Habitat, Tindell work with local families

It may be too late to think about tax deductions for 2015, but now is the time to begin to think about the possibility of what can be used for tax deductions in 2016.

A good tax deduction can be helpful to some, but others are just struggling to make ends meet from day to day. The most basic wish for almost everybody is to have their own home, but this is practically impossible for a good many of our neighbors.

Brewton is blessed with many different charitable organizations that answer the needs of many, and one of those organizations is Habitat for Humanity.

Lisa Tindell is the executive director for the Escambia County Habitat for Humanity.

“We are always seeking funding for the homes that we build,” Tindell said.

“One of the best ways we do that is with ReStore. We get the whole purchase price for Habitat when donated articles are sold and a good percentage of what we buy to sell. There is no tax on what we sell, so the customer gets a good deal and we get funds with which to operate.”

Tindell encourages all to stop by the store and see the merchandise.

“This is the main way we get funds to build the homes we do,” she said of sales at the Habitat ReStore. “Come look around and see what all they have available from flooring to furniture.”

Tindell said Habitat takes many more applications than they have the money to build.

“We are hoping to implement a “Brush with Kindness” program this spring,” Tindell said. “Instead of taking on a house build, we are taking applications to do smaller jobs, such as roof leaks, rotted floors and other smaller jobs. I am constantly finding people are dealing with the most basic of problems, which most of us don’t even think about.”

Tindell said Habitat is also hoping to build a house during the fall, but they do plan to have several fundraisers before then.

“We are also going to try to get some grant money, but there just isn’t enough of it to go around,” she said.

Tindell was born and raised in the Brewton area. She graduated from W.S. Neal High School and married her high school sweetheart. They lived in Atmore for 14 years where she got into the newspaper and radio business, working for The Atmore News Journal, The Atmore Advance and The Brewton Standard. She took the job as executive director of Habitat in 2015.

“I have always loved Habitat and think it’s a great organization,” she said. “I have even been out to the builds to volunteer and to cover for the newspaper.

“I had no idea just how many families need the help we give in order for them to own a home,” she said. “I also want to remind the public that these homes are not free to the families that get them. The homeowners make payments on their homes and have to put in some ‘sweat hours’ too.”