This document summarizes the origins and activities of My Habitat Clarkston, a community partnership in Clarkston, Michigan that was formed to address affordable housing needs. It discusses how multiple churches and community groups partnered with Habitat for Humanity to search for an affordable property. My Habitat Clarkston was established as a pilot program and engages volunteers in community service projects like home repairs, park cleanups, and disaster relief. It also works with Habitat for Humanity on home construction projects to provide affordable homeownership opportunities.

1. My Habitat
Clarkston

2. About three years ago,
Calvary Lutheran Church,
Clarkston Community
Church and St. Daniel’s
Catholic Church
partnered with Habitat
for Humanity of Oakland
County to search for a
local property for a
home build.
Multiple community
entities were then
gathered after months of
endless efforts to search,
search, search in the
Clarkston Community
School district for an
affordable property or
home refurbishment to
no avail.
Our Beginnings

3. What Habitat for Humanity
of Oakland County saw was this…
Pilot Project
Gathered around one table for the
benefit of their community!
Local Chamber
of Commerce
Public Schools Small Businesses Churches of All
Denominations
Community Bank

4. We were asked to be
a pilot project for Habitat

5. and, we accepted
the challenge!
My Habitat Clarkston
Honorary Chairperson
J. Grant Smith
Clarkston State Bank
President and CEO

6. MHC Original Steering Committee
Pastor Jonathon Heierman Calvary Evangelical Lutheran Church
Pastors Greg Henneman
and Dan Whiting Clarkston Community Church
Julie Nemeth Nemeth Marketing and St. Trinity Lutheran Church
Dr. Rod Rock Clarkston Community Schools
Tim Ruggles CEO, Habitat for Humanity of Oakland County
Gustina Sell Chase Plastics
Penny Shanks Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce
Stan Smokoska St. Daniel’s Catholic Church

7. So What Are We?
My Habitat Clarkston …
is a grassroots movement of Clarkston
and Davisburg-area residents,
community organizations, churches,
and businesses committed to building
a better “habitat” for all by
collaboratively and voluntarily
participating in community-based
service projects, both big and small.

8. Our vision is that no
member of our community
will be without resources
to serve or be served.
Our Vision

9. Non-Profits Schools Churches
Service Groups Scouts
Placemaking (Regional Effort)
Placemaking is a multi-faceted approach to the planning, design and
management of public spaces. Placemaking capitalizes on a local
community’s assets, inspiration, and potential, ultimately creating good public
spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well being.
VOLUNTEER CLEARINGHOUSE
Service Projects

10. We Serve

11. We Serve
Fall and
Spring
Impact Days
for two years
running
600 to 1,100
volunteers in
the community
serving each
Sunday
FALL
SPRING
IMPACT
DAYS
Approximately
$120K–$150K
Economic Impact

12. Schools
Partner with each school’s PTA and
maintenance personnel to clean up
yards/flower beds etc.

13. Parks
We’ve restained Bay Court Park playground
equipment and 40 township picnic tables
before the summer season!

14. Yard Work
For Seniors and the Homebound

15. DRAW Buckets
Fill disaster relief buckets
with supplies at the
DRAW warehouse.

16. Service
Impact
Hunger
Sorting,
packing, and
delivering
donated
meals to our
neighbors-in-
need.
Kids Against
Hunger
Package
meals for
Kids Against
Hunger at
Clarkston High
School
Cafeteria.
Canines
for Christ
Take your
people and
pet friendly
dog to visit
local nursing
homes!
Letter Writing
to Soldiers
Write a letter
to a soldier!
All ages
welcome!
Tie Blankets
Make blankets
for children at
St. Joseph
Mercy
Hospital.
Donations
of fleece
appreciated.

17. Critical Home Repairs
We replaced the shingles
on the home of an 89-
year-old Independence
Township widow, who
also is a two-time cancer
survivor.
We found donations and
replaced a brick front
walk with a wider
concrete walk for a
homebound MS patient.

18. We Build

19. We Build…
Homes, Community and Hope
In partnership with Habitat
for Humanity of Oakland
County (HFHOC), we assist
with home builds or
refurbishments as they are
identified by their full-time
staff.
My Habitat Clarkston
steering committee
members assist in the
fundraising, special events,
volunteer coordination, gift
in-kind contributions for
HFHOC home projects.

20. If the State takes no action
on tax-foreclosed, no
mortgage properties, the
township treasurer is notified
of the township’s second
right of refusal and has a
few days to decide if there
is a public purpose for the
property and notify
Oakland County of the
township’s intent to
purchase the property for
the price of all delinquent
taxes and fees.
Independence Township
Collaboration:
If township finds a public
purpose, the county is
notified of intent and
township pays the county
and receives a Treasurers’
Deed to the property.
Township can then work
with a charity—such as
Habitat Oakland—to
determine if there is a good
opportunity to rehab the
property. If there is an
opportunity, the township
can sell the property to the
charity for township’s costs.

21. Habitat Oakland
Top 3 Take-Aways
We don’t give away homes…
Homeowners assume a no-profit mortgage at
closing and work 300 hours on their own home.
It’s about the families…
dignity, empowerment
We share God’s love by building
homes, community, and hope…
1
2
3

23. Partner Family
Shannon Chatman,
social worker,
Army and
Army National
Guard veteran,
and her children
Isabelle, Johannah,
and Chance.
“Finally having a safe, secure, and stable home
to raise my family will give me peace of mind and set
my children on the path to success.”

24. Recognition

25. Community
May 2014
Clarkston
Community
Award
for
Community
Collaboration
to
entire
My Habitat
Clarkston
Steering
Committee

26. National
September 2014
MHC Steering
Committee Member,
Julie Nemeth, was
nominated and
awarded the
honorary title of
NBA Detroit Pistons’
Game Changer for
her work with My
Habitat Clarkston.

27. International
October 2014
Habitat International selected
our Springfield Township build
site as the location of a
surprise visit from the country
rock duo Florida Georgia Line.
The duo came and built
with our steering committee
on October 10 as we raised
the walls together as a
community.
www.floridageorgialine.com/fglhighlights-from-
detroit-mi-day-1-thedirtcampaign/

28. Habitat in the Park
Friday,
July 24, 2015
2nd Annual
Habitat in
the Park
Depot Park,
Downtown
Clarkston

29. Log on to www.clarkston.org,
scroll down to this icon and register
to be notified of volunteer
opportunities.
www.habitatoakland.org/
my-habitat-clarkston
Connect with Us!

30. Generously donated by:
Nemeth Marketing
&