H

amm

er T

ime

HA

BB

ITA

T F

OR

HU

MA

NIT

Y O

F U

TA

H C

OU

NT

Y

November 2013 N e w s

RESTORING PROVO’S HISTORY Habitat for Humanity of Utah County is work-ing to “restore Provo’s history” by renovating and restoring the run-down, historic George Taylor, Jr. home in downtown Provo. With help from CRSA Architects, Provo’s Land-mark’s Commission, and the Utah Heritage Foundation, Habitat plans to renovate the ille-gal duplex and turn it back into a single fam-ily, owner-occupied residence maintaining its historic significance, and sell it to a low-income family with children in need of safe and affordable housing in our community. The home will be highlighted in the 2014 Parade of Homes. The well-known home, located at 187 North 400 West, is on the National Register of Historic Places and was built by George Taylor, Jr. in the 1880’s. George Taylor, Jr. was the son of George Taylor Sr. who founded the Taylor furniture store in 1866, which was the first furniture store in Provo. The business became incorporated in 1890 as the Taylor Brothers Company. As the corporation grew, Taylor Brothers Company became the first big department store in Provo. Funding is still needed to complete the important restoration project. Donate today at www.habitatuc.org/donate (select George Taylor, Jr. restoration home) or mail check to 340 South Orem Blvd., Orem, Utah 84058. For more information, contact Kena at (801) 344-8527 or kena@habitatuc.org. DONATE YOUR TIME AND MATERIALS AND BECOME A MOST VALUABLE PLAYER! Habitat for Humanity of Utah County recently introduced a new program to encourage in-creased participation by local subcontractors and building material suppliers with Habitat’s af-

fordable housing program. The MVP Club provides members with media and marketing benefits in return for donations and discounts on labor and sup-plies. We would like to thank CRSA, Sunroc, ClydeCo, Rocky Mountain Waterproofing, Provo Abstract Company, Stewart Gardner, Case Exca-vation, K-9 Construction, and PowerHouse Electric for recently joining

the club and assisting the affiliate with donations and discounts on homes in Pleasant Grove, Springville, and Provo. To join or for more information, contact Nancy at (801) 344-8527 or nancym@habitatuc.org. CRITICAL HOME REPAIR PROGRAM SEEING GREAT SUCCESS Habitat for Humanity of Utah County’s Critical Home Repair Program has seen much success over the summer and fall months. Funded through Utah County’s Community Development Block Grant Program, Habitat has been able to assist ten low-income homeowners with critical home repair and accessibility needs since May. Volunteers and subcontractors have installed a number of ramps, repaired and replaced two roofs, lead abated and painted the exterior of a home, replaced a water main and sewer line, fixed a chimney, replaced a refrigerator, and in-stalled a hardwood floor. To find out more about this program and other local Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative programs, contact LeAnn at (801) 368-2250 or leann@habitatuc.org.

2 W h a t ’s U p

HOUSEHOLD HINT (www.hints-n-tips.com) Rust Removal Tip - Rust spots and pitting on chrome can be easily removed by balling up a piece of aluminum foil, wetting it with Coke and rubbing. Best to use gloves if there is a lot of rust.

