Chillicothe, OH — Scioto Valley Habitat for Humanity is announcing the decision to consolidate their low-income housing operations under Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio.  The consolidation will ensure that Habitat for Humanity will continue to sustain and grow its operations to serve more people in Ross and Pickaway Counties.

“We made the decision to work with Habitat Southeast Ohio so that we can continue to help our communities in Ross & Pickaway Counties” said Matthew Giroux, Board President of Scioto Valley Habitat for Humanity.  “By partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio, we can honor the legacy of the work of many volunteers from the past and look forward to an exciting future of leveraging our collective resources to offer additional services to create more safe and attainable housing for people in need”.

Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio is an independently chartered affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International.  The organization is operated by a local board of directors and currently serves multiple counties throughout Southeast Ohio.  As part of this consolidation, some members of the Scioto Valley Habitat for Humanity organization will join the Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio Board of Directors, providing local representation on the regional board.

“We are excited to be working in partnership with the wonderful volunteers and board members in Ross and Pickaway,” said Ken Oehlers, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio.  “We look forward to working toward building more homes and introducing new programs and initiatives into the community that will improve housing conditions”.

Under the consolidation plan, the local group will reorganize into a “coalition” of Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio.  In addition, a full-time community engagement director will be hired to work with local businesses and coordinate volunteers in the area, with additional positions to be created as the organization increases its capacity within the community.  “It takes a community to build a community,” said Oehlers.  “As with all of the counties where we provide services, we will need local support for local projects within Ross and Pickaway Counties.”  Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio aims to build on the momentum created by Habitat Scioto Valley and hit the ground running across both counties. Plans are already underway to host a Project Playhouse fundraiser to engage local sponsors, volunteers, and families. 

Additionally, through a key partnership with the Ross County Land Bank, Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio will begin construction on a new home in Chillicothe this fall, with two additional builds in Ross County scheduled for 2027. The partnership will also allow Habitat to launch its Essential Home Repair program and offer a series of free home repair and maintenance classes for community members.

For more information on upcoming home builds, event sponsorships, or volunteer opportunities, visit habitatseo.org