Faith Partners
…building community
…building relationships
…building homes

Faith is the cornerstone of a two-house Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity build in 2007, on the 800 block of North Washington Street and the 100 block of N. Bradford.  Communities from the Christian, Jewish and Islamic faiths will partner together to Build on Faith Peace by Piece while renovating two homes and transforming a community lot (which began in April).   This project will be part of a first ever Inter-faith build in Baltimore involving Christians, Jews and Muslims. Together these faith partners will act on their calling to make a difference in this world and provide a safe place for two families to live in East Baltimore.  

This type of partnership is unique for our area.  While several groups provide conversation between various faiths, none have moved that one step further to having those who have talked, then work side by side to make a difference in the lives of families in need in Baltimore City.

Pre-Events and work set the backdrop for the build

The Interfaith Build is guided by a Steering Committee (made up of members from each partner organization) which has been meeting bi-monthly since November 2006 and will continue through the completion of the build in Winter 2008.  This Steering Committee planned pre-build events that invited partners to join in dialogue to help understand each other’s faith before working side by side to renovate the houses.  Partnering with Civic Works, another area nonprofit, and neighborhood residents, volunteers are currently redeveloping a community lot in the neighborhood bringing a green space of contemplation and rest in the midst of this neighborhood.  

The goal of this year long commitment is to build relationships and understanding within the partner organizations as we work together to build two homes.  Those relationships have been built as individuals from the partner organizations studied and learned about each others’ faith, and interacted in informal settings.  We have involved people of all ages in the pre-build and the community lot development, because the onsite construction of the house is limited to older youth and adults.  The pre-events included a college dialogue night, a high school mixer, two days of studying readings from all three faiths, and then working on the lot, and three weekends where partners opened their places of worship to others, so that we might experience how each other worships.  The Steering Committee developed a Faith Resource Manual outlining the basic beliefs of the three Abrahamic faiths and a book of prayers, readings and devotions from all three faiths. Our ultimate mission, through all these activities, is to build community, relationships and homes.

Fundraising continues

Currently, we are working on raising the funds to support this project.  In Baltimore City, the cost of renovating a home is approximately $100,000. One of the two homes will be financed through a no-interest loan from Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore.  The other home is being funded by the partners with the help of local foundations and individual donors.  We have raised over 75% of the funds needed and are still seeking financial partners who believe that this is a viable endeavor and want to ensure that all faith partners can participate.  Once the finances are in place for the second house, we will be able to begin construction on it as well.

Fund Raising Aids:

Build a House a Piece at a Time:  Click here to learn more about how your members can "purchase" things they may need to complete their house and can contribute to our overall fund raising goal.

Peace by Piece T-shirts with our awesome logo (created by a Loyola college student) are on sale for $10.  half of that will go directly to support our project.  To purchase a shirt, come to the Chesapeake Habitat office, 3326 Keswick Road.

For more information on being a supporter of this exciting “put your faith into action” effort, contact Jayna Powell (410) 366-1250 or email Jayna@chesapeakehfh.org.

For more information on Interfaith Build click here.

To read articles about our Interfaith Build, click here.  

Click here to read Interfaith feature article "Beyond Belief" in Habitat World.