Hagenbaugh looks to help Habitat for Humanity build foundations for family home ownership

Aug. 24—MITCHELL — Rachel Marie Hagenbaugh, the new executive director for Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity, has called a number of places across the country home.

Born in New York and growing up the daughter of a Marine, she followed her parents around the United States to various military posts. She has lived in Texas, California and North Carolina, among other stops. But she was living in Florida just a few years ago when she and her family began considering a move to South Dakota.

“Living in Florida was more of our parents’ dream. We had moved there with our parents,” Hagenbaugh told the Mitchell Republic recently. “And so when the pandemic hit, me and my husband were like, well, we always wanted to retire to the Midwest. Why not?”

After reviewing their options, they eventually moved to Mitchell and haven’t looked back. Since then they’ve completely woven their way into the comparatively small-town atmosphere of the community and even embraced the frigid winters that come with the northern latitude.

What she found in Mitchell was a welcoming, friendly community that had enough amenities to be comfortable without the crowded, more rat race oriented culture that had defined her previous homes.

“We fell in love with South Dakota, and Sioux Falls had all the bells and whistles, but I didn’t want a big city like that. Mitchell just offered everything that we would need to be successful and to survive,” Hagenbaugh said.

They bought their house in Mitchell sight unseen, taking a leap of faith that has since rewarded them with a hometown and friends they wouldn’t trade for the world. People are friendly and crime is low, as is the cost of living compared to most other states.

It was the right move for her family, which also includes three children aged 12, 6 and and 18-months, and the community has treated them well. Now sitting behind the desk at Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity, Hagenbaugh is working for the community by helping area families in need find their own place to call home.

Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity

is a local nonprofit dedicated to providing affordable housing solutions for families in Davison and Hanson counties. Hagenbaugh took over the position in July, succeeding previous executive director Kerri Peters.

After becoming involved in various community organizations and social groups during her first few years in Mitchell, she was approached about an open position at Habitat for Humanity. Inspired partly by her autistic son to advocate for inclusive community initiatives, she worked in various capacities throughout the years, including at a farmer’s market in Florida ensuring low-income families could access nutritious food through EBT and USDA programs. A natural networker and communicator who had worked with the organization previously, she eventually seized the chance to continue her involvement in the community.

“I looked into it, and I couldn’t leave this position not being utilized to its capacity. I can help form the city that I want to grow in. I knew I could bring a lot of energy to that spot,” Hagenbaugh said . “Let me do what I can — get some fundraising going and help people get in homes.”

Through the work of its volunteers, the mission of the Habitat for Humanity is to build and renovate homes, creating opportunities for families to achieve homeownership. The group works with families who invest their time and energy through sweat equity and help build their homes alongside volunteers.

Once completed, families purchase the homes with an affordable mortgage, helping ensure long-term stability.

As executive director, Hagenbaugh is focused on expanding outreach of the local organization branch, using her networking skills to connect like-minded individuals, businesses and organizations that may be interested in supporting the mission.

And to accomplish its mission, Habitat for Humanity needs resources like people, land and monetary donations.

“We accept any skill level. From beginners on,” Hagenbaugh said of the volunteers who donate their time and labor to construction efforts. “We have a lot of gentlemen coming on our volunteer days, and we have some students from Mitchell Tech that are going to be coming to the deck (on a current project).”

She is promoting a partnership

volunteer day with First Interstate Bank.

Volunteers are invited to come to the organization’s house build at 505 N. Langdon St. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 and lend their expertise — whatever level that may be — to work under the guidance of skilled supervisors.

The house is destined to be the future home of a single mother and her children, and Hagenbaugh said the aim is to get the home completed in time for the holiday season.

“I really want to get her in the home before Christmas. We’re trying to get a lot of stuff done before winter,” Hagenbaugh.

Many volunteers are retired, but for those interested who may still be part of the workforce, she noted many companies, citing NorthWestern Energy as an example, offer paid time off to volunteer their hours for such causes. For those with no particular construction skills, sometimes the ability to simply move equipment and materials from one spot to another is valuable and can cut hours off the time it takes to complete a task.

Monetary donations can be made

through the group’s website

and can range from $10 to buy light switches to $1,500 for floor joists. With Habitat for Humanity being a nonprofit organization, donations are tax deductible.

To build a house, Habitat for Humanity needs a place to put it. So Hagenbaugh is always looking for generous landowners looking to sell unused property at a reasonable price — or a discount — for a good cause.

Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity builds about one home per year, but Hagenbaugh said it is always looking for ways to increase that.

Affordable housing is often

touted as a crucial need for the economic health of a community,

and Hagenbaugh confirms it is. But it’s also needed to simply provide stable, quality homes for families in need. By improving the quality of life for those families, it gives them a chance to build a foundation beneath them.

Candidates for future homes reach out to Habitat for Humanity on a regular basis. Candidates are chosen via a vetting process, and being selected to be a part of it can be an emotional experience.

“A stable home environment can bring so much, not only to the parent, but to the children, and it should always be about the children,” Hagenbaugh said. “I have people emailing and calling all the time. They’re so desperate. It’s heart-wrenching, because I would love to give everyone a home.”

Hagenbaugh said that is a tall order, but it won’t stop her and Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity from working toward that goal. She plans to keep working with other groups to seek out volunteers, like-minded businesses and other supporters to come together to make a difference for both the community and, perhaps even more importantly, families that are simply in need.

Can you swing a hammer? Bring it with you and grab some nails on a volunteer day, she said. Know your way around a circuit breaker panel? Bring that expertise and share it with other volunteers. Do you have property you might be willing to sell at a reasonable price? Talk to Hagenbaugh and see what can be arranged.

Even if you have an extra $20 in your wallet or purse, Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity can put it to good use, she said. It’s all for a good cause and the improvement of the community and the lives of the people who call it home.

Hagenbaugh encourages anyone with an interest in lending a hand to reach out. One volunteer can’t do it alone, but by coming together in a coordinated effort, many of them can make a difference they can all be proud of.

“It’s a community built house,” Hagenbaugh said. “That’s what I love about this. You can bring this piece, you can bring this piece, and by the end of the year we have a house at an affordable rate.”

More information about Mitchell Regional Habitat for Humanity, including how to volunteer and donate funds or land, can be found at the group’s website at

www.mitchellhabitat.org

or by calling 605-630-3259.