Programs
“What do you do?”
At Mercy Housing and Human Development we hear this question almost every day—often many times a day. Here’s the answer.
One of our main goals is to help low-income families become first time homeowners. We believe that people have a basic right to safe, affordable shelter, and that homeownership empowers communities and the families who live there. This goal is achieved through the following programs: Click on Program to read more about it!
HomeWorks!
We educate and support low-income families, enabling them to get a mortgage loan to buy their first home. We provide education and individual counseling throughout the process until they become homeowners. For some, this process has taken 2 to 3 years.
SavingWorks! and SavingWorks II
Through Individual Development Accounts (IDA), we encourage families to set financial goals and save toward them, to become more familiar with banking and to avoid predatory lenders. Money saved for a down payment is matched two-to-one.
EITC Program
We at MHHD are the lead agency for the South Mississippi Tax Partnership, including the IRS, National Tax Coalition and United Way of South Mississippi. We operate sites for volunteer tax preparation in three coastal counties, annually recruiting and training over 200 volunteers to help low-wealth families file their tax returns and receive their Earned Income Tax Credit. In 2009 alone, our volunteer preparers helped families file 1,660 returns from which they received over $3 million in tax credits.
Hands of Mercy
MHHD is developing a program that assists with the needs of elderly people. Many older persons who have been responsible with their finances are finding they are now struggling because of the economy. Our aim is to assist them by taking advantage of volunteer resources while helping fund the costs of materials.
HomeOwners Association
To ensure success during the first five years, we at MHHD continue to work with new homeowners, providing classes and a newsletter with tips on repairs, maintenance and other issues.
Katrina Rebuilding
MHHD has and continues to provide assistance to families devastated by 2005’s disastrous Hurricane Katrina.
Cottages for the Coast
Partnering with the Mississippi Emergency Management agency (MEMA) we have provided permanent housing in well-built Mississippi Cottages to low-income elderly and/or disabled people in the state’s six southern counties.
Family Meals on a Budget
Eat better, feel better and save money! In our teaching kitchen a certified instructor shares tip with family members on how to shop and prepare nutritious meals affordably. Our MHHD classes include hands-on lessons in food preparation.
Long Term Workforce Housing
We are acquiring and rehabilitating single family homes in Harrison County to resell affordably to low-income families.
Survival Skills for the Family
We have programs scheduled that cover the following topics:
• Home and personal security,
• Preventing identity theft,
• Budgeting when income drops,
• Hurricane preparedness,
• How to stay healthy,
• Basic landscaping and home gardening,
• Addiction and substance abuse, and
• Developing a sense of community through “people power.”
Volunteers Make a Difference
Mercy Housing has a relationship with Mercy Vocation High School, Philadelphia, PA. Since hurricane Katrina, we have hosted student groups from the school, who traveled to southern Mississippi and volunteered their energy to help people recover from storm damage.
