About us
If you have questions or need more information please contact us:
CHAD HANSEN
E: chad@edgewaterfellowship.org
P: 541.474.7172
WHAT IS HOMEBRIDGING?
THE HEART:
Sacred Scripture begins with God creating a beautiful home for humans and concludes with God recreating a beautiful home for humans. Additionally, when God rescues His people from slavery in Egypt and brings them to the Promise Land, He gives homes to his people and puts protection around these lands to ensure the land stays with the original owners. For example, land that was sold could be redeemed by a relative of the family at any time and if it wasn’t redeemed it would be returned to the original family in the year of jubilee. These measures provided poorer families with the opportunities to have a boost out of poverty through home ownership and prevented perpetual fiefdoms and servitude. The national laws of land ownership in ancient Israel demonstrate the wisdom of God and His desire for families to stay connected to the land for human flourishing. Interestingly, modern research has demonstrated how owning a home leads to flourishing. For example, parents that own homes have children with higher graduation rates and lower teenage pregnancy as well as the life management skills associated with owning a home are also passed on to their children. Additionally, home ownership has been linked to fewer behavioral problems in school and better social outcomes for these children. Home ownership has been shown to increase the quality of the surrounding community through social capital and home investments. Neighborhoods with high home ownership have a corresponding decrease in crime both in the homes but surprisingly, homeowners are less likely to be victims of violent crime. Finally, home ownership has been proven to have both physical and mental health benefits. Modern research is validating God’s eternal wisdom and care for people. Home Bridging is learning from the wisdom of Scripture and applying it to the culture of Josephine County.
THE GOAL:
HOW IT WORKS:
We begin by identifying a family that would benefit from HB. We have an application process to assess their need and their financial health. Mentors are used to set up a budget that must be followed for up to a year with a set amount saved over that time. During this time of mentoring, there will be an ongoing search for an affordable home. HB will look for homes that require physical repair and will use volunteers to repair the home for occupancy. There may be additional repairs that are required to be completed by the HB family so the home can be bank financed. The finances to purchase and repair the home will come from donor families. The donor families will be equal partners in an LLC for the home and will receive 5% on their investment equal to a 30 year loan.
I Pray this gives you a glimpse of Edgewater’s heart for the families of Grants Pass. If you have any questions or want to get involved be sure to reach out to us. We’d love to hear from you!