‘Habicast’ relaunched after hiatus

Habitat for Humanity Tampa Bay Gulfside first introduced the Habicast experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. After a three-year hiatus, the initiative is being relaunched. 

It is now a vodcast, or a podcast with a video component. 

Habitat president and CEO Mike Sutton and chief external relations officer Morgan Brochetti Mandelker host the show. The first episode premiered Thursday on Red House Streaming’s free platform, RHStv. 

The effort will provide a behind-the-scenes look at Habitat’s work throughout the Tampa Bay region. Sutton, Brochetti Mandelker and other team members will discuss projects, events and community developments. 

Brochetti Mandelker explained that a partnership with CP Communications (RHStv’s parent company) made the relaunch possible. The organization even has a camera crew. 

“CP Communications recommended doing the vodcast piece and still putting the audio on all the platforms,” she said. “Doing both definitely gets you more reach. So, we were on board with it.” 

Guests can expect “new ways of storytelling” and “angles,” Brochetti Mandelker added. Habicast will feature content that focuses on homeowners and their experiences. Additionally, the show will include construction updates on ongoing builds. 

Most importantly, it can show the life-changing impact of affordable housing. 

“One of the biggest misconceptions that we are constantly facing is that Habitat is a hand out and a free home ownership program,” she said. “That is not the case. Our homeowners purchase their homes with a 0% interest mortgage, they complete home buyer education courses, they complete sweat equity and they become really great community members.” 

Brochetti Mandelker believes that the venture can honor the various stakeholders that contribute to Habitat’s work. These include donors, volunteers, employees, board members, sponsors and home owner candidates. 

“Because we have all of these new and exciting opportunities with CP Communications and their team,” she added, “we can get super creative.” 

The goal is to keep the show “really light and informal,” Brochetti Mandelker explained. This will allow the organization to “change it up” when necessary. 

“We are doing so many different things with so many partners,” she said. “I see the Habicast as a way to plug in some of those other initiatives that we’re working on.” 

Habitat leaders hope to air two episodes each month. 

“It’s all about uplifting your community as best as you can,” said CP Communications CEO Kurt Heitmann. “Mike Sutton does it with Habitat and we do it with nonprofits and community messaging through our video platform. So, it’s a natural fit for us to join forces and collaborate together.” 

He added that a vodcast format for the Habicast could help boost awareness of the organization. 

“The program is often misjudged and misunderstood,” Heitmann said. “We’re going to get eyeballs on it. Those eyeballs could be more CEOs who want to get involved. Those eyeballs could be organizations that want to get involved.” 

Brochetti Mandelker added that the effort will be used to “highlight” Habitat’s four pillars: apply, donate, volunteer and advocate.

“There are so many more ways for people to digest this content,” she explained. “We’re hoping that we will be able to get a broader community involved. Maybe somebody is watching or listening and they decide ‘oh, I really want to volunteer’ or ‘I know they are building down the street from me, maybe I want to apply.’” 

RHStv is available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Apple and Android mobile devices and any web browser. To learn more about the Habicast, visit this link.