Lake & McHenry Habitats are Merging!
Habitat for Humanity Lake County and Habitat for Humanity of McHenry County are merging in 2025 to form a stronger, unified organization dedicated to creating even greater impact in their communities. This merger is a powerful step forward, enabling them to expand their reach, increase efficiency, and enhance the lives of even more families by providing access to safe, affordable housing.
By joining forces, the combined Lake-McHenry Habitat organization will be able to:
- Pool Expertise and Resources: Bringing together skills, resources, and team strengths will allow more homes to be built and more repairs completed, making an even bigger difference across the communities they serve.
- Maximize Efficiency: Streamlining operations will help reduce redundancies and ensure that more resources go directly to the individuals and families who need them most.
- Expand Reach and Impact: Together, Lake-McHenry Habitat will serve a broader geographic area and bring increased awareness to the need for affordable housing in both Lake and McHenry Counties.
- Ensure Long-Term Sustainability: This merger creates a stronger financial foundation, helping to better navigate economic changes and support growth for years to come.
- Strengthen Advocacy and Community Partnerships: As a larger, unified organization, Lake-McHenry Habitat will have a stronger voice to advocate for affordable housing and be even more attractive to community partners and supporters.
Joel Williams, the current Executive Director of Lake County Habitat, will step into the role of CEO for this newly unified organization on January 1, 2025, as McHenry County’s longtime President and CEO, Jerry Monica, enters a well-deserved retirement. “Under Jerry’s leadership, Habitat McHenry has seen incredible growth,” said Joel. “I am committed to building upon the strong foundation he has created.”
This merger is about building on the strengths of both affiliates to do even more for the families they serve. The mission remains unchanged: to provide safe, affordable housing and create opportunities for individuals and families to thrive.