Yearbook: 2007

Building Hope

In 2007, volunteers, sponsors and friends celebrated in Raleigh, Cary and Garner with 23 families. At home dedications, they joined hands and recited a blessing upon the houses declaring that they be places where neighbors are welcome and find hospitality, friendship and encouragement.

At left, a family at their home dedication in December.

Supporters of Habitat Wake literally build the dreams of hardworking people in Wake County. Together, we empower people to enjoy the financial, social and community benefits of homeownership. Our 2006-2007 Report to the Community thanks the donors and reviews the year's highlights, including the move to a new home for Habitat Wake that will reduce overhead costs, allowing Habitat Wake to better carry out our mission while achieving aggressive goals set in response to our community's rapid growth and increasing need for affordable housing.

Volunteer Kudos

Dynamic partnerships between homeowners, volunteers, donors and house sponsors are seen most vividly during the usual 20-week home construction period. As homeowners put in their "sweat equity" to build their houses and the houses of their neighbors, they work alongside caring people who provide their time and energy in the spirit of building communities for all.
At left, the first wall is raised for Apostles Build 2007.

In 2007, Habitat Wake built homes with partner homeowners families, sponsors and volunteers in two Raleigh neighborhoods: Idlewood Village and Dowling Ridge. By the end of the year, homeowners, volunteers and staff started construction on the 321st Habitat home in Wake County.

Volunteers contributed 45,542 hours from about July 2006 - December 2007. Some key numbers:

Habitat House Dedicated in Garner

Members of St. Andrews United Methodist Church built a Habitat home in Garner for a family that includes one daughter and seven sons. Their fundraising story includes approximately 400 volunteers, 200 local businesses, 375 cakes, 1200 barbecue chickens, 750 plants, 1000 diva dolls, 25,000 donated yard sale items, 45,000 visitors, and one "Heart of Saint Andrews" quilt. Read their tale and see in a pictorial chronology from construction start (in mid-July 2006) to finish (late December 2006). The house was dedicated Sunday, January 28, 2007.

5 Homes Dedicated in Callan Park, Cary



With the concept of single family homes attached only by a storage unit, Habitat Wake used a modest parcel of land to build five homes in Cary. In March 2007, Habitat supporters joined the five families to dedicate these homes. 21 sponsors and 24 volunteer groups helped build these homes on Callan Park Lane.

Dedication of Home for 300th Family



On Wednesday, May 2, 2007, the 300th homeowner family, house sponsors, construction volunteers and friends dedicated the family's home in Idlewood Village. Habitat Wake recognized White Memorial Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church for sponsoring the home.




Construction of Habitat Wake's New Facility Continues

The new facility to house the Habitat for Humanity of Wake County ReStore and affiliate offices is on a 6.5 acre site just off the beltline at Capital Boulevard in Lincoln Park Central. The new, purpose-built facility will enable Habitat Wake to better serve homeowners, volunteers, donors and shoppers by improving their access to Habitat programs and services. As a result, the facility will greatly enhance Habitat Wake's ability to continue building simple, decent, affordable homes and creating sustainable communities in Wake County.

Habitat Wake Donors Met Fundraising Challenge

The Stewards Fund challenge grant to match 50 cents on every dollar of new and increased donations was met. (The challenge period was October 1, 2006 - March 31, 2007.) The Stewards Fund donated $165,000 to match the $330,000 donated by Habitat Wake supporters. This collective generosity will tremendously impact Habitat Wake's ability build more homes for individuals and families in need in our community. Thank you!

My Own Two Hands Breakfast Fundraiser

By raising awareness, speakers at the Habitat Wake My Own Two Hands Fundraising Breakfast inspired supporters to raise $140,000.

The generous gifts will go towards Habitat's housing mission to make homeownership affordable to people who earn low incomes in our community. At left, board member Tom Gipson signs the wall built by AmeriCorps members and breakfast guests. It is a Habitat tradition to sign walls.

AmeriCorps trip to Gulf Coast

For the sixth year in a row, Habitat AmeriCorps members will join other current AmeriCorpsmembers and alumni for a Build-A-Thon. They'll go to Gulfport, MS, the latter part of May to contruct homes for families recovery from Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.



Fundraisers in the Community

Engaging Vocalist Concert

Vocalist Patricia Franklin gave concert at Historic Garner High School Auditorium on Friday, June 1. She sang love songs in the styles of Easy Listening, R&B, Jazz and Soul. Patricia Franklin is among those listed on the Wall of Tolerance at the Civil Rights Memorial Center in Montgomery, Alabama, which honors those leading the way toward tolerance and justice in America. Proceeds benefited Habitat Wake.

