Peoples' Self-Help Housing

The Mission of Peoples' Self-Help Housing is to provide affordable housing and programs leading to self-sufficiency for low-income families, seniors, and other special needs groups on California's Central Coast.

Wishing you a Happy Holiday Season and a healthy 2009! Enjoy this December issue of E-News!

Peoples' Self-Help Housing E-Newsletter

Four Montecito Churches Join Forces to Help a Neighbor
Stuff the Bus Toy Campaign
Year-End Giving for PSHH
In the Spirit of the Season
Upcoming Events and Workshops

Four Montecito Churches Join Forces to Help a Neighbor

Tenant Maria in front of her trailer.

Four Montecito (M-4) churches are coming together for a project at Peoples' Self-Helping Housing's Carpinteria site. Dubbed the "Camper Park Project", the joint effort involves acquiring, purchasing, and installing new bathroom fixtures at the Camper Park, which houses 150 low-income children and adults, mostly farm workers.

Members of "The Community of Montecito Churches" (Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, All Saints-by-the-Sea Episcopal, El Montecito Presbyterian, and Montecito Covenant Churches) are raising $10,000 for new toilets, partitions, sinks, and flooring in the restrooms. In several years, the Camper Park will offer permanent housing for the families now living in tiny, dilapidated trailers.

"The leadership and parishioners of the four churches are truly grateful for this opportunity to serve these local, lower income families, through Peoples' Self-Help Housing," said Lauri Rawlins-Betta, a spokesperson for the Community of Montecito Churches.

For several years the M-4 churches have provided backpacks with new school supplies for over 900 children who live at Peoples' affordable housing complexes in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. PSHH is truly grateful for the generosity and volunteers from these neighbor churches.

For more information on how to donate or volunteer to M-4 projects, contact the Pastor of any M-4 church or call Lauri Rawlins-Betta at (805) 969-5041. Pictured: Tenant Maria in front of her trailer. 

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Stuff the Bus Toy Campaign

Our 4th Annual Stuff the Bus Campaign will bring hope and joy during the 2008 holiday season to hundreds of children residing at Peoples' Self-Help Housing rental complexes in Santa Barbara.

Call 962-5152 for 2008 sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. Donate new, unwrapped toys for children age infant to 11 years old and merchant gift cards for teenagers.

Our resident children will be very grateful for the community's support and your donations of new toys and gift cards. See a list of drop off locations. 

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Year-End Giving for PSHH

Year-end giving is an easy way to make a gift and save taxes. Here are just a few ideas:

Gifts of Cash- there is no easier way to support PSHH than writing a check. Be sure to postmark the envelope by December 31st and it will qualify as a deduction this year for up to 50% of your Adjusted Gross Income. If your total gifts exceed this limitation they can be carried forward for up to five years. It is also convenient to donate online at www.pshhc.org.

Gifts of Real Estate - if your residence, vacation home, farm or raw land has appreciated over the years, using part or all of it as a gift to Peoples' can avoid substantial capital gains taxes. You can also reserve the right to continue to live in your home.

Gifts of Life Insurance - if you own life insurance that is no longer needed, you can name PSHH as the owner and beneficiary. If there is cash value in the policy you can take a deduction for that as well as any annual premiums that you will make in future years.

Life Income Gifts - a gift of an appreciated asset to a charitable trust can allow you to avoid or defer capital gains taxes, receive a tax deduction and serve to increase your income. There are several varieties of life income gifts that might meet your objectives.

Bequest - this may be a good time to consider longer term tax planning. Federal estate taxes can still take a substantial piece of one's estate depending on its size. A charitable bequest is a good way to benefit PSHH while possibly saving on estate taxes.  

Please talk with your tax advisor, but we would also be pleased to have a no-obligation, confidential discussion of year-end giving techniques with you at your convenience. Contact Rochelle Rose, CFRE, PSHH Fund Development Director at (805) 962-5152 ext. 227 or email rocheller@pshhc.org.

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In the Spirit of the Season:

• In San Luis Obispo County PSHH resident children will receive holiday gifts thru a partnership with Toys for Tots.
    
• In addition we are are holding a drawing and essay contest for children who would like a bike for Christmas. Volunteers will judge the entries and bikes will be delivered during the second week of December.
    
• On Saturday, December 6th, PSHH employees and volunteers will decorate a tree at the San Luis Obispo Mission Parish Hall. Trees will be auctioned off between 10 AM and 3 PM, all proceeds will benefit the Prado Day Center.

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