Catch The Building Spirit (CTBS) "Sharing our gifts to enable needy families to own their home!"

Mission Statement:

Catch-the-Building-Spirit is a local, grass-roots group of Miami Valley Catholics who build quality homes at cost for low-income families. We rely on volunteers from Dayton area parishes and faith communities.

Since starting in 1993, many houses have been constructed in partnership with Dayton Habitat for Humanity and one house remolded with the St. Mary's Development Corporation. We are growing and now have an official board of trustees. The Archdiocesan Office of Social Justice and World Peace has supported us since our inception in 1993. A strong coalition of over 20 parishes has worked together locally to fulfill peoples' dreams of owning a home.

The Need:

People greatly need a safe, stable home environment to grow in society and to become well-adjusted citizens. As Christian Catholics, we vitally need to alleviate substandard area housing that affects 40% of our low-income urban households. We critically need to stop urban decay by promoting affordable home ownership for families to gain financial equity.

As Catholics, we need to show a strong presence in the Dayton community. Showing the love and power of God in practical ways enables us to meet our Christian responsibilities.

Our Strengths:

• More than 95% of all financial gifts received support needy families
• We foster the esteem necessary for a family to move out of poverty by owning a home.
• We promote and nurture community building among parishes and other churches, gathering cooperatively for a unified purpose.
• We establish the presence of the Kingdom of God in the world proper to our role as lay Catholic people and as urged in the U.S. Bishop's pastoral, Economic Justice for All: The Dignity of the Human Person.
• We offer the occasion to learn new building skills from new relationship ties.
• We foster the joy that comes in loving Jesus, who, according to Mother Teresa, is "disguised in the distress of the poor".
• We have the commitment, wisdom and experience to build a home start to finish.
• We offer a simple, effective and active response to the needs of people who are without adequate long-term dwellings.
• We provide role models for youth.