Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties

"They give you a sense that you don’t have to panic…."

Over its first 30 years, Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties has built 84 decent, affordable homes where 317 people, including 201 children, live and thrive. The organization is an independent, locally-run 501 (c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and is the result of a 2017 merger of Habitat affiliates in Montgomery and Delaware Counties in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers, pay an affordable mortgage, and contribute to local property and school taxes. Habitat also provides low-cost home repairs, neighborhood revitalization, and financial literacy and empowerment education. Habitat families achieve the strength, stability and independence they need to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Marianne Lynch, Chief Executive Officer, was already impressed with Your Part-Time Controller’s professionalism from her previous work as development director for another YPTC client. When she joined Habitat she was pleased to learn that Habitat was also using YPTC’s services.

“During my first six months YPTC helped me to get more familiar with my position and create a tighter general ledger and budgeting process and made sure we paid our bills on time,” she recalls.

Lynch wound up hiring a staff person to help out with the accounting. “But when he left we had a gap in our knowledge. I didn’t have to think about it: we brought YPTC back in because they already knew our business.

“One of the things I love about them is that they have a good history of the organizations that they work with so if you ever find yourself in need of their services again they get acclimated very quickly,” she explains. “They calmed the Board down and said, ‘No problem – we’ve got this!’ They give you a sense that you don’t have to panic.”

Habitat has a very complex business model: the organization originates and then manages some 70 mortgages each month, while developing and building properties, operating two retail stores and conducting fundraising. In addition to the annual audit, there’s a specialized real estate compliance audit that mortgage holders have to undergo. YPTC helps out with all of that. Plus, they helped navigate through the 2017 merger and the mortgages and properties that were inherited as a result.

“I have a lot of trust in YPTC and I know the quality of their work. One reason I’m so impressed with them is that they just jump in and say ‘I’ve got this – don’t worry!’ They’re not cheap but you get what you pay for. I consider it an investment to make sure our financials are correct so we can attract larger funders and investors.”

When Habitat decided to hire a finance director, YPTC helped with the interview process of screening five candidates and then helped train the person while she got acclimated to the new position and its financial complexities. “We would not have hired someone as skilled were it not for YPTC’s support,” she notes.

“Plus, they’re just really nice people. Everybody I’ve worked with is super pleasant and doesn’t get ruffled easily. I love working with them. They’ve become part of our family.”