Thank you Don Gomes! Your leadership and commitment to habitat have made an enormous impact on habitat.

The foundation Don has laid is allowing us to start new homes for the Killion and Ramiez families in Coalville. We are all thankful for Don's contributions and wish he and Annie great success in Indianapolis.

Dons departure means a change in Habitat's Executive Director. We are blessed with a veteran Habitat Director, Yasamina Roque, who joins us now in our mission to change "by eliminating" inadequate housing in Summit and Wasatch counties. Her skills and experience will propel us to our goal of building four homes a year!

Habitat assists families in need of safe, decent, affordable shelter fulfilling their dream of independence and self-sufficiency through home ownership. Habitat creates enormous positive change by building houses and communities in 64 countries throughout the world. Habitat restores hope, changing the lives of our partner families by providing them with a safe, secure environment to build a brighter future for themselves and their families.

The opportunity for creating positive change belongs to you too, as Habitat donors and volunteers. Your time, experience and donations have an immediate impact right here in our own backyard. Helping us find land, participating in our events, donations of your time or surplus materials, and yes, of course, money provides the catalyst for change. Change happens, make it positive.

Habitat is all about change. Home ownership " a safe, secure, decent home" is the foundation upon which families change 
their lives. Habitat has shown again and again, with over 100,000 families, that lending a hand-up to families builds a better community. Habitat involves the community by giving families in need love and support. Best of all, Habitat give each one of us the ability to become all that God intended by demonstrating our faith in action.

In the Music Man, the quartet croons"...where is the good in goodbye..." That certainly says a lot about my departure from Park City.

My wife, Annie Holt, accepted a position as Chief Executive Officer of Women's Hospital in Indianapolis. While it was tough to leave all my pursuits, including Habitat, it is a great opportunity for Annie. and it is a new beginning in many ways for me. While Indiana is very flat (read here hills NOT mountains), it is rich with opportunities for the work I do.

I so enjoyed my eight months of part-time work with Habitat for Humanity. I will miss you and all the great friends I have made here. Memories never die, though, and I take many with me.

I hope the work I did will yield many new homes for many families. And I know your continued support is crucial. Yasamina is an old friend with great Habitat experience and she will do well with your help.

Again, thanks for being part of a full and fulfilling life for me here in Utah. I will miss you.

I wish you all the best.

Cheers.

Don Gomes

I am honored to accept this exciting and challenging position for habitat for Humanity of Summit & Wasatch Counties.  Since 1996, I served as Executive Director of the Salt Lake Valley Habitat for Humanity Chapter.

Habitat is love in action. More than one billion people worldwide are inadequately sheltered; 100 million of those have no home at all. Habitat for Humanity is a Christian housing ministry, funded by taxdeductible contributions and aided by thousands of volunteers.

We are part of the solution and our Summit & Wasatch chapter will build 20 homes in the next five years. This means we need to raise at least $1,500,000

There are more than 25,000 families living on limited resources in Summit and Wasatch Counties. Many of these families are burdened by paying more than half of their hard-earned monthly income on rent. You can help Habitat eliminate substandard housing in Summit and Wasatch counties. But Habitat must have financial resources -- and those resources must come from people like you. We depend on it.

God has placed an incredible opportunity before us. We will build one home in Coalville this year. In order to do this we need your prayers, sweat, money and know how.

A family is waiting. Thank you for your support.