The purpose of the
Family Support Committee of HFH Peconic is to uplift the Habitat
families, empower them, and work with the families as partners.
Before a family moves in, a sponsor is assigned to the family, usually
but not necessarily from the Support Committee. The family sponsor
works one-on-one with the home-buying family following family
selection. Sponsors are advocates, there to help. Some of the duties
might involve reviewing HFH expectations with the family, assisting
with transportation and child care, helping the family to understand
legal issues, assisting in design decisions, assisting in the move-in.
After the move-in, the family sponsor aids in adjusting to new
responsibilities and maintains a partnership on a continuing basis.
Pre-move-in, the committee monitors the hours of sweat equity that the
family is obligated to give, and it provides homeowner education as
needed in such areas as budgeting, savings, cleaning, maintenance,
repair, insurance, legal matters, and house closing. Post-move-in, the
committee monitors mortgage payments to see where help may be needed in
meeting monthly charges.