We built a house in (fewer than) 9 days and helped tens of thousands of Iowans connect with Habitat’s mission at the Iowa State Fair Build.

You helped us advocate successfully for new funding to support down payment assistance, home preservation, and new construction, benefiting thousands of Iowans for years to come.

We began the renovation process at 95 University Avenue, which will provide better opportunities to serve our partners and a new home for GDM Habitat’s headquarters.

Habitat’s new Mortgage Readiness model increases access to credit and provides an individualized plan and hope to more Central Iowans.

We created the Lending Services Team, a group dedicated to connecting more Central Iowans than ever before with affordable homeownership.

We reflected on our global housing engagement through a special Taste the World event and celebrated more than $3.3 million in lifetime contributions to our Habitat partners in El Salvador, Nepal, and Malawi.

Construction services innovated a streamlined accessibility ramp construction process – a “Ramp in a Box” – and piloted a new construction internship, helping add efficiency and capacity to our build teams.

Formerly known as the Rock the Block^® home repair program, GDM Habitat’s Home Preservation Program broke new ground in 2022. Finishing the year with a total of 286 completed repairs, the program had its most productive year on record. Team members innovated to serve homeowners more effectively and efficiently, surpassing the 2021 total by more than 100 additional repairs.

A new “Ramp in a Box” technique has revolutionized the creation of accessibility ramps for homeowners. The ramps are constructed in modular sections at Habitat’s headquarters, then installed on site to suit the needs of the homeowner. Not only is this method a time saver, it’s also less disruptive for homeowners.

Learn more about the Home Preservation Program.

The pounding of hammers and the scream of chop saws are the traditional soundtrack of a Habitat build site. This summer, though, we added the roar of powerful engines and the shrieks of thrillseekers as our team built a complete home at the Iowa State Fair. Nestled between tractor pulls and the Thrill Zone, hundreds of volunteers joined the construction team to hammer out a 1,158-square foot home in fewer than nine days.

As the home progressed, GDM Habitat and Habitat of Iowa staff greeted thousands of State Fair visitors who stopped by the build to learn about the house and Habitat’s work. Senators Grassley and Ernst, Governor Reynolds, Representatives Axne and Miller-Meeks visited the build site, and dozens of state legislators visited the build site to learn about Habitat and the ways in which the state and federal goverments can and do support affordable homeownership. To wrap up the exceptional week, thousands more Fairgoers toured the completed home on the final Saturday and Sunday.

After the concerts quieted, the Skyglider motors stopped turning, and the Craft Beer Tent poured its last pint, GDM Habitat staff returned to the site to guide the house to its foundation just blocks away by truck. After work completed, we gathered once more to celebrate Mei and Ming, the proud new homeowners of this blue ribbon build.

Learn more about the Iowa State Fair Build:

• Watch the Iowa PBS coverage of the Iowa State Fair Build
• Check out the Des Moines Register’s front-page coverage of the Build
• View a gallery of our best photos from the Iowa State Fair Build

Of the 22 households served with critical repairs through our Home Preservation Program in Dallas County…

• 5 households had windows or doors replaced
• 6 households had their roof repaired or replaced
• 3 households had their siding repaired or replaced
• 6 households received HVAC, plumbing, and/or electrical repairs
• and 9 households received accessibility modifications, such as the addition of an accessibility ramp, grab bars, or a step-in tub

Of the 14 households served with critical repairs through our Home Preservation Program in Jasper County…

• 3 households had windows or doors replaced
• 3 households had their roof repaired or replaced
• 4 households received HVAC, plumbing, and/or electrical repairs
• and 5 households received accessibility modifications, such as the addition of an accessibility ramp, grab bars, or a step-in tub

Dallas County Steering Committee

• Trace Schmitt (Perry)
• Cheryl Prall (Dallas Center)
• Tod Ellis (Adel)
• Ned Menke (Perry)
• Charis Paulson (Adel)
• Andrea Brownlee (Perry)
• Todd Jones (Granger)
• Brad Sporrer (Clive)

Jasper County Steering Committee

• Bruce Showalter (Newton)
• Sue Nolin (Newton)
• Floyd Davis (Newton)
• Tiff Williams (Newton)
• Mark Lageveen (Lynnville)
• John Schultz (Sully)
• Daryn Williams (Newton)

More than 160 Builders Circle members gave gifts of $2,500 or more in 2022. Why? Because they understand the need for safe, decent, and affordable homeownership. Together, these donors put their values into action, contributing to make sure every mortgage and every repair is affordable for the Central Iowans who partner with Habitat.

Builders Circle members celebrate the completion of the Iowa State Fair Build

Embracing the vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live, GDM Habitat magnifies the impact of our local work through global giving and events that connect our staff, volunteers, and donors to Habitat’s work outside the United States.  Last year, GDM Habitat was ranked #14 among U.S.Habitat affiliates for contributions to our global partners.

During 2022, we built on our tradition of financial support for Habitat’s global work. We celebrated achieving the $3 million lifetime giving milestone and topped $3.3 million in lifetime giving by the end of the year – more than enough to help 750 families outside the U.S.!

The majority of GDM Habitat’s global giving and the entire fiscal year 2022 contribution of $392,650 benefitted families served by Habitat in El Salvador, Malawi, and Nepal – countries where we have developed strong relationships. Pre-pandemic, we regularly sent Global Village volunteer teams on week-long service trips to these areas. (We launched our first GV trip in 2017 and completed our 24^th trip in January 2020.)

While trips have been paused for three years, GDM Habitat staff communicate regularly with our global partners and stay updated regarding their work. We provide opportunities for volunteers with interest in Habitat’s global work to engage in a variety of ways. In 2022, we celebrated World Habitat Day on October 3 by hosting a Taste the World dine-and-learn event (see photos). This event featured delicious food inspired by each of the three countries where we have partnerships, along with personal stories from Habitat’s staff, volunteers, and a homeowner family highlighting the intersections between our local and global work.