Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta kicked off its 2015 building season last Saturday, Valentine’s Day, by starting to build a new home for a Mableton mother and her six-year-old daughter.
Over 30 volunteers joined the lucky new Habitat family to raise and sheet the exterior walls of the new home and they will continue their work this Saturday and over the next six weeks to get the home ready for the dedication ceremony on April 25.
“It’s was a cold day, but everyone came out to accomplish one thing: to give a deserving family a home,” Kim Watson, a volunteer and close friend of the homeowner who broke down in tears when she walked up to see the first wall raised. “You see a lot of teamwork and smiles because we all know that we have to help each other in the community.”
“In 2015, Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Metro Atlanta is planning an ambitious building campaign here in Cobb and our entire service area,” David McGinnis, CEO of NW Metro Atlanta Habitat, said. “We hope to build 16 new affordable Habitat homes in our service area and with just seven committed sponsors, we are calling on the business, civic and religious communities to help us reach our goal.”
Compared to recent years, it is an aggressive plan and for good reason – Habitat has a waiting list of over 400 families that need more affordable housing with a no-interest mortgage. “We help deserving, hard-working people, many of them veterans, to build equity and wealth through homeownership,” McGinnis concluded.
One of the sponsors, Munich American Reassurance Company, located in Dunwoody, participated in the team-building last week and emphasizes the importance of giving back.
“Having our team involved in Habitat really builds a sense of camaraderie and helps us to bring this energy into our everyday operations,” said CEO Mike DeKoning. “Giving back is a part of our company philosophy and we are really proud to be a part of Habitat and its mission.”
The new home is being built at 572 Oak Hills Road in Mableton is sponsored by Munich American Reassurance Company, Wells Fargo, First United Methodist Church of Marietta, Heidelberg USA and Georgia Anesthesiologists, P.C. for Kennestone Hospital.
Since 1986, NW Metro Atlanta Habitat has built over 400 affordable homes in the tri-county service area. Each homeowner pays a mortgage and has volunteered over 40,000 hours to help build other Habitat homes and attend classes teaching life skills and successful homeownership.