Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County announces partnership with 13th family, 11th home construction

Lisa and Waylon Sanders thought they were meeting Thursday night with Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County executive board members to discuss their application to become the next owners of a Habitat home.

Instead, surrounded by friends of the Sanders family and Habitat board members, Linda Smith, the president of Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County, informed the Maryville couple that no more discussion was needed and they had been selected as Habitat’s partner family for 2022-23.

Lisa was overcome with emotion as Waylon embraced her and the crowd surrounding them at First United Methodist Church in Maryville applauded the announcement.

Lisa and Waylon are married with nine children – eight boys and one daughter – between the ages of 25 and 6. Five of the children live with Lisa and Waylon in the four-bedroom home they currently rent in Maryville. Lisa, who works at Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., and Waylon, who is employed with Laclede Chain, have wanted a home of their own, however.

Habitat Executive Board members Rex Brod (left) and Nancy Hardee (right) review documents with Lisa
and Waylon Sanders after the Maryville couple was announced as Habitat's partner family for 2022-23.

The Sanders’ successful application marked their third try for a Habitat home. The family had almost given up on their dream of owning a home, but a friend encouraged them to try again when Habitat announced last spring that it was accepting applications for its next partner family.

“Then I got a call last week, and they said they wanted to meet with us tonight,” Lisa said. “We figured it was just more paperwork stuff, but we got the house, and it’s just a blessing. It’s such a huge blessing. I can’t even believe this.”

The Sanders family is Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County’s 13th partner family. The organization built its first home in 2004, and the Sanders’ home will be its 11th.

The four-bedroom, 1,700 square-foot home will be constructed at the corner of East Third Street and North Saunders Street in Maryville, within walking distance of Eugene Field Elementary School and Happy Hollow Park.

Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County is again partnering with the building trades program at the Northwest Technical School in Maryville to construct the home, which is expected to reach completion next May.

Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County is a non-profit, nondenominational Christian housing ministry that seeks to eliminate poverty housing and invites people from all walks of life to work in partnership to build houses with individuals and families in need. It offers partner families an opportunity to help themselves, to own a decent, affordable home of their own, which they pay for and maintain.

Partner families invest hundreds of hours of “sweat equity” into building their homes and the homes of others. The houses are sold at no profit and with no interest charged. Mortgage payments are placed in a revolving fund and used to finance additional houses.

Volunteers provide the labor, and individuals, churches, and corporate sponsors provide the money and materials to build Habitat houses. Habitat for Humanity of Nodaway County is one of more than 50 affiliates and campus chapters in the state of Missouri.