Christmas has come early at the Habitat ReStores in Utah Valley! Come check out all the new holiday inventory and gifts at deeply discounted prices! Details and locations at www.habitatuc.org/donate/restore/. Pride in Ownership – Mike and Allison Fullmer and their boys were selected this quarter’s Pride in Ownership award winner for beautifying and maintaining their home at 1387 South 240 East in Pay-son. They will receive a home improvement gift card and certificate for their efforts. Congratulations! Habitat for Humanity of Utah County is again hosting the annual “It’s A Wrap” gift wrapping booth at the Provo Towne Centre during the holiday season. This year’s gift wrap booth will be located at the mall information booth and will be open the week leading up to Christmas. Proceeds will benefit local families in need of safe and affordable housing. Volunteers and shift leaders are needed. For more information, please contact Kena at (801) 344-8527 or kena@habitatuc.org. Habitat for Humanity of Utah County would like to welcome our new AmeriCorps member, Ashley Larson. Ashley will be spending the next year with Habitat helping to expand the affiliate’s Neighbor-hood Revitalization Initiative Programs. In partnership Utah County Health Department, Habitat will be sponsoring a Green Carpet Event to honor the winners and participants of this year’s Radon Poster Contest on November 19, 2013. Thinking of trading up for a new car? Why not donate your old vehicle, gain a tax-deduction, and help fund a home in partnership with families in need of affordable housing. Learn more about Cars for Homes today at www.habitatuc.org/habitat_car_donations.html. Recycle all the cans from your holiday parties and help provide safe and affordable housing for fami-lies in need in our community. Drop off locations listed at www.habitatuc.org/donate/gogreen.html. Stay up to date with all the local Habitat happenings! Habitat for Humanity of Utah County has adopted a new texting platform called txtCloud that will allow our local Habitat affiliate to keep you up to date on what is happening at the organization - including volunteer opportunities, events, ReStore inventory arrivals, and much more! We would like to invite you to join Habitat’s Cloud. Using your phone, text UCHabitat to CLOUD or 25683. You will be asked three questions - your zip code, your gender and the year you were born. You are now ready to keep up to date with what is happening at your local Habitat affiliate. We know your phone is sacred space. Spam is not allowed. Check it out and see how it works - you may opt out anytime! Check out Habitat’s FUNSAVER Site! Habitat for Humanity has partnered with VP Deals to get all the latest bargains on local products/venues. Check out this week’s FUNSAVER specials at www.habitatucdeals.info. A portion of your “fun” purchases will help Habitat further its housing mis-sion in the community. Have you tested your home for radon yet? – Habitat is working with the Utah Cancer Action Net-work, Utah County Health Department, and the Utah Department of Environmental Quality to encour-age community members to test their homes for radon. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, causing an estimated 22,000 deaths of year in the United States. Habitat offers test kits at the Orem ReStore or online for just $6.00! Learn more at www.habitatuc.org/radon_awareness.html. Need tools for your winter projects? Stop by Habitat for Humanity of Utah County’s tool lending li-brary and “check out” needed tools and lawn care items for free. New tools have been added recently. The lending library, located inside the Habitat ReStore at 340 South Orem Blvd., Orem, is open Mon-day through Saturday from 10-6. An application and proof of residency are required. Look online at www.habitatuc.org for more information.

3

Praying for Shelter - Community members joined local interfaith members to participate in Habitat for Hu-manity of Utah County's An-

nual Day of Prayer event at the historic St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Provo on October 6, 2013. Judge Lynn Davis and others gave inspiring remarks about the importance of prayer, service, and shelter. Students and alumni from Utah Valley University shared their talents and provided beautiful musical numbers.

P h o t o G a l l ery

BE CAREFUL (Costco Consumer Connection) Beware of Health Care Enrollment Scams

The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, has reported incidents of scammers trying to capitalize on healthcare enrollment. Beware of false enrollment websites trying to swindle you into buying fake health insurance. The only official site of the Health Insurance Market-place is www.healthcare.gov. Don’t take a call from out of the blue from people who offer to help you navigate the new healthcare market or say they’re issuing mandatory new national medical cards. The same rule applies to receiv-ing an unsolicited email, letter or text.

If you are asked for personal or bank account information so a caller can determine the financial threshold for Affordable Care Act benefits you’re being swindled.

If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get.

~Frank A. Clark

“Teaming Up” for a Good Cause! Wells Fargo has again partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Utah County to help the local Habitat affiliate build a home in Springville. As part of Wells Fargo’s Team Leader program, employee volunteers from the financial insti-tution’s local management team presented a check for $15,000 and spent a day in October helping to frame the interior walls and the garage at the home located at 39 South 950 East.

NOVEMBER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES • Work in the Orem or Spanish Fork ReStores Monday through Saturday from 10a.m.to 6p.m. • Assist with Habitat Recycling efforts. • Man booth at upcoming employee fair. • Graphic designers needed to help with monthly Daily Herald Ad and other graphic design needs.

VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO SERVE ON COMMITTEES Volunteers are needed to serve on all of Habi-tat’s local committees. Monthly meetings, lim-ited time commitment, no experience necessary, varying interests and skills. Look online at www.habitatuc.org/volunteer/committees.html for more information and meeting times.

V o l u n t e e r O p p o r t u n i t i e s NOVEMBER BUILD DAYS

Volunteers are currently being sought to help with construction, renovation, revitalization, and critical home repair projects. Build days are now held Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Sign up online at www.habitatuc.org/volunteer.

CREW LEADERS AND SITE HOSTS NEEDED TO HELP GUIDE CONSTRUCTION Volunteers with construction experience or those wanting to improve their construction skills are be-ing sought to participate in the affiliate's Crew Leader and Site Host Programs. Orientations are monthly. The next orientation will be on Saturday, November 9, 2013, at the Habitat office in Orem. For information, contact LeAnn at the number or email below.

H o m e M a in t en a n c e C l a s s es

Check out Habitat & Community Action’s Free Home Maintenance Course. The next class will be Wednesday, November 20, 2013 (due to Thanksgiving). The topics are: Landscap-ing and Lawn Care, Sprinkler System Maintenance. Classes begin at 6:30 p.m. and are held at the Habitat office at 340 South Orem Blvd., Orem.

At HOME DEPOT – Registration is necessary. Call store or register online. Look online for the No-vember clinic schedule at www.homedepot.com. At LOWE'S - you must sign up for How-To Clinics by calling 229-1485 or stopping by their store at 140 West University Parkway in Orem. Look online for November clinic schedule at www.lowes.com. At CENTRAL UTAH GARDENS – Registration is necessary. Look online for upcoming classes at www.centralutahgardens.org/classes_events_concerts.aspx

4

FAMILY MENTORS NEEDED Habitat is currently looking for local homeowners to serve as volunteer family mentors. Mentors help Habitat partner families navigate the home construction and home buying process. 1-2 hours per week commitment plus attendance at monthly meeting. For more information, contact Kena at (801) 344-8527 or kena@habitatuc.org.

For more information, look online at www.habitatuc.org or contact LeAnn at (801) 368-2250 or leann@habitatuc.org. You can also sign up online at www.habitat.org/volunteer.

SAVING TIP (www.grocerysavingtips.com)

Save Money on Pet Supplies Buy large cans of dog food and half in two for two feedings.

H o m e M a in t en a n c e T ip s 5

How to Winterize a Sprinkler System It's important to winterize your sprinkler system to avoid any potential problems. If water is left in the pipes, it could freeze and burst, causing a leak. It is especially important to winterize your sprinkler sys-tem if you live in a colder climate. There are three ways to winterize your sprinkler system. Instructions • Manual Drain Method

• Turn off the water supply at the main valve, and open the manual drain valves. • Open the drain on the stop and waste valve and let the rest of the water drain. • Make sure you open the test cocks on the back flow instrument to let the water drain out. • Close the manual valves when all the water has been drained out.

• Automatic Drain Method • Shut off the water supply and relieve the water system pressure to drain the water from the

mainline. • Open the boiler drain once the water is out of the mainline. Drain the rest of the water that is

caught between the shut off valve and back flow instrument. • Make sure you open the test cocks on the back flow instrument to let the water drain out.

• Air Compressor Method • Rent an air compressor from your local equipment rental place. • Shut off the main water supply. • Attach the compressor with a connector, such as a quick coupler or hose bib to the

mainline. • Make sure you open the test cocks on the back flow instrument to let the water drain out. • Open the compressor valve slowly and gradually start the airflow into the system. Make

sure the air pressure stays at 50 pounds per square inch. • Increase the air pressure if the sprinkler heads don't pop up. Never allow the air pressure to

get above 80 psi. • Turn off the air compressor when the lines are dry. • Leave the isolation valves open about half way, and leave the test cocks open all the way.

Read more: (www.ehow.com) http://www.ehow.com/how_2154856_winterize-sprinkler-system.html#ixzz2iy8bMvT0

Benefits of Homeownership – An Appreciating Investment Like any investment, the real estate market fluctuates over periods of time. However, if you're in it for the long term, the value of your property could appreciate depending on the current market values. Unlike other more volatile commodities the price of real estate may go up so your home cre-ates value while you live in it. Unlike renting (which increases with infla-tion), fixed mortgage payments will stay the same even as the market fluc-tuates.

