estimated housing payments — including mortgage, insurance, and property tax — needed to purchase a median-priced home in the U.S. reached $3,000 a month in March of 2023, pricing out 2.4 million more renters from homebuying than the previous year. The estimated annual income needed to afford median homeownership also rose 20% to $117,000, while many members of the community (primarily minorities) are earning less than $30,000 a year.

Not only are families struggling to afford housing, but the supply of homes for sale also remains at near-record lows, and shortages are greatest for lower-priced homes. Rising land prices, high cost of materials, and zoning restrictions also make it more difficult for both for-profit and non-profit home builders to build affordable houses.

Habitat for Humanity’s vision is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. The organization fights to eliminate substandard housing locally and worldwide through constructing, rehabilitating, and preserving homes. Further, Habitat for Humanity advocates for fair and just housing policies and provides training and access to resources to help people improve their shelter conditions.

Since the Hillsborough County section of Habitat for Humanity started in 1987, homeowner applicants and community volunteers have built more than 200 homes for those in need. Anyone who wants to pick up a hammer and help build a home is welcome to participate regardless of their religion, political affiliation, age, gender, or race.

On May 2, 2024, a group of 8 PostcardMania employees volunteered and helped complete the finishing touches on a brand-new home for a deserving family. The volunteers included CEO and Founder Joy Gendusa, President Melissa Bradshaw, Chief Marketing Officer Sarah Kicinski, Vice President of Digital Marketing Products and Services Tom Chrzanowski, Chief Experience Officer Jackie Payson Wirsing, and staff members Andrea Hawi, Felicia Vazquez, and Ruben Zegarra.

The group painted, cleaned, and detailed the home to prepare it for the final ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“It was a very rewarding experience to be a part of completing the final touches on a home for someone in need,” CEO and Founder Joy Gendusa said. “Giving back to our community is one of our greatest passions and priorities at PostcardMania. It feels good knowing that someone has a comfortable home now as a result of all of our hard work and the countless hours volunteers have dedicated over the past few months. I highly recommend more people work with Habitat for Humanity since it is such a wonderful organization to partner with.”