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53 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, January 28, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 31, 2004 Habitat director steps down to take Dunn job By MEG LANDERS Mail Tribune The first director of the Rogue Valley Habitat for Humanity, known for her broad knowledge and upbeat nature, is stepping down in June. "It’s just time for new energy," said Anna D’Amato. D’Amato says she’s not only staying in the area, but has already begun her new part-time position at Community Works handling the outreach program for Dunn House, a domestic violence shelter. "I’m a nonprofit junkie," she said. Ken Engelund, president of the board of directors for Habitat, said in D’Amato’s five years, the organization’s first employee has shifted the 17-year-old chapter into a higher gear. Advertisement "She’s brought professional competence, the ability to work with people on all levels and a great heart," said Engelund. Habitat for Humanity is an international Christian-based nonprofit ministry that builds low-income housing. The Rogue Valley chapter serves Jackson County residents living in substandard housing whose income falls between 30 percent and 60 percent of the federal median income. All the homes are built by the homeowners and volunteers from the community and are sold to the families with a 20-year, no- interest mortgage. D’Amato said the local Habitat chapter has never had to foreclose on any of the families and only one family has sold their home. She said that when she began in 1999, Habitat was completing its 16th home, and she has overseen the construction of eight more: one in White City, two in Eagle Point, two in Central Point and three in Medford. She hired the first project manager and the first office manager, and arranged for four AmeriCorps VISTA positions. Also under her directorship, the organization created the Bargain Building Warehouse in August 2003. The business, at 160 N. Fir St., accepts and sells used building materials, and in less than a year, is making a profit. "We went into the black in March," said Engelund. D’Amato said her job included fund raising, grant-writing and managing the staff and budget as well as public outreach and creating partnerships with other groups. She also managed housing construction, coordinated the mortgage and closing and collected mortgage payments. "The thing I’m most proud of is the relationships we’ve developed with the families, with the homeowners," she said. One of those homeowners said it’s D’Amato’s consistent belief that there’s a way to work things out that makes things happen. "We’re going to miss her," said Kathy Carlisle, who, with her husband, Tom, and teen son, Seth, moved into a Habitat house in 2000. Fibromyalgia limited Carlisle’s ability to work. "For many years we were a one-income family," she said, adding that buying a home looked impossible for them. "We didn’t think that we had a chance." But D’Amato’s perseverance helped them become homeowners through Habitat, she said. Owning her own home grants a freedom that renting did not, she said, such as a place to plant fruit trees, have a garden and build a fish pond. Rich Rohde, of Jackson County Housing Coalition and Oregon Action, said D’Amato’s shoes will be hard to fill. "She’s extremely knowledgeable about a broad range of housing issues," said Rohde. Her networking and collaboration abilities make her easy to work with, he said, as does her optimistic spirit. She brought the organization to a new level, he added. "It has a real credibility and a great strategy that people can support," he said. With D’Amato gone, the board is searching for a part-time interim director, Engelund said. Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers