By: Kimberly Reishus/Triblocal.com staff reporter
10/09/09 11:20

The Glencoe Interfaith Builders is raising money to build a house in Waukegan through Habitat for Humanity. One part of the group’s fundraising efforts comes in the form of a small abode its members built—a playhouse that will be auctioned off during the Glencoe Park District’s Pumpkin Day, Oct. 17.

The group auctioned a similar playhouse at the same event two years ago, and the winning bidder contributed about $5,000 to the cause, said Stuart Barnett, a member of the Glencoe Interfaith Builders.

The group, an extension of Habitat for Humanity-Lake County, is comprised of representatives from churches and synagogues in Glencoe, though it isn’t religious, said Barnett. Over the past seven years, the Glencoe Interfaith Builders has built five homes in Northern Illinois.

In order to build one home, the group must raise at least $100,000. There’s no set time frame for raising the money or building the house, Barnett said. Right now the group has raised about $35,000, and Barnett said he hopes the rest of the money will come in between now and 2010.

Members of the group go back to their congregations to ask for donations. Sometimes interested outside donors help out as well.

“For the most part, we send out letters to people in our congregation and people that we know,” said Jim Goodman, a member of the group and a resident of Highland Park. “And the money comes in—It’s all very ad hoc, and it all works.

Goodman sees what the builders are doing as “one community helping another,” he said.

“On the North Shore, we’re pretty lucky,” Goodman said. “We own our own homes and have decent jobs. It’s a nice way to give back to a community that needs a little extra help.”

At the same time, Habitat isn’t a handout or a give-away program, Barnett said.

“Families purchase their homes, pay an interest-free mortgage and also work 500 sweat equity hours on the house they will live in,” he said.

The families are selected based on need, ability to pay and willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity, Barnett said. There is a Waukegan family already selected to have the home the group is sponsoring, Goodman said.

Pumpkin Day in Glencoe will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 at Kalk Park, 298 Park Ave. In case of rain, the event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. For more information, go to http://www.glencoeparkdistrict.com/ or call 847-835-3030. There will be a silent auction for the playhouse as well as food and entertainment.

For more information about the Glencoe Interfaith Builders, e-mail [ email ]. For more information about the local Habitat chapter, go to http://www.habitatlc.org/.

The congregations involved in the Glencoe Interfaith Builders are Am Shalom, Congregation Hakafa, Glencoe Union Church, North Shore Congregation Israel, North Shore United Methodist Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, St. Elisabeth’s Episcopal Church, St. Paul AME Church and Sukkat Shalom.

—By Kimberly Reishus, Triblocal.com reporter