LaGrange County
As of the end of 2017, LCHFH has built, rehabbed, or recycled homes with 30 families. In addition, we have served 17 families with “A Brush with Kindness.”
LaGrange County Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with God and people to develop communities with God’s people in need, by building, renovating, and repairing houses so that there are simple, affordable homes in our communities where people can live and grow into all that God intended for them.
John Sisson has been the Executive Director at LaGrange County Habitat for Humanity since June, 2017. John had worked with Public and Affordable Housing for the past 13 years and he sees this opportunity as the next step in helping those in need to become more reliant on themselves and have something they can call their own. He is a native of Western NY where he grew up in the small town of Frewsburg. John moved to Indiana after retiring from the Marine Corps having served from 1981-2001. During his time in the Marine Corps John served in Desert Storm and was involved with the rescue mission for Air Force pilot Scott O’Grady who was shot down in Bosnia in 1995. John looks forward to carrying on the mission of Lagrange County Habitat and continuing to provide the same great service that the community has come to expect. John says, “I am excited to be here, and I look forward to getting to know the residents and businesses here in Lagrange County. God has blessed me with a great opportunity to not only serve Him but His people as well.”
Through the generous giving of time, the following individuals currently serve as board members for LaGrange Habitat for Humanity.
Chris Lantz learned about LCHFH when he was invited to their annual fundraising auction in 2015. He has been volunteering for them ever since through home builds, ABWK and Auctions. Chris enjoys officiating IHSAA, reading and golf.
Samantha Davis-Kania, a lifelong LaGrange County resident, understands the need for affordable housing both from her job at Wells-Fargo Bank and her childhood experience of living in a single parent home after her father passed away. LCHFH is not new for Samantha, who has helped to build five LCHFH homes and participated in LCHFH auctions. She joined the Board of Directors so that she could do more than “just put up the walls” of Habitat homes, and she has a passion for matching families to home ownership.
Lynnsey Peachey was born in LaGrange County and attended local schools. An employee of Wells Fargo, she has volunteered on many build sites. In addition, she co-chaired the fund-raising arm of the 2017 Women Build. If you bought a pink hat, tip it to Lynnsey and her committee. Lynnsey attends First United Methodist Church in LaGrange, and she and her husband have two children.
Gary Fry, a lifelong LaGrange County resident, works at Farmers State Bank in Shipshewana. He is a past Cub Scout Master and currently volunteers with Junior Achievement. A veteran of the Marine Corps, Gary has also worked as an insurance agent. Gary appreciates Habitat’s stance of helping local families through zero interest loans, and he is pleased to be able to fill the need for board members. In his free time, Gary enjoys hunting, riding his motorcycle and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Dan Lehman is a part of LCHFH because he likes what LCHFH stands for. He is a self-employed builder and has building experience so he enjoys being a part of local builds. He finds LCHFH’s families, annual auction, construction and volunteering interesting.
Janine Mellinger has a heart for missions and serves on her church’s World Missions committee; she also sings on her church’s praise team. As a hometown LaGrange resident, she appreciates LCHFH’s role in uniting the community and hopes to implement more engagement with Habitat home-buyers after their build is completed. Janine has folded lots of chairs via the LCHFH auction clean-up crew. Janine really has a heart for the community of LaGrange
Julie Rasler has had construction in her blood since she helped her family build an addition to her house when she was young. She was born and raised in LaGrange and can’t imagine living anywhere else. After helping to construct two LCHFH homes, Julie was thrilled to participate in the 2017 Women Build project, and she is pleased to be involved at the level of Board of Directors. She is employed as a pharmacy technician at Miller’s Drugs inside Miller’s Food and Drugs.
Click the document icon above to read a recent letter from the LCHFH Board of Directors explaining what happens when a LCHFH homeowner wants to sell their home.
Short Excerpt
Click the link below to see our most recent 990 form.
205 E. Wayne Street, LaGrange, IN 46761
Phone/Fax: (260) 463-8519 | Email: johnsisson@lagrangehabitat.org
Click below to read Habitat for Humanity’s history, vision statement, mission statement, and a reference to the non-proselytizing policy.
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