Upbuilding: Summer/Fall 2024
Building the Community | The Giving Spirit | Volunteer Spotlight | Local Partners | What We’re Up To | Homeowner Tips
Well, it’s been a long, hot summer! We’re looking forward to cooler weather and the upcoming holidays, but we can’t slow down because there’s just so much to do….
Building the Community
After a few of years of planning, permitting, inspecting, drawing and re-drawing, our first Micah’s Creek lot is underway! And while that neighborhood will be, by far, our largest project over the next few years, it’s not all we’re doing. Check out the video below to get a virtual tour from our latest home dedication!
We’re also proud to say that our UGA Habitat chapter has earned another Bobbi Meeler Sahm Service and Outreach Award, which this year has allowed us to construct two home access ramps, which the UGA chapter members have helped build. Low-income homeowners who become disabled may be forced to choose between losing their home or becoming shut-ins. Ramps and other modifications provided by our AIM program allow our neighbors to adjust to a new disability while remaining in the homes they already own.
Coming up, keep an eye out for further work with Family Promise as we renovate more housing for families transitioning out of homelessness.
The Giving Spirit
While it’s still early in the process, we are super excited that we already have families and organizations stepping up to sponsor homes in Micah’s Creek! Current house sponsors include:
• The Lawrence Family Fund
• Athens Area Community Foundation donors, including: Athens 100% Renewable Fund, Barbara and Frank Rice Memorial Fund, Briscoe Family Foundation, Campbell Harper Fund, Erika C. Lewis Family Fund, Holland Blackmon Fund For Children, Jesus Wept Foundation, Julie and John McLeod Fund, Mr. & Ms. David Kurtz, McLean Family Foundation, Newland Family Foundation, Norton Family Foundation Fund, Steve and Melanie Hollis Family Fund, Wiggans Family Fund, Winthrop Family Fund
• Anonymous donors
If your family, group, organization, or business would like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, click here for more information.
Volunteer Spotlight
Every year, we host volunteers from Germany who’ve opted to spend their “gap year” between high school and university here in our little town, building houses and handicap ramps and renovating old apartments and duplexes. Why do they do it? We really have no idea, but they keep coming, so we keep hosting them.
This year, we welcome Jonny, Martin, and Corsin. They’re still getting adjusted to life in the US, but they’ve all dived headfirst into the work and we’re super excited to have them on board! So if you see these guys around town, give them a quick “hallo” and a “danke” for the work they’re doing.
Local Partners
We really can’t brag enough about our “Build an Appetite” program partners who generously donate meals to our volunteer groups every month so we can spend more on materials and supplies to build and renovate homes. All of these folks are generous supporters of our community in many ways, and we are so very grateful for their ongoing support.
And having sampled all these caterers, we can confidently recommend every one of them. So if there are any you’ve never tried, or it’s been a while since you visited, stop by sometime! Collectively, they have your breakfast, lunch, and supper covered, so any time of day is good to support the businesses who give back!
Barberitos • Big City Bread Cafe • Em’s Kitchen • The Farm Cart • The Flying Biscuit • Marti’s at Midday • Pulaski Heights BBQ • Rashe’s Cuisine • Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe
What We’re Up To
We have a sister affiliate in Guatemala, and for the first time we’re planning a Global Village trip to help with some construction over there in coordination with other affiliates. Global Village is a weeklong international volunteer experience. Volunteer groups support Habitat’s vision where everyone has a decent place to live, by building or improving homes in partnership with local communities.
We’ll be looking to assemble a team of between 12 and 16 volunteers to make the journey in March of 2025. If you’re interested, please use the above link to learn more about the program, and watch for future updates when our registration page opens. If you have further questions or are interested in signing up early, please contact us.
Homeowner Tips
Beat the cold: Now’s the time to change your furnace filters and give your heating system a check-up. Once the cold weather hits, it’s going to take longer to schedule a service, and it’ll be cold while you wait! So get ahead of the curve on this one and take care of it before winter gets here.
Prune, baby, prune: Check your trees for dead, damaged, or rotting limbs, especially near your house, along paths, and above utility lines. The weight of snow and ice can bring down dead branches very suddenly, and water freezing in cracks can cause trees to split, sometimes violently. (Don’t laugh — we’ve seen trees “freeze-plode” and it’s physically dangerous and quite loud!) Late summer and early autumn are perfect for this safety task.
Recharge: House fires are more common in the colder months — fireplaces, heating equipment, and holiday lighting all contribute. S0 the autumn equinox (September 22nd this year) is a great time to schedule a battery change for your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide monitors, and check all your fire extinguishers to make sure they’re fully charged.
Augment your support for Habitat!
You can add to your financial support for your local Habitat, at no additional cost to yourself, by taking advantage of retailers’ non-profit support programs. While these funds can’t replace donations and grants or volunteers, they do help us keep the lights on and pay for supplies, which frees up other funding to build homes!
Joe Fund Me
When you buy Jittery Joe’s coffee through our Joe Fund Me page, either as a monthly delivery or a single purchase, longtime Habitat supporter Jittery Joe’s will contribute a portion of your payment to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity. And there’s no markup — you get the same price through JoeFund.Me/AthensHabitat as you do buying direct! There’s just a little extra satisfaction to your morning mug when you know it’s helping build our community!
Kroger Community Rewards
When you link your Kroger customer loyalty card to Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, in addition to your loyalty points the Kroger Community Rewards program will donate a portion of your purchase to Athens Habitat. It’s so easy to do! So if you haven’t already, take a moment right now to visit Kroger Rewards and link you card!