Inflation is causing problems for pretty much anything you can think of, and that includes nonprofits in Arkansas like the Habitat for Humanity.
BENTON, Ark. — We all know that inflation has impacted essentially every part of our daily lives–from gas to groceries, there isn’t much that hasn’t been affected already.
One thing that you may have not considered though, are nonprofits. Organizations like the Habitat for Humanity are already feeling that impact.
“It costs us more to build a house, and that’s our mission is just to build a house,” Stephanie Griffin, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Saline County, said.
Griffin is in the business of helping people, but unfortunately that hasn’t been easy recently.
“We get to hear some of the success stories: ‘I was able to put my two daughters through college because I had an affordable mortgage through Habitat,'” she said.
Griffin helps build homes for low income individuals, who then buy the homes with no interest. The only problem – they cost a lot more than before.
“Instead of them having a $75,000 mortgage, they’re gonna have a $90,000 mortgage. So it’s tougher on everybody, starting with us, and then we have to trickle that effect down as well,” she said.
Part of the reason for that is the building materials. While they have donors for some pieces, there’s one that’s much more expensive than the rest– lumber.
“When is it gonna come down?” Troy Hunter, President of Whit Davis Lumber Plus in Jacksonville said. “If I had the answer to that question, we’d be on a beach somewhere talking about this.”
Prices have dropped from the sky-high levels that were seen during last year’s summer, but they’re still more expensive than usual.
For example, we can take a look at OSB, a plywood alternative. A 4×8 sheet is selling somewhere in the mid $20 range today, and this time last year it was at $52. Pre-pandemic it was just $7.
“That’s the most difficult part is they come to us for solutions. We don’t have solutions,” Hunter said. “We have the material they need, we don’t have the cheap solution that they need.”
So while the end of inflation isn’t in sight, Griffin said they won’t let it slow them down. Regardless of prices, they’ve still got people to help.
“We’re still making the opportunity for affordable homeownership possible for those that otherwise it wouldn’t be possible, especially in this day and time with the rising cost,” Griffin said.
Griffin said they still need donors. If you’d like to donate, you can visit their website here.
