Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities conducted back-to-back groundbreaking ceremonies Saturday, Aug. 15, on its 149th and 150th homes. These two are at 745 21st St. in East Moline and at 1117 12th St. in Moline.
“We're dedicated to making dreams of homeownership come true, and we are dedicated to improving our communities,” Habitat QC CEO Tom Fisher-King said at the first groundbreaking, in East Moline, at a formerly vacant lot.
Habitat works in over 80 countries around the world.
“We build or repair a home every two minutes. Locally in the Quad Cities, we add over $400,000 a year to our local property tax base on both sides of the river,” Fisher-King said of the growing need for affordable home ownership.
“And Habitat does so much more than build houses. We repair homes and we build accessibility ramps. Through shelter, we empower our families to reach their potential and become better contributing members of our community," he said. "Through shelter, we build a family's strength, stability, independence, and self-esteem. and self-reliance. Our families can thrive. When a Habitat home is built, the community is revitalized, hope takes root, and good things grow.”
Among elected officials who attended Saturday morning were East Moline Mayor Reggie Freeman, and Illinois State Rep. Gregg Johnson (D-East Moline).
“I'm amazed at what you guys do. Habitat for Humanity, I really wasn't aware of this organization too much until I had a warden I used to work for who works with Habitat for Humanity and just continued to do great work,” Johnson said. “And that's when I learned that service continues even after we retire. And with the week we've had the last couple days, with the Tyson closing and seeing the threat of people leaving our community, hopefully not, we need good days like this.
“The sun's not shining, but I feel like it is,” he added. “The work you do is amazing. It's not always the case when normal everyday people, ordinary people do extraordinary things, and Habitat for Humanity exemplifies that. So I just want to thank all of you for that. I live here in East Moline and I want to welcome my new neighbors.”
The new home is being made possible through lots of help by nearby workers at John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline. In late May, they combined with Habitat for Humanity Quad Cities to produce wood frames for local homes.
The new partnership includes six John Deere facilities across Iowa, where workers framed and assembled walls of entire homes. Habitat for Humanity crews will transport those finished panels to home sites in Des Moines, the Quad Cities, Waterloo, and Dubuque, where the walls will be raised and become part of new homes for local families.
This marks the first time Habitat affiliates in the state have worked together, allowing more homes to be built across several communities at the same time. More than 1,200 Deere employees volunteered this past spring on job sites supporting home builds, on-site panel builds, and Habitat ReStore projects.
Deere and Habitat have partnered for more than 15 years to support affordable homeownership and strengthen local communities. Over the past five years, John Deere and its employees have contributed more than $6.5 million to Habitat’s work across Iowa.
Through Habitat’s program, families partner to purchase homes with an affordable mortgage, helping create long-term stability and a place to call their own.
Habitat QC is dedicated to building thriving communities. For over 33 years, the local Habitat affiliate has served low-income families with the construction of affordable homes. Habitat also operates a home repair program and an accessibility ramp program for low-income homeowners.
For the first time ever, Habitat affiliates across Iowa and the QC joined forces in a one-week blitz build powered by John Deere. In the QC, that effort came to life at John Deere Harvester Works and Davenport Works (where Deere produces construction equipment), where volunteers measured, cut, laid and framed the wall panels that will be transported for home build sites in East Moline and Davenport.
“John Deere is proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity in Quad Cities and support this incredible work creating safe, affordable housing in our communities,” Katie Schroeder, community relations manager for Deere in the QC, said at Saturday’s ceremony. “Over the past 10 years, our employees have contributed over 6,000 volunteer hours, donated more than $140,000, and John Deere Foundation has invested over $2 million directly in the Quad Cities.
“So we're honored to help break ground on this new home, to contribute to a stronger, more vibrant community,” she said. “Congratulations to the future homeowners and everyone who helped make this day possible. We look forward to seeing this house become a home.”
“We had so many employees take place at the panel build that we did at Harvester Works,” Schroeder said later. “We're hoping that they can drive past this place and just feel a sense of pride when they put work in that they're part of something bigger in the community.”
New home for single mother and kids
Zach Currier, Habitat family services coordinator, introduced the home’s future owner, Hugette, a single mother, and her two children.
“She’s been working really hard to earn this opportunity. It's not been an easy road, has it?” he said. She's been spending time working on construction sites, working at Habitat ReStore, in the office. She's been attending homeownership classes to learn about budgeting, use of credit, home maintenance, and escrow, and insurance. So she has to earn 250 hours of sweat equity in order to purchase this home, and she's going to be doing that while raising her children.
“Now she can start working on her home,” Currier said, also introducing members of the construction crew and several volunteers. One volunteer, Belinda Holbrook, participated Saturday as mentor to Hugette.
“They act as a liaison between the family and Habitat team. They're there to support, help, and listen in any way that they're able to,” Currier said of mentors. “And all of our mentors are really just cheerleaders for our families, so we really appreciate all that you do.”
Fisher-King said later that the Deere panel builds allow the Habitat homes to go up faster, and will support home builds throughout the QC.
“I'd love to be able to do one of those panel builds a year, and that helps us then to bring those out on both sides of the river as Deere supports, and hopefully will go quicker,” he said, noting the East Moline house will be done by early spring 2027.
Fisher-King has been head of Habitat QC for four years, and is thrilled to be at the helm during the 150th home build, since the nonprofit formed in 1993.
“It's absolutely amazing. I hope that I get to see lots more,” he said. “When we have those even numbers, I was able to see 100 installed ramps, while I've been a director, and now we're at 138 installed ramps, so we're soon on the cusp of 150 ramps installed. It's pretty exciting.”
The local affiliate has been pretty even in building on both sides of the river, Fisher-King said, with about 80 in the Iowa Q-C, including 13 alone on a section of Davenport’s East 6th Street.
Habitat is planning its biggest fundraiser of the year, “Build a Dream,” which will be Oct. 16, 2026, at Bally’s Casino and Hotel, Rock Island. Last year, the event raised $80,000, Fisher-King said.
As Johnson mentioned, the recently announced closing of the Tyson Foods plant in Joslin, Ill., will cost over 2,700 jobs, and put added demand for services from nonprofits like Habitat.
“We want to support our current partner families that work at Tyson and how they're impacted,” Fisher-King said. “So we're gathering resources and reaching out to all of our partner families to make sure that they know that we're going to continue supporting them through this. And as they look for other employment, that Habitat is still there for them.”
Habitat homeowners are able to secure a no-interest mortgage, and ensure that no more than 30% of their income is spent on monthly payments (including mortgage, taxes and insurance), Fisher-King said. That exact dollar figure will vary based on the homeowner’s income, he noted.
The 151st Habitat QC home is scheduled for groundbreaking next spring at 1224 Pershing Ave., Davenport.
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