November 21, 2023 • 7 mins
Corinne O’ Connell - Chief Executive Officer / Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia
As CEO, Corinne drives the strategic vision of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia – our work toward a city where everyone has a decent place to live. Corinne brings two decades of experience in nonprofits that specialize in housing and homelessness to her role at Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Corinne worked at the YWCA of Seattle and Project HOME before she joined Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia as Director of Development in 2009. She served as Habitat’s Associate Executive Director from 2011 to 2017 before she stepped into her current role as the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer. Corinne is an alumna of Saint Joseph’s University and has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University. She has served on the boards of Gearing Up and the Ignatian Solidarity Network and shares her nonprofit and fundraising expertise as a speaker and panelist throughout Philadelphia. Corinne is a 2017 awardee of the Valentine Leadership Fund, which recognizes and enhances female leadership in nonprofits. In 2019, the Philadelphia Business Journal honored Corinne as one of the 25 Most Admired CEOs – recognizing established leaders across all industries with a strong record of innovation in their field, outstanding financial performance, a commitment to quality, a strong vision, a commitment to diversity in the workplace and contributions to Greater Philadelphia.
As CEO, Corinne drives the strategic vision of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia – our work toward a city where everyone has a decent place to live. Corinne brings two decades of experience in nonprofits that specialize in housing and homelessness to her role at Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia. Corinne worked at the YWCA of Seattle and Project HOME before she joined Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia as Director of Development in 2009. She served as Habitat’s Associate Executive Director from 2011 to 2017 before she stepped into her current role as the organization’s first Chief Executive Officer. Corinne is an alumna of Saint Joseph’s University and has a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University. She has served on the boards of Gearing Up and the Ignatian Solidarity Network and shares her nonprofit and fundraising expertise as a speaker and panelist throughout Philadelphia. Corinne is a 2017 awardee of the Valentine Leadership Fund, which recognizes and enhances female leadership in nonprofits. In 2019, the Philadelphia Business Journal honored Corinne as one of the 25 Most Admired CEOs – recognizing established leaders across all industries with a strong record of innovation in their field, outstanding financial performance, a commitment to quality, a strong vision, a commitment to diversity in the workplace and contributions to Greater Philadelphia.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
I'm the rain ballad Borrow with CEOsyou should know, brought to you by
Comcast Business. Corin O'Connell. I'mthe CEO of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia.
Tell us about the mission of Habitat. So At Habitat for Humanity, Philadelphia,
we build and repair homes in partnershipwith families in need. And it's
grounded in this audacious vision of acity and a world where everyone has a
(00:25):
decent place to live. How doesit work? So we work alongside families,
first time home buyers. They arelow income first time home buyers.
Partnership alongside these families to buy theirhomes. So Habitat where the caseworker,
where the bank, where the builder, where the developer. Families buy their
(00:48):
homes. It is a low interestmortgage and it's a thirty year low interest
mortgage. And the whole purpose thereright is that it's affordable and that families
can start to build equity. Howdid Habitat for Humanity get started? Well,
everybody thinks we got started because ofJimmy Carter. So in a little
bit of correcting there a little bit, there's more to the story. The
(01:10):
founder is Millard Fuller and his wifeLinda. But yes, our most famous
volunteers are Jimmy and Rosalind Carter.In Philadelphia. We were started in nineteen
eighty five in North Philadelphia on WiltStreet and bringing it actually full circle.
President Carter and Missus Carter. Wehosted the Carter Work Project in nineteen eighty
eight, so and the Carter WorkProject is still going today. They just
(01:33):
hosted the thirty seventh annual in Charlotte, North Carolina. What has been the
impact of Habitat so locally in Philadelphia. The impact it's over one thousand families.
And that is both through the newconstruction, the traditional habitat model I
just spoke of, and then inthe last ten or twelve years, we
(01:53):
have also developed a strategy to repairowner occupied homes. So we go into
homes family own, fix the roof, fix bathrooms, fixed basements, fixed
stairwells, so that families can continueto stay, maintain that asset, preserve
the existing affordable housing stock. Sobetween the two hundred and sixty five new
(02:15):
homes we've built and the eight hundredand fifty plus homes we've repaired, right
were north of a thousand homes thatwe've worked to make safe, warm,
and dry. That's fantastic. Sotell us what it means to be a
homeowner. What is the impact ofthe individuals and families that now own these
homes that they helped build and theywere invested in in so many other ways.
