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Habitat for Humanity Weber and Davis counties names new executive director

By Deborah Wilber - | Oct 26, 2021
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Habitat for Humanity ReStore, at 3111 Wall Ave. in Ogden, is shown Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021.
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Wendy Vinhage, pictured with husband Kurt Vinhage, is the new executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Weber and Davis Counties.
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Habitat for Humanity ReStore, at 3111 Wall Ave. in Ogden, is shown Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021.

OGDEN — Habitat for Humanity of Weber and Davis Counties named its new executive director, Wendy Vinhage, an 11-year veteran of nonprofit work.

As an executive director of the Centre County United Way in central Pennsylvania, Vinhage led a $1.57 million fundraising campaign and launched a partnership with a local foundation resulting in $330,000 in pandemic relief to 430 families.

“It’s my way of paying rent for living on this planet,” she said of nonprofit work.

The Pennsylvania transplant stepped into her new role in August. The hiring of Vinhage came as part of all new management over the summer, including new board leadership.

According to Vinhage, there’s already been much to learn since stepping into her new position. “Building permits have been fun,” she said. Vinhage joined Habitat for Humanity in the middle of a new build for an Ogden family that has been waiting two years for a home. She says the family is being patient, but its been a process.

For Vinhage, there is nothing more gratifying than giving someone a home, she said. A lack of affordable housing has always been the main struggle for people the nonprofit works with, and she wants to help provide them with suitable, safe places to live. While businesses and banks help with raising funds for projects, Habitat for Humanity is in need of more private donors, Vinhage said.

Although the Habitat for Humanity ReStore is the main year-round fundraising generator for “kindness projects,” the store has only recently started making money, said Vinhage, who is working to raise online awareness for money needed to complete the latest home.

“We’re so close,” Vinhage said of the home designed by Weber State University students. Ogden-Weber Technical College students helped with the build alongside volunteers from the community. In attending a volunteer event at WSU, Vinhage said she was surprised to learn many people have never heard of Habitat for Humanity, yet she was excited to have the opportunity to educate them about it without any preconceived opinions.

“We’re always here to help and accept donations,” she said.

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