Each year, over a thousand members of our community dedicate their time, talents, and hearts to helping further our mission of building homes, communities, and hope. They help on our board of directors and committees, on construction sites, at ReStore and community events, and more.  Each of these individuals has their own “why” for showing up and getting involved. We recently sat down with several of them to hear their stories that we’ll be sharing with you on our blog over the coming weeks. We hope you enjoy reading a little bit about them and getting to know their “why”. 

Time, Talent and Treasure: An Interview with Eric Fischer, Tax Principal, BDO USA, LLP & Chair of Habitat Kent Board of Directors 

Eric Fischer (middle of picture above) began volunteering on Habitat Kent construction sites over a decade ago. After several years serving in that capacity, Eric joined our Board of Directors and is currently the Board Chair. Read the conversation between Eric and our Communications Manager, Sarah, to learn about his experience as a board member and why he’s passionate about housing. 

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Sarah: What inspired you to get involved with Habitat Kent? 

Eric: I originally got involved with Habitat Kent about twelve years ago after going on a tour with another volunteer and a staff member. I became hooked after seeing different ways that affordable homes can be achieved by putting community around it. I am an accountant by day, but serving on the board of directors lets me use other skills and learn new things. 

Sarah: What’s something you’ve accomplished as a Habitat volunteer that you’re proud of? 

Eric: One of my tasks has been to help organize the board. I’m proud of the fact that the organization has adopted new ways to help people get into affordable homes. Adapting and looking at various ways to achieve homeownership must be part of the solution to our community’s housing shortage. For example, Plaza Roosevelt [Habitat‘s largest project to date, a 17-unit condo association completed in 2019] was messy, hard, and took a lot out of a lot of people, but it showed that we can be creative with solutions. 

Sarah: After twelve years of serving, what keeps you coming back? 

Eric: Housing is a messy and complex issue. However, volunteering with Habitat gives me purpose and I believe housing is the biggest issue right now. When you look at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, everyone’s housing needs must be met first. It impacts everything else – your health, education, your ability to provide for your family. 

As for my time on the board, I hope to continue that mission and bring more people to committees and the board so they can see the importance of that work and get involved. 

Sarah: What would you tell someone who is considering getting involved with Habitat Kent? 

Eric: If someone is considering supporting Habitat financially or volunteering, I would tell them to picture one more family having a home and how that can change their lives. It takes time, a lot of different talents and treasure to build a house, so why not use yours to help someone thrive?