S a v in g s S t ra t eg ies (The Simple Dollar) 6

365 Ways to Live Cheap - Automatically Sock Away That Savings (357/365) When I first started my financial turnaround, there were a few months where I was amazed at the amount of money left in my checking account at the end of the month. Not three months before, I would find myself with a few bucks left in checking before my paycheck ar-rived. Now, I would see hundreds of dollars left in there at the end of the month, and the total was grow-ing. I was making extra debt payments and still building up my financial reserve. The problem then became temptation. Since I knew I had money just sitting there in my checking ac-count, it started to become easier to talk myself into spending money that I really shouldn’t have spent. I started to slip into bad spending habits again. Luckily, I caught myself before bad patterns completely reappeared. I knew I needed a different ap-proach, and automatic saving was that approach. What I did was really simple. I simply set up an automatic transfer from my checking account to my sav-ings account that would drain away the excess each pay period. After paying careful attention to how my money was building up, I realized I was spending about $200 to $300 less per pay period than I was bringing in. So, I set up an automatic transfer for $200 per pay pe-riod to go straight into a savings account. I set up my savings at a different bank entirely – I used ING Direct. Why? If I kept the money at the same bank, it was quite easy to just access that cash at any ATM. The whole point of doing this was to put the cash somewhere else, out of sight and out of mind, so I could make careful, rational decisions with it. Eventually, that saved money helped me smash through remaining debts and eventually made the move to our current home possible. More importantly, the automatic transfer kept me from spending it on fool-ish things. Automatic transfers are still a vital part of how I manage my money. I sock away money automati-cally for Christmas gifts, for our next car purchase, and for our emergency fund. These all go into sepa-rate savings accounts which I tap at the appropriate time. Automatic transfers simultaneously protect you from lapsing back into poor financial choices while also enabling you to plan ahead for the events in your future. That way, you’re not sacrificing a wonderful Christmas for your family due to your own questionable spending habits, and your frugal choices are not going to waste

Be G o o d T o Yo u r H e a l t h (www.hhs.gov)

How the Health Care Law is Making a Difference for the People of Utah

Because of the Affordable Care Act, the 85% of Utah residents who have insurance have more choices and stronger coverage than ever before. And for the 15% of Utah residents who don’t have insurance, or Utah families and small businesses who buy their coverage but aren’t happy with it, a new day is just around the corner.

Soon, the new online Health Insurance Marketplace will provide families and small businesses who currently don’t have insurance, or are looking for a better deal, a new way to find health cov-erage that fits their needs and their budgets. Open enrollment in the Marketplace starts Oct 1, with coverage starting as soon as Jan 1, 2014. But Utah families and small business can visit HealthCare.gov right now to find the information they need prepare for open enrollment. The health care law is already providing better options, better value, better health and a stronger Medicare program to the people of Utah by:

7 Better Options The Health Insurance Marketplace Beginning Oct 1, the Health Insurance Marketplace will make it easy for Utah residents to compare quali-fied health plans, get answers to questions, find out if they are eligible for lower costs for private insur-ance or health programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and enroll in health coverage. By the Numbers: Uninsured Utah residents who are eligible for coverage through the Marketplace.

• 359,577 (15%) are uninsured and eligible • 289,011 (80%) have a full-time worker in the family • 140,864 (39%) are 19-34 years old • 243,878 (68%) are White • 4,660 (1%) are African American • 86,010 (24%) are Latino/Hispanic • 9,574 (3%) are Asian American or Pacific Islander • 199,708 (56%) are male

