Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity serves a four-county area — Chittenden, Franklin, Grand Isle, and Lamoille — with a population of over 247,000 residents.
Known for its iconic fall foliage, rolling countrysides, thriving arts community, and the beautiful shores of Lake Champlain — the area from Grand Isle to Stowe to Burlington is an incredible pocket of the United States to call home. It has a long history of hard work. From farms to factories, and now technology and tourism, our little corner of Northwest Vermont has always been a place where families could make an honest living.
But, over the past few years, the cost of living has increased rapidly without a similar growth in wages. This wage gap has devastated many of the people we know as our neighbors and friends. To rent a modest, two-bedroom apartment in the area, renters need to make $23.40 an hour, far exceeding the minimum wage of $12.55.
Those most impacted by this affordable housing crisis are our workers: the restaurant employees, hospitality staff, agricultural workers, and small business owners who fuel our way of life. These are the people who drive our economic growth, shape our children, and support our communities.
Green Mountain Habitat is on a mission to help those most in need of affordable housing build a better life for themselves and their children. Families who partner with Habitat build their own homes alongside volunteers, pay an affordable mortgage, and are grateful for the community’s support.
Source: GISGeography.com