Exciting Changes Ahead:
A New Chapter for 2025 and Beyond

Habitat for Humanity Lake County and Habitat for Humanity McHenry County Merge to Strengthen Mission and Expand Impact

Habitat for Humanity Lake County and Habitat for Humanity McHenry County are excited to announce that we have merged to form a stronger, unified organization. This strategic partnership will allow both affiliates to expand our impacts, serve more communities, and ensure long-term sustainability for affordable housing programs in both of our counties.

A Merger to Strengthen Our Mission

This merger is driven by a shared commitment to creating a stronger, more resilient organization that is better equipped to serve local families in our community. By joining forces, the new entity will have increased capacity to take on larger, more ambitious projects and will be better positioned to meet the need for safe, affordable homeownership opportunities in both counties.

Both the Lake and McHenry County offices will remain open and fully operational, with both McHenry ReStores continuing to serve as vital resources for affordable building supplies and home goods. All current staff positions will be retained, ensuring continuity of services and support for the families and communities we serve. This merger also celebrates the incredible legacy of McHenry’s longtime President and CEO, Jerry Monica, who enters a well-deserved retirement after a distinguished career of building a successful, impactful organization. As he passes the torch, Joel Williams, the current Executive Director of Habitat Lake County, will step into the CEO role for the newly unified organization. Joel brings nearly 20 years of nonprofit experience and a heartfelt dedication to serving the community, setting the stage for a bright and impactful future in the mission to provide affordable housing for families across both counties.

“Jerry Monica’s impact on Habitat for Humanity in McHenry County has been extraordinary. Through his unwavering dedication, he’s built not only homes, but a legacy—a strong organization, a talented team, and a culture of excellence that has transformed lives across the community. From expanding vital programs to operating two successful ReStores, Jerry’s vision and leadership have laid a foundation that I am both humbled and honored to build upon through this merger. I’m deeply grateful for the trust he’s placed in me to carry this legacy forward, and I know that his influence will be felt for years to come.” – Joel Williams, Habitat for Humanity Lake County Executive Director and incoming CEO

Key Benefits of the Merger

• Strength in Numbers: The combined organization will pool the expertise, skills, and resources of both affiliates, enabling it to enhance program delivery, strengthen financial stability, and improve construction techniques and volunteer engagement.
• Increase Efficiency, Maximize Resources: The merger will streamline operations and reduce duplicate tasks, ensuring donor funds are used more efficiently and allowing the organization to be better stewards of its resources.
• Expanded Reach: With an increased presence across both Lake and McHenry Counties, the organization will be able to serve more communities, raise awareness of Habitat’s mission, and make a deeper impact on affordable housing issues.
• Ensure Long-Term Sustainability: By diversifying revenue streams and enhancing financial resilience, the new organization will be better equipped to face economic challenges and support sustainable growth and innovation.
• Amplify Advocacy: A unified, larger organization will have a stronger voice in advocating for safe, affordable housing.

A Bright Future for Both Counties

“Joel has transformed the way Habitat Lake County approaches the affordable housing market, positioning that affiliate to mesh perfectly with Habitat McHenry as the two organizations merge. I have the utmost confidence that he will lead the merged organization to become the largest producing Habitat affiliate in the State of Illinois.” – Jerry Monica, Habitat for Humanity McHenry President and CEO

Community members, donors, and partners can rest assured that this merger will not result in a reduction of services. On the contrary, Habitat for Humanity’s expanded capacity will allow it to build more homes, serve more families, and further its mission of creating a world where everyone has a safe place to live.

Join Us in Building a Stronger Future

As Habitat for Humanity Lake County and Habitat McHenry County embark on this exciting new chapter, we invite the community to continue supporting their efforts to create lasting change. Together, we are confident that this merger will result in a stronger, more resilient organization that will benefit more individuals and families across both counties.

For more information about the merger and how you can get involved, contact Joel Williams at jwilliams@habitatlc.org.

You’ll find everything you need in one place: updates, resources, volunteer opportunities, and ways to support our mission. Don’t worry—our current site will redirect you to the new one.

Thank you for helping us expand our impact across McHenry and Lake Counties. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for our unified organization.