332,970 (93%) of Utah’s uninsured and eligible population may qualify for either tax credits to purchase coverage in the Marketplace or for Medicaid if Utah takes advantage of the new opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Utah has received $2,000,000 in grants for research, planning, information technology development, and implementation of its Health Insurance Marketplace. New coverage options for young adults Under the health care law, if your plan covers children, you can now add or keep your children on your health insurance policy until they turn 26 years old. Thanks to this provision, over 3 million young people who would otherwise have been uninsured have gained coverage nationwide, including 26,000 young adults in Utah. Ending discrimination for pre-existing conditions As many as 1,150,918 non-elderly Utah residents have some type of pre-existing health condition, in-cluding 206,400 children. Today, insurers can no longer deny coverage to children because of a pre-existing condition, like asthma or diabetes, under the health care law. And beginning in 2014, health in-surers will no longer be able to charge more or deny coverage to anyone because of a pre-existing con-dition. The health care law also established a temporary health insurance program for individuals who were denied health insurance coverage because of a pre-existing condition. 1,160 Utah residents with pre-existing conditions have gained coverage through the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan since the program began.

Better Value Providing better value for your premium dollar through the 80/20 Rule Health insurance companies now have to spend at least 80 cents of your premium dollar on health care or improvements to care, or provide you a refund. This means that 139,655 Utah residents with private insurance coverage will benefit from $4,582,857 in refunds from insurance companies this year, for an average refund of $85 per family covered by a policy. Scrutinizing unreasonable premium increases In every State and for the first time under Federal law, insurance companies are required to publicly jus-tify their actions if they want to raise rates by 10 percent or more. Utah has received $4,315,679 under the new law to help fight unreasonable premium increases.

8 Removing lifetime limits on health benefits The law bans insurance companies from imposing lifetime dollar limits on health benefits – freeing can-cer patients and individuals suffering from other chronic diseases from having to worry about going with-out treatment because of their lifetime limits. Already, 1,183,000 people in Utah, including 387,000 women and 411,000 children, are free from worrying about lifetime limits on coverage. The law also re-stricts the use of annual limits and bans them completely in 2014.

Better Health Covering preventive services with no deductible or co-pay The health care law requires many insurance plans to provide coverage without cost sharing to enrollees for a variety of preventive health services, such as colonoscopy screening for colon cancer, Pap smears and mammograms for women, well-child visits, and flu shots for all children and adults. In 2011 and 2012, 71 million Americans with private health insurance gained preventive service cover-age with no cost-sharing, including 787,000 in Utah. And for policies renewing on or after August 1, 2012, women can now get coverage without cost-sharing of even more preventive services they need. Approximately 47 million women, including 465,617 in Utah will now have guaranteed access to addi-tional preventive services without cost-sharing. Increasing support for community health centers The health care law increases the funding available to community health centers nationwide. In Utah, 11 health centers operate 42 sites, providing preventive and primary health care services to 112,794 peo-ple. Health Center grantees in Utah have received $22,263,512 under the health care law to support on-going health center operations and to establish new health center sites, expand services, and/or support major capital improvement projects. Community Health Centers in all 50 states have also received a total of $150 million in federal grants to help enroll uninsured Americans in the Health Insurance Marketplace, including $1,374,648 awarded to Utah health centers. With these funds, Utah health centers expect to hire 24 additional workers, who will assist 17,144 Utah residents with enrollment into affordable health insurance coverage. Investing in the primary care workforce As a result of historic investments through the health care law and the Recovery Act, the numbers of cli-nicians in the National Health Service Corps are at all-time highs with nearly 10,000 Corps clinicians pro-viding care to more than 10.4 million people who live in rural, urban, and frontier communities. The Na-tional Health Service Corps repays educational loans and provides scholarships to primary care physi-cians, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, behavioral health providers, and other primary care providers who practice in areas of the country that have too few health care professionals to serve the people who live there. As of September 30, 2012, there were 114 Corps clinicians providing primary care services in Utah, compared to 75 in 2008. Preventing illness and promoting health As of March 2012, Utah had received $8,800,000 in grants from the Prevention and Public Health Fund created by the health care law. This new fund was created to support effective policies in Utah, its com-munities, and nationwide so that all Americans can lead longer, more productive lives.

A Stronger Medicare Program Making prescription drugs affordable for seniors In Utah, people with Medicare saved nearly $40 million on prescription drugs because of the Affordable Care Act. In 2012 alone, 20,994 individuals in Utah saved over $15 million, or an average of $703 per beneficiary. In 2012, people with Medicare in the “donut hole” received a 50 percent discount on covered brand name drugs and 14 percent discount on generic drugs. And thanks to the health care law, cover-age for both brand name and generic drugs will continue to increase over time until the coverage gap is closed. Nationally, over 6.6 million people with Medicare have saved over $7 billion on drugs since the law’s enactment.

