by Dennis Dalman
by Dennis Dalman
news@thenewsleaders.com
During his student years at Concordia College in Moorhead, Chad Johnson, now a St. Joseph resident, developed a passion for “giving back” and helping others, especially through non-profit agencies.
That passion increased throughout the years.
Johnson has recently been named as executive director to a non-profit – Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity. He was chosen from among 35 other applicants and will take on the position formerly held for about three years by Rick Nelson, who left the organization in February.
“We are very excited to welcome Chad,” said Habitat Board Chair Hailey Hollenhorst. “He has deep local roots, enthusiasm, extensive experience with fundraising and a genuine passion for the Habitat mission.”
Johnson previously worked as a grant writer in organizational advancement at St. Cloud Catholic Charities and before that he held leadership positions with several non-profits, including the Salvation Army.
“I want to become more aggressive in our approach toward building more homes,” Johnson said. “The goal is to build 10-plus homes in a year in central Minnesota. Our area includes the counties of Stearns, Benton, Sherburne and Wright.”
In recent years, Central Minnesota HFH averaged the construction of three homes per year. The idea for the non-profit began in 1988 after eight St. Cloud residents decided to get together and raise awareness of the lack of decent, affordable housing in the area. They then formed a local affiliate of HFHI. In the next year, 1989, its affiliate status was granted and by 1990 Habitat volunteers, along with members of the “partner family” finished building the first home. It was purchased by the partner family that year.
A partner family is one for which a Habitat house is built. The members of that family must spend at least 200 hours of volunteer time helping other volunteers build the house they will live in. Then, once it’s built, the head of the family signs a mortgage agreement in which house payments will not exceed more than a certain percentage of household income.
Johnson said there are anywhere from 50 to 77 applications a year by people hoping to someday own a Habitat home.
HFHI is a worldwide organization with affiliates in virtually every country. It became well known decades ago partly because former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, were both hard-working Habitat volunteers, giving thousands of hours of volunteer labor to help build the homes far and wide. The Carters, who live in Georgia, just celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary, and they are still active in Habitat.
Locally, plans are underway for a Habitat home right in the heart of downtown St. Joseph. Located at 303 First Ave. SE, it will be a totally updated/renovated house donated by the Sisters of St. Benedict. Habitat is trying to raise $80,000 so that project can be completed .
Another project is set for Sartell – a Habitat partnership with Sartell High School. The “SabreCON” (construction) students will build the upper level of a Habitat home on school grounds that will be moved to its other “half” sometime in the summer of 2022.
Johnson also noted there is a grand opportunity just on the horizon, thanks to a donation of a large tract of land by Bob Coborn in the Westwood area of St. Cloud. There is enough space there to build 14 Habitat homes. Currently the organization is seeking donations to pay for the cost of getting that land ready for building.
Johnson was raised in the Pantown neighborhood of Waite Park and attended Madison and Discovery schools before completing his high school years at Apollo, where he was an avid football player.
He earned degrees in business and exercise science at Concordia College. After graduation, Johnson worked for a time for the YMCA in St. Cloud.
Non-profits, Johnson said, are vital in helping so many people.
“Many are living right on the line, just one month away from homelessness,” he said. “That’s all it takes – one month.”
The main barrier to family security is safe, affordable, decent housing,” he added. “That’s the vital foundation for sustainable solutions for families.”
Johnson said he has worked with homeless children. Some sleep in churches, then they get on an early bus to go eat and shower, then they get on yet another bus to take them to school.
“I wish we could build a house for everybody who needs one,” Johnson said.
He hopes to keep building relationships with cities and counties to identify areas where building homes is possible. He also wants to raise awareness of estate planning in which people can leave their homes to Habitat.
Johnson, 35, and his wife Jacki moved to St. Joseph in 2014. They have four young children: Sophie, William, Charlotte and Katie.
Chad Johnson of St. Joseph is the new executive director for Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity.
