The organization best known for literally building community now has a whole new way to connect to potential donors, sponsors and volunteers. Lafayette Habitat for Humanity is proud to announce the launch of its new website, which can be viewed at www.habitatlafayette.org.
“After years of having a minimal web presence, we’ve been very fortunate to have a local advertising agency, BBR Creative, invest time and resources into transforming our site into a dynamic online community,” says Melinda Taylor, executive director of Lafayette Habitat for Humanity.
Habitat’s success includes partnerships like this, where volunteers donate professional services – which are just as vital to Habitat as work on the construction sites – and encouraging more professionals to consider non-construction partnerships with their local affiliates. “The BBR folks are passionate about Habitat’s mission, and they’ve come out to swing a hammer on our homes, but the best gift they’ve given us is the energy and creativity they’ve invested in doing what they do best, for Habitat,” Taylor explains.
Since 1992, Lafayette Habitat for Humanity has made the dream of homeownership a reality for more than 240 residents across Lafayette and Vermilion Parishes. That’s 92 homes, with at least 20 more planned for completion over the next two years.
Life stories turn houses into homes. And with the website’s Partnerships in Progress functionality, it only takes a click to learn about the life journeys undertaken by Lafayette Habitat’s partners and the volunteers who made it possible. Volunteers can view the updated status of homes they’ve worked on long after hammers are holstered, enabling them to view the fruits of their labor.
A full listing of all volunteer groups and sponsors associated with each home is likewise included and updated through completion. Through Facebook “Like” buttons that are prominently featured throughout the site, Lafayette Habitat can connect with a wider audience.
In addition to site-wide copy and content updates, including eye-catching statistical graphics, Lafayette Habitat now benefits from an updated content management system. This enables staff to more easily update news, promote volunteer efforts and generally take more control over how information is presented. The new design makes it easier for users to sign up for volunteering, as well as make donations, both one-time and recurring, directly — and securely — from the site.