(02:38):
So home as medicine, home aseducation, home as equity, home
as stability, home is safety.Those words sort of sit there, But
what then does that mean? SoI offer the example. We have a
family that bought their home. Themom worked at ihop and shed the lunch
shift at ihop because she wanted tobe at home when her boys went to
(02:59):
school and morning she wanted to behome at the end of the day when
they got home to do homework.She comes into the habitat program. She
finishes her sweat equity right, soher own investment in the home they buy
it is affordable. It's a thirtyyear affordable mortgage. Sons one finished out
of Westchester, one finished out ofPenn State. Mom went back to community
(03:20):
college herself, So that gives somecontext. Right of home as medicine,
home as education, home as employment, home is equity, home is opportunity.
So what got you involved? WithHabitat. What is it about the
mission of Habitat for Humanity that reallyresonated with you so that you would want
to work for this organization? Ithink our secret sauce and what keeps me
(03:44):
coming back because it's hard, right, what we do is hard. What
invigorates me? You know, weshorten our name and we just abbreviate it
and talk Habitat right, work atHabitat, I build with Habitat. I
volunteered with Habitat. But that thirdword, right, Habitat for Humanity,
that's I think our secret sauce.That's what keeps me coming back. We
in who we are and where webuild, in the relationships we build creates
(04:09):
proximity for people who from all differentwalks of life, perhaps maybe never intersect.
And in building alongside someone in aneighborhood where you've never been before,
it's about building relationship and again thatproximity. And so when you're in relationship,
it's hard to hang on to beliefsabout what the others or what they
(04:30):
should or we should or what haveyou. When you're in relationship, you
get to know humans. It's easierto solve human problems. When we know
one another and work alongside one another. So that's what keeps me coming back.
Right, I've had the opportunity tomeet hundreds of families who have bought
their homes and had their homes repairedby Habitat. Their lived experience. It's
(04:54):
their determination, their tenacity, andthat universally, I hear from families in
our program right their moms and dadswho just right are doing everything they can
so that their kids have every opportunityin front of them. That's a universal
that's not this group or that group. Like every parent wants what's best for
(05:15):
their kids. Tell us on bothsides, the people that you would like
to apply to be a part ofthe program and the people you would like
to come join you as volunteers.So all of that information is on our
website, habitat Philadelphia dot org.We're right now in an application cycle,
so if people are interested to learnmore and to apply for home ownership at
(05:39):
Habitat, it's all on our website, as well as the information about repairs
we're currently repairing in lower North CentralPhiladelphia and West Philadelphia, so those targeted
zip codes in those neighborhoods. Soto learn more, I would encourage people
on the volunteer side of things sameHabitat Philadelphia dot org. Come out and
build, come out and volunteer ato rea stores. So that we have
(06:00):
two thrift stores. They are opento the public. Proceeds of those restores
of building materials and home goods.Every dollar we raise through those restores helps
to build and repair more homes.With another great opportunity for somebody who's like,
oh, maybe I don't want todo insulation on a house, Great,
come on down to the restore.You can help us. There any
final words before we close. Sowe have the trust of donors and volunteers
(06:26):
and corporate and foundations like we cannotdo it alone. And we talk about
building together at Habitat Philadelphia, andit is an all play, right,
it is together we're able to domore. So acknowledging everybody who has invested
their time, talent and treasure.And then I think my last parting thought
is there's more than enough, right, There's enough out there in this world,
(06:48):
in our country and in our city. Yes, that vision is audacious.
A city where everyone has a decentplace to live and it is entirely
possible. I love that Carinn O'Connell, Chief executive Officer of Habitat Humanity,
Philadelphia. Thank you, Thank youfor having me. CEOs you should know
brought to you by comcaste Business,offering the complete connectivity solution, cybersecurity,
(07:14):
Internet and mobile, all from oneprovider, comcaste Business powering possibilities
I'm the rain ballad Borrow with CEOsyou should know, brought to you by
Comcast Business. Corin O'Connell. I'mthe CEO of Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia.
Tell us about the mission of Habitat. So At Habitat for Humanity, Philadelphia,
we build and repair homes in partnershipwith families in need. And it's
grounded in this audacious vision of acity and a world where everyone has a
(00:25):
decent place to live. How doesit work? So we work alongside families,
first time home buyers. They arelow income first time home buyers.
Partnership alongside these families to buy theirhomes. So Habitat where the caseworker,
where the bank, where the builder, where the developer. Families buy their
(00:48):
homes. It is a low interestmortgage and it's a thirty year low interest
mortgage. And the whole purpose thereright is that it's affordable and that families
can start to build equity. Howdid Habitat for Humanity get started? Well,
everybody thinks we got started because ofJimmy Carter. So in a little
bit of correcting there a little bit, there's more to the story. The
(01:10):
founder is Millard Fuller and his wifeLinda. But yes, our most famous
volunteers are Jimmy and Rosalind Carter.In Philadelphia. We were started in nineteen
eighty five in North Philadelphia on WiltStreet and bringing it actually full circle.
