The Blog

June 11, 2019

Athens Habitat’s Paul Dorsey Gets Award Nod

If you shop or donate at the Habitat thrift on Barber Street in Athens, there’s a good chance you’ve met Paul Dorsey, Jr. Tall, gregarious, and with a seemingly inborn urge to help others, Paul has been a fixture at the stores for nearly two decades, all the way back to the days when the Read More

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June 10, 2019

Ladies’ Charity Skeet Shoot Raises $24,000 for Athens Habitat

In its first year in Georgia, the Ladies’ Charity Skeet Classic raised more than $24,000 for Athens Area Habitat for Humanity. That’s enough to renovate an entire rental unit to house a formerly homeless veteran, or pay for one-fourth of a newly constructed house. Women came from 13 states across the country to compete in Read More

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February 21, 2019

How to Build a House with a Shotgun

2019 Ladies’ Charity Skeet Classic in Covington, GA, will help Athens Area Habitat for Humanity build affordable homes for low-income residents Every year, women from around the country gather together to shoot stuff up for a good cause. They’ve been doing it for a quarter century now, and they are really good at it! The Read More

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February 8, 2019

“Helping others transcends all the politics”

Every January, supporters of Athens Area Habitat for Humanity host a gala for the Committee of 1000, a group of donors dedicated to Habitat’s mission of providing housing to local families who otherwise would never be able to have a home of their own. This year’s keynote speaker was Michael Thurmond, author of A Story Read More

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December 17, 2018

Michael Thurmond to speak at Athens Area Habitat gala

Georgia political leader and author Michael L. Thurmond will speak at the annual Athens Area Habitat for Humanity gala on January 24th, 2019. The son of a Clarke County sharecropper, Mr. Thurmond went on to become an attorney, state representative, head of Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services, Georgia commissioner of labor, and CEO Read More

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October 24, 2018

Habitat ReStore manager shares his passion for music in Athens

If you’re a customer of Athens Habitat’s east side ReStore, you’ve probably met assistant manager Will Pogue. But you probably didn’t know that Will is also the president of the Classic City Band. And if you don’t know what the Classic City Band is, have we got a Halloween treat for you! “We are the longest Read More

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October 1, 2018

Athens Area Habitat celebrates World Habitat Day

  Every year, Habitat for Humanity improves the living conditions of more than 3 million people around the world. Even for folks who are involved with their local Habitat for Humanity affiliate, it’s easy to forget just how much work Habitat does around the world. Here at Athens Area Habitat, we’re wrapping up the multi-year Read More

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October 1, 2018

The “Committee” That Builds Homes … and Hope

There’s an old joke — “for God so loved the world, He did not send a committee”. But in Athens, GA, there’s a committee that’s been quietly building, renovating, and repairing homes for low-income neighbors since the early ’90s. They’re called the “Committee of 1000” and they support the mission of their local Habitat for Read More

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September 19, 2018

Celebrating Madison County, GA

If you like good food, live music, and a lively auction, well, you’re in luck because Madison County Habitat for Humanity is hosting their Celebrate Madison County event this Saturday, September 22nd, 2018, in Hull, GA, with proceeds benefitting the local Habitat’s mission to provide affordable housing in the area. Madison County Habitat is celebrating Read More

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August 2, 2018

Athens Area Habitat Turns 30 – JP Watkins to Retire

It’s hard to believe now, but Habitat for Humanity was just 12 years old when it opened an affiliate in Athens, GA, in August of 1988. Today, Habitat is one of the largest builders in the US and one of the most widely known and respected non-profits in the world. And Athens Area Habitat — Read More

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July 27, 2018

Athens muralist Jess Ulrich brightens up the local Habitat ReStore

Local outdoor artist hopes to see more public art around Athens — “There are a lot of blank walls that need some color to them.” “I think it’s inspiring for people to see butterflies in the most random place possible,” says Athens, GA, artist Jessica Ulrich. “It brightens people’s day.” An extensive new mural by Read More

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July 13, 2018

How a Sandwich Builds a House

Local Athens eateries help build their community … literally! You can’t build a house without power. At Athens Area Habitat, we power our tools with electricity, and we power our crew and volunteers with excellent food catered by Athens area restaurants. As part of the Great Chain of Life, which you might remember from your Read More

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May 25, 2018

Solving the Puzzle of Affordable Housing

How local artists, entrepreneurs, and hobbyists are helping to fund the building and renovation of homes for low-income residents in Athens, GA It all started in the summer of 2017 while Brian and Paige Dixon were staring at a shelf full of jigsaw puzzles, searching for something besides the same old seascapes, landscapes, balloon races, Read More

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May 11, 2018

How Birdhouses Will Help Rescue Families from Homelessness

In April of 2018, the Athens, GA, affiliate of Habitat for Humanity raised over $18,000 by auctioning donated fine art pieces inspired by birdhouses, ranging from delicate jewelry to sculptures more than five feet tall. With that sum, Athens Area Habitat can completely restore an apartment to house a family in need. But by joining Read More

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May 9, 2018

“Kinda Tiny” Homes Come to Athens

American families are shrinking, but their homes are growing. Despite a decline in average family size in the US since the 1970s, average home size has ballooned by 50% to more than 2,500 square feet. The “tiny house” movement is looking to change that. “We can’t have true tiny homes in Athens,” says Athens Area Read More

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