On January 28, Wichita Habitat for Humanity’s incredible staff, board members, and dedicated volunteers joined forces with four other Habitat affiliates across Kansas for Habitat for Humanity Kansas’ 3^rd annual Dome Day at the State Capitol in Topeka. We spent the day advocating for affordable housing solutions.

As a united front, we highlighted the critical need for more accessible and affordable housing options in our communities, emphasizing Habitat’s need for funding and support while looking at policy changes and collaborations. We engaged with key state leaders, including Lt. Governor David Toland, the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, and other important stakeholders.

By raising awareness about Habitat’s vital work and building strong relationships with our legislators, we can help secure funding for our ongoing housing initiatives. We are committed to expanding our reach and impact, and Dome Day was a crucial step in making that happen.

Thank you to everyone who attended Dome Day, especially those who met with the Habitat representatives, and thank you to Habitat for Humanity Kansas for hosting this impactful day!

Navigating the Federal Funding Freeze Updates

We understand that on the evening of January 28, a U.S. spending freeze was set to take effect, though a federal judge temporarily blocked part of this effort. While there are other executive orders seriously impacting many nonprofit organizations in the United States and globally, there’s several questions to be asked and concerns about our ability to deliver our work in partnership with the communities we serve.

Wichita Habitat for Humanity is diligently working to understand the potential impacts of these directives and their implications on the range of programs that affect many of the federal funding programs that support its mission to build and repair homes for low-income families in need. The federal dollars are crucial to our organization’s work to address the affordable housing crisis in our community, especially when they are vital to other local affiliates.

At this time, our local affiliate is not immediately impacted by these orders as they pertain to funding. However, we understand that other affiliates, who may be expecting federal reimbursements for their projects, may be affected. We remain prayerful for a swift resolution that minimizes disruption to the vital work of Habitat for Humanity across the country.

Advocacy doesn’t start with Habitat, it starts with you. Your voice and your actions are crucial in creating a world where everyone has a decent place to call home. We encourage all to continue to stay engaged and educated on these updates to gain clarity and understanding of this topic. There is much uncertainty in the affordable housing sector, which Habitat has long navigated.

If you have questions, insights from conversations with legislators, or other important impacts on homeowners and our ongoing work to share, please keep us informed. This will help staff members who advocate for federal funding engage with lawmakers on the impact these funds have on the lives of families, especially during Habitat on the Hill, Habitat’s annual legislative conference in Washington, D.C.