Sarabeth Anderson and her husband, Will, were looking for a way to come home to Iowa. After having their second child, they wanted to be closer to their families. Then one day, her husband saw a listing on the Internet looking for someone to run Habitat for Humanity of Iowa. They both knew it was a perfect job for her.

Anderson was born in Iowa City, but moved away as a child. Her family returned for her senior year of high school, and she stayed until she completed her law degree at the University of Iowa. Then she and her husband moved to Wichita, Kan. Anderson’s first job after completing her degree was as a temporary worker for United Way of the Plains. Then she went to work for the local legal aid society, Kansas Legal Services.

“I couldn’t sleep at night,” she said. “I was so worried about my clients.”

Anderson went back to the United Way, organizing planned giving. She found, however, that though she had been too deeply immersed in the problems of her clients at Kansas Legal Services, now she felt too cut off from those she was helping.

Eventually she went out on her own, creating Dress for Success Wichita, a regional affiliate of a nationwide organization that provides office attire for low-income women seeking employment. She started it in her home while waiting for the first crucial grants. Now, Anderson finds herself back at the beginning, running a fledgling non-profit organization from her home.

For quite some time, Iowa has had chapters of Habitat for Humanity building affordable homes for low-income families. A few years ago, however, the individual groups realized that applying for government funding, AmeriCorps workers and donations from large corporations would be easier if they had an umbrella organization, Habitat for Humanity Iowa. The group, which has a Web site at www.hfhia.org, is in its third year, and until Aug. 18 had been run by a volunteer board. Now Anderson has a lot of work ahead, such as finding donated office space and funds.

“It’s hard for anyone to have a problem with Habitat for Humanity,” she said. “It’s not a handout; it’s a program that helps people get on their feet.”