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

9 9

Subcontractors for Santa. The Utah Valley Home Builders Association (UVHBA) is looking for low-income homeowners who need help with small maintenance or home improvement projects (approximately 4-6 hours of work or less) during the holiday season. To apply or for more information, contact the UVHBA office at (801) 225-8893. Community Action Services offers Home Buyer Education Classes on a monthly basis. Classes in No-vember will be held November 6 and 7, 2013 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. or November 23, 2013 from 9:00-4:00 p.m. To register, please call (801) 691-5200 or go online to www.communityactionuc.org. First job. Better job. Looking for employment? Ready to advance your career? We connect job seekers to Utah jobs. Develop your plan for success! Look online at jobs.utah.gov/jobseeker. Wasatch Mental Health is a public comprehensive community health center serving primarily Medicaid cardholders in Utah County. The Center offers an array of programs and supports designed to meet the needs of children, youth, adults and their families. For a complete listing of all our services, visit our web-site at www.wasatch.org.

Covering preventive services with no deductible or co-pay With no deductibles or co-pays, cost is no longer a barrier for seniors and people with disabilities who want to stay healthy by detecting and treating health problems early. In 2012 alone, an estimated 34.1 million people benefited from Medicare’s coverage of preventive services with no cost-sharing. In Utah, 127,246 individuals with traditional Medicare used one or more free preventive service in 2012. Protecting Medicare’s solvency The health care law extends the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by ten years. From 2010 to 2012, Medi-care spending per beneficiary grew at 1.7 percent annually, substantially more slowly than the per capita rate of growth in the economy. And the health care law helps stop fraud with tougher screening proce-dures, stronger penalties, and new technology. Over the last four years, the administration’s fraud en-forcement efforts have recovered $14.9 billion from fraudsters. For every dollar spent on health care-related fraud and abuse activities in the last three years the administration has returned $7.90

R E S O U R C E S

10 10

Linda Walton LuanaLei Turetzky Merilee Bishop Marvellous Catering Morinda Bioactives NetScout Outlets at Traverse Mountain Pepsi of Springville Paul Matthews Response Marketing Group Rev. Daniel Haas Rev. Peter Van Hook Rocky Mountain Power Ron Payne Sam’s Club Serena Kanig Benish St. Mary’s Episcopal Church TD Ameritrade UVU Make-a-Difference Day Volunteers United Way of Utah County Utah Valley Convention Center Vern and Donna Whisenant Wells Fargo

Thank You Wells Fargo

BYU Habitat for Humanity Chapter BYU American Society of Civil Engineers Adam Ferguson Adonica Limon and Boys Adrienne Braun Alison’s Pantry Ancestry.com Ashton Family Foundation Brad Simons Chase Bank Comcast Newsmakers Die Cuts with a View Dr. Paul Godfrey Ellen Imler Eric Jorgensen GE Capital Good Life Expo IM Flash Intermountain Health Care Joanna Blackburn JP Morgan Chase Judge Lynn Davis LeAnn Gourley

11

Of Utah County

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2

3 4—NRI 5 6 7—Site Selection 8 9

10 11—Veterans Day

12—Development Services —Building

13 14—Family Partnership 15—

Executive 16

17 18 19—Radon Poster Green Carpet Event

20—Board Meeting

21 22 23

24 25—ReStore 26 27 28 29 30

Vote

NRI November 4th 3:00 p.m. Office Site Selection November 7th Noon Office Development Services November 12th Noon Office Building November 12th 2:00 p.m. Central Bank Family Partnership November 14th 6:30 p.m. Office Executive November 15th 7:30 a.m. Office Radon Poster Green November 19th 7:00 p.m. Carpet Event Board Meeting November 20th 7:00 a.m. Office ReStore November 25th Noon Office Happy Thanksgiving November 28th and 29th Office and ReStore Closed