President Carter and Missus Carter. Wehosted the Carter Work Project in nineteen eighty
eight, so and the Carter WorkProject is still going today. They just
(01:33):
hosted the thirty seventh annual in Charlotte, North Carolina. What has been the
impact of Habitat so locally in Philadelphia. The impact it's over one thousand families.
And that is both through the newconstruction, the traditional habitat model I
just spoke of, and then inthe last ten or twelve years, we
(01:53):
have also developed a strategy to repairowner occupied homes. So we go into
homes family own, fix the roof, fix bathrooms, fixed basements, fixed
stairwells, so that families can continueto stay, maintain that asset, preserve
the existing affordable housing stock. Sobetween the two hundred and sixty five new
(02:15):
homes we've built and the eight hundredand fifty plus homes we've repaired, right
were north of a thousand homes thatwe've worked to make safe, warm,
and dry. That's fantastic. Sotell us what it means to be a
homeowner. What is the impact ofthe individuals and families that now own these
homes that they helped build and theywere invested in in so many other ways.
(02:38):
So home as medicine, home aseducation, home as equity, home
as stability, home is safety.Those words sort of sit there, But
what then does that mean? SoI offer the example. We have a
family that bought their home. Themom worked at ihop and shed the lunch
shift at ihop because she wanted tobe at home when her boys went to
(02:59):
school and morning she wanted to behome at the end of the day when
they got home to do homework.She comes into the habitat program. She
finishes her sweat equity right, soher own investment in the home they buy
it is affordable. It's a thirtyyear affordable mortgage. Sons one finished out
of Westchester, one finished out ofPenn State. Mom went back to community
(03:20):
college herself, So that gives somecontext. Right of home as medicine,
home as education, home as employment, home is equity, home is opportunity.
So what got you involved? WithHabitat. What is it about the
mission of Habitat for Humanity that reallyresonated with you so that you would want
to work for this organization? Ithink our secret sauce and what keeps me
(03:44):
coming back because it's hard, right, what we do is hard. What
invigorates me? You know, weshorten our name and we just abbreviate it
and talk Habitat right, work atHabitat, I build with Habitat. I
volunteered with Habitat. But that thirdword, right, Habitat for Humanity,
that's I think our secret sauce.That's what keeps me coming back. We
in who we are and where webuild, in the relationships we build creates
(04:09):
proximity for people who from all differentwalks of life, perhaps maybe never intersect.
And in building alongside someone in aneighborhood where you've never been before,
it's about building relationship and again thatproximity. And so when you're in relationship,
it's hard to hang on to beliefsabout what the others or what they
(04:30):
should or we should or what haveyou. When you're in relationship, you
get to know humans. It's easierto solve human problems. When we know
one another and work alongside one another. So that's what keeps me coming back.
Right, I've had the opportunity tomeet hundreds of families who have bought
their homes and had their homes repairedby Habitat. Their lived experience. It's
(04:54):
their determination, their tenacity, andthat universally, I hear from families in
our program right their moms and dadswho just right are doing everything they can
so that their kids have every opportunityin front of them. That's a universal
that's not this group or that group. Like every parent wants what's best for
(05:15):
their kids. Tell us on bothsides, the people that you would like
to apply to be a part ofthe program and the people you would like
to come join you as volunteers.So all of that information is on our
website, habitat Philadelphia dot org.We're right now in an application cycle,
so if people are interested to learnmore and to apply for home ownership at
(05:39):
Habitat, it's all on our website, as well as the information about repairs
we're currently repairing in lower North CentralPhiladelphia and West Philadelphia, so those targeted
zip codes in those neighborhoods. Soto learn more, I would encourage people
on the volunteer side of things sameHabitat Philadelphia dot org. Come out and
build, come out and volunteer ato rea stores. So that we have
(06:00):
two thrift stores. They are opento the public. Proceeds of those restores
of building materials and home goods.Every dollar we raise through those restores helps
to build and repair more homes.With another great opportunity for somebody who's like,
oh, maybe I don't want todo insulation on a house, Great,
come on down to the restore.You can help us. There any
final words before we close. Sowe have the trust of donors and volunteers
(06:26):
and corporate and foundations like we cannotdo it alone. And we talk about
building together at Habitat Philadelphia, andit is an all play, right,
it is together we're able to domore. So acknowledging everybody who has invested
their time, talent and treasure.And then I think my last parting thought
is there's more than enough, right, There's enough out there in this world,
(06:48):
in our country and in our city. Yes, that vision is audacious.
A city where everyone has a decentplace to live and it is entirely
possible. I love that Carinn O'Connell, Chief executive Officer of Habitat Humanity,
Philadelphia. Thank you, Thank youfor having me. CEOs you should know
brought to you by comcaste Business,offering the complete connectivity solution, cybersecurity,
(07:14):
Internet and mobile, all from oneprovider, comcaste Business powering possibilities
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