Scott Engmann
“Seeing a family realize something they hoped for—something they thought they could never have—that’s very, very meaningful.”
Purchasing a home is one of the largest steps in life families go through. It’s stressful, overwhelming, and when you don’t qualify for credit with banks—it can really become a disappointing experience.
Successfully leading his staff and volunteers through building homes the past eight years is Scott Engmann, the Executive Director of the Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity.
Scott and his team do more than plan, direct, fundraise, and build. They’re part of a program that sets people up for success, taking steps to a brighter future.
After a family purchases a Habitat for Humanity unit, they are required to provide 250 hours of sweat-equity labor on the program’s homes, including their own. Of these hours, 50 include classes teaching about budgets, finance management, and credit.
“Sometimes, it’s not about the house,” said Scott. “We’re about transforming lives, and we do it through the medium of housing.”
The homeowners are experiencing this transformation, but so are the countless numbers of volunteers that make this program possible. Currently, house number 91 of 95 is getting ready to be dedicated to a well-deserving family.
What’s special about number 91? For the first time in the Black Hills, 11 different churches from eight different denominations came together to provide funds and volunteers for the entire build. This shows that you can be a part of something big, something that can change the community.
“When we work together, bringing our different strengths, we can achieve more than any one of us can on our own,” said Scott.
Scott and his team with Habitat for Humanity provide affordable, sustainable housing–but they
also give families much more. They give [them] hope–and that is ‘Making an Impact’ in our community.
Written by Jenna Carda
IMPACT Magazine is currently taking nominations for the next edition of ‘Making An Impact’. Know someone who is making a difference right here in the Black Hills? Nominate them by sending their name and a summary of their Impact in the community to editorial@blackhillsparent.com