In 2023, Michelle Hester’s mom called her. She’d seen Habitat Wake's Old Poole neighborhood on the news, and it was only a few miles down the road from them. That night, she and Michelle drove through what was just the beginning of a neighborhood. On that drive, Michelle thought to herself, “This feels like something I could do.”
As a Residential Nurse Aid, mother and grandmother, Shawn is no stranger to hard work. But navigating Raleigh’s housing market as a single woman brought challenges she never expected.
When asked about the biggest obstacle she faced in her search for a home, Shawn didn’t hesitate: “Affordability.”
Last week, more than 150 housing advocates from across North Carolina gathered in downtown Raleigh for NC Housing Day, holding over 100 meetings with state and local legislators to deliver one clear message: housing must be a top priority in North Carolina’s budget and legislative agenda.
In 1987, Barbara Quinby and her husband had recently relocated to Raleigh from Florida with their two children. She was working as a draftsperson for a building company, utilizing her degree in interior residential design
“When I heard Habitat had started around here, I just knew that was something I had to get involved with if the opportunity presented itself,” Barbara recalls.
For Sharon Watson, the past year has been a battle for stability. A mother, grandmother, and dedicated employee at the Department of Health and Human Services, she has spent much of her time navigating the stress of housing insecurity. Now, as she nears the completion of Habitat’s rigorous homeownership program, she reflects on how this journey has been deeply tied to her health and how having a stable home will transform her future.
As Habitat for Humanity of Wake County celebrates 40 years of building homes, communities and hope, one long-standing partnership stands out: the Habitat for Humanity Campus Chapter at NC State University. From its beginnings, the chapter has been a strong force in engaging students by spreading awareness and facilitating connections to Habitat’s mission through transformative projects.
A Vision Takes Root
This year Habitat Wake turns 40. In 1985, while serving as a seminary intern at Millbrook Baptist Church in Raleigh, the pastor gave me the freedom to help form a local Habitat organization as the focus of my internship.
God was already at work. Various groups were gathering to pursue a housing ministry, including a group in Wake Forest and Franklin County that was pursuing the Habitat model.
As we reflect on 40 years of history at Habitat Wake, we find ourselves contemplating the power of “firsts.”
Those first hopeful conversations. The first home built to completion.
Another landmark worth celebrating: the first church to fully and independently sponsor a Habitat Wake home — and the homeowner whose voice helped shape the future of our mission.
The U.S. is currently short an estimated 800,000 homes attainable for low-and-moderate-income homebuyers. This shortage is just one of many factors contributing to the housing crisis facing our country. In many states, Habitat for Humanity is the only affordable homebuilder at work, making our role more crucial than ever.