Board Break-A-Thon Will Benefit Habitat Wake

Johnson's TaeKwonDo Academy of Cary sponsored a Board Break-A-Thon on June 2. Academy students had recently taken honors competing against nearly two thousand other martial artists from around the nation in traditional forms, light contact free sparring, and free style forms at the TaeKwonDo Alliance Spring Festival and Championships in Houston. The Board Break-A-Thon commemorated Johnson's TaeKwonDo Academy's one-year anniversary. Students, most of whom are under the age of 14, invited their friends and family members to make a financial pledge for each board they broke, with a maximum of 10 boards. Proceeds benefited Habitat Wake.

Summer Tool Drive

Colwell Banker Howard Perry Walston collected hand tools and power tools for Habitat construction volunteers. The summer tool drive ran July 10 - August 10. (The Habitat wish list includes everything from hammers, measuring tapes & safety glasses to miter saws, boxes of nails, caulking guns, drills & painter's tape.

Golf Tourney

Crossroads Fellowship Church hosted a golf tournament on Saturday, June 9, at the Wake Forest Country Club. The event raised money that will be applied toward's the congregation's sponsorship of a Habitat home.

Greek Festival 2007

Festival-goers enjoyed authentic Greek foods, traditional dance and marketplace shopping at this year's Greek Festival.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church hosted the event at the N.C. Fairgrounds in Raleigh Fri. Sept. 14 - Sun. Sept. 16

Opa! A portion of proceeds from the festival benefited Habitat Wake. Through festival proceeds, Holy Trinity sponsored its first Habitat home in 1995. The parish built again in 2002 and 2004. Parishioners began constructing alongside a future Habitat homeowner in Spring 2007 on the parish's fourth Habitat home.

Saint Francis UMC Hosted Acclaimed Singer

Canadian singer-songwriter Linnea Good was in concert at Saint Francis United Methodist Church to share her unique blend of song, humor and story. Acclaimed as a prophetic and contemporary voice of the United Church of Canada, Linnea is a multi-award-nominated artist with music and messages for adults and children alike. Proceeds from Linnea's concert will help Saint Francis raise funds to sponsor a Habitat home.

Apostles Build

Sponsoring churches and new Habitat homeowners dedicated the two homes built for Apostles Build 2006. Construction began for Apostles Build 2007 at a groundbreaking on Saturday, September 15 in Dowling Ridge. The ceremony commemorated Habitat for Humanity International's Building on Faith Week.


NC State Shack-A-Thon

The NC State Habitat chapter hosted the annual Shackathon on campus in the Brickyard in September. This year, the students raised a record $25,885.42.




New Home for Habitat Wake



In early fall 2007, the Habitat Wake Administrative Offices and ReStore moved to a brand new facility located at 2420 Raleigh Boulevard. Our new and expanded facility will help us provide an increasing number of homeownership opportunities.



Read About Us in the News & Observer

Get the scoop! A special pullout section in the News & Observer on Friday, November 2 2007, announced our Grand Opening Celebration and has great stories and photos about Habitat Wake's homeowners, volunteers and supporters. If you would like extra copies, please contact Kerry.

Thank you! Shoppers and donors to the Habitat Wake ReStore play an important role in carrying out the Habitat mission -- ReStore revenue supports the Habitat homeownership program. Our new 50,000 sq. ft. facility has become a reality through generous community support and demonstrates our community's passion to provide affordable housing.

Habitat Holiday Home Tour 2007


The 7th Annual Habitat Holiday Home Tour was held
Sunday, November 18 at the Habitat Wake ReStore. Held annually the Sunday before Thanksgiving, it has become a Habitat Wake tradition. To defray costs, generous sponsors underwrite the event and local restaurants donate food and beverages. Due to this gracious support, the funds raised via the event go directly into building homes and supporting families. Guests raised $176,500 for Habitat.

Benefit Shopping

Ten Thousand Villages hosted a benefit shopping night, providing 15% of sales to Habitat Wake. Great Outdoor Provision Co. hosted its annual Gear up for Good! benefit shopping day. The first Saturday of each December, Great Outdoor Provision Co. donates 5% of sales to local Habitat for Humanity affiliates.

Royal Bean Coffee House & Gathering Space donated $4 for each 1/lb. of coffee purchased in November 1, 2007 through January 31, 2008. The money raised will be applied to the first Habitat Wake home that students from Habitat Club at Meredith College will sponsor.

Gift of Flags for Habitat Wake Office

In December 2007, the Woodmen of the World presented Habitat Wake with a United States flag and a North Carolina flag. These additions are in the lobby of our new office space.

A fraternal organization with a patriotic mission and partnership with the American Red Cross to provide disaster relief, members present flagpoles and U.S. flags to schools, fire departments, parks and other public organizations. Woodmen of the World lodges have presented more than 1.4 million U.S. flags during the past 60 years.

2007 House Sponsors

In 2007, volunteers, sponsors and friends celebrated in Raleigh, Cary and Garner with 23 families. At the home dedications, they joined hands and recited a blessing upon the houses declaring that they be places where neighbors are welcome and find hospitality, friendship and encouragement.

These organizations generously sponsored homes that were dedicated in 2007:

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSORS