Thrivent Partners with Habitat

Thrivent Financial partners with Habitat for Humanity to help improve neighborhoods across the Carolinas’

The North Carolina offices of Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity Affiliates in the NC cities of Albemarle, Boone, Charlotte, Concord, Cornelius, Greensboro, Hickory, Matthews, Monroe, New Bern, Raleigh, Southern Pines, Southport, Statesville, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem are planning events to help homeowners spruce up their home and neighborhoods through a unique partnership program called Thrivent Builds Repairs.

The program called, Thrivent Builds Repairs Carolinas’ Spring Fix-Up, will enhance the level of home ownership and quality of life for individuals in an organized region-wise way. Volunteers, Habitat Affiliates and Thrivent Financial Representatives in NC will come together throughout April and May for these 30+ exterior repair projects. Thrivent’s investment in NC will be in excess of  $75,000. Thrivent will sponsor another 20+ projects will take place in SC in May and June. Thrivent Builds Repairs launched across the country in 2012 and concentrates on upgrading existing homes through exterior projects like installing accessibility ramps, exterior painting, weatherization, porch repair or light landscaping.

Locally, Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County will partner with Thrivent Financial to complete two repairs in Cabarrus County in May in addition to a new home build this spring in Concord, NC. This home will be part of the affiliate’s 25^th Anniversary Build-a-thon, where 3 new homes will be constructed on adjacent lots in the Logan Community of Concord, NC.  

Thrivent Financial’s relationship with Habitat for Humanity brings the financial, volunteer and advocacy resources of Thrivent Financial together with the affordable housing construction leadership of hundreds of local Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Commenting on the success of the Thrivent Builds Repairs program, Beverly Grant-Turner, Community Engagement Leader, adds “This new program provides us with more options to serve our community. Upgrading existing homes not only makes the homes safer and more efficient, it also cultivates community pride.”

“The Thrivent Builds alliance is helping North Carolina Habitat increase the number of families served in our community,” said Christine Odom, Executive Director, of the NC statewide Habitat organization. “We are so grateful for Thrivent’s support of our efforts to provide homes in partnership with families in need of simple, decent and affordable housing.”

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a multi-year, $200,000,000 dollar partnership between Thrivent Financial and Habitat for Humanity International. Thrivent Builds is designed to involve Thrivent members and Christians in helping provide a “hand up” to people in need of affordable housing, offering them a path to greater economic independence. Excluding government funding, Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is Habitat's largest single source of funding, constructing more than 2,700 homes in the U.S. and around the world since 2005. For more information, visit ThriventBuilds.com.

Thrivent Financial is a not-for-profit, Fortune 500 financial services membership organization helping approximately 2.5 million members achieve financial security and give back to their communities. Thrivent Financial and its affiliates offer a broad range of financial products and services.  As a Christian based, not-for-profit organization, Thrivent Financial creates and supports national outreach programs and activities that help congregations, schools, charitable organizations and individuals in need. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. Also, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter.

Habitat for Humanity International is a global nonprofit Christian housing organization that seeks to put God’s love into action by bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope. Since 1976, Habitat has served more than 500,000 families by welcoming people of all races, religions and nationalities to construct, rehabilitate or preserve homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their shelter conditions.

For more information on local Habitat happenings, to donate or to volunteer, please visit www.habitatcabarrus.org or follow ushttps://www.facebook.com/habitatcabarruscounty.

Shack-a-Thon 2013

Habitat Cabarrus Youth United will be holding its annual Shack-a-Thon on October 11th & 12th at the Covenant Classical School

3200 Patrick Henry Dr. NW

Concord, NC 28027

8pm- 8am

What is Shack-a-Thon? It is a fundraiser designed like a lock-in that includes participants

- Learning about Habitat Cabarrus and housing issues

- Working with friends to build a shack from cardboard and other materials

(Shacks will be judged in several categories)

- Playing games and trivia 

- Dinner and breakfast will be provided

Proceeds go directly toward our 2014 Youth United/ Collegiate Challenge home in Cabarrus County. 

Participants must raise at least $25

For more information or if you are planning on participating you can download our Shack-a-Thon participant packet 

Wells Fargo/ City of Concord House

In just a few weeks we will be starting another new house build.  This house is being sponsored by Wells Fargo and The City of Concord.  

Meet the Staton's, Erica and Dwayne (their three sons not pictured)

They will be the partner family for this house

The house is located at 329 Broad Street, Concord NC 28025

(it comes up as 329 Broad Drive SW in Google Maps)

There are quite a few opportunities left for volunteering on this house.  You can see the schedule at this site http://habitatcabarrus.ivolunteer.com/event_wf
All of the tasks except those that say restricted are open to anyone.

If you have a group and would like to restrict a day please call our office at 704-786-4001

How Habitat is increasing the number of families served

Habitat Cabarrus County has transitioned from an organization that is known for building new houses to one that is now focused on overall neighborhood revitalization. The affiliate is part of Habitat for Humanity’s nationwide Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI), a multifaceted strategic response to the significant affordable housing challenges faced by local communities.  The affiliate now offers an array of housing solutions for families in need — new construction, renovation, rehabilitation, critical repair, transitional housing, cosmetic improvements—through which the benefits of a volunteer labor force and in-kind building material donations are leveraged to their full extent.  The NRI effort has been possible because of a three year collaboration with the city of Kannapolis in the Carver community. New home construction is still an important aspect of the work done by Habitat Cabarrus but the focus is now on increasing the number of families served with affordable housing solutions in Cabarrus County. 

An urgent repair project- building a wheelchair ramp

In addition to the NRI relationship with Kannapolis, other collaborative opportunities allowed Habitat Cabarrus to serve 60 families through these housing solutions in fiscal year 2012-13 – a 1000% increase in just two years!  These collaborations included 

• A one-time weatherization program with UNC Charlotte whereby 31 Habitat Cabarrus families received weatherization services at no cost to them.
• A relationship with the City of Concord in 2013, with the initial focus on new build construction. The first new Habitat home was completed on Broad Street in the Logan community in May with the hope that this will lead to at least two new build homes a year in Logan. The longer term vision is that this partnership will eventually include rehab and repair work, similar to what is being done in Kannapolis.
• Habitat Metrolina Partners, a group of nine Habitat affiliates in the Charlotte region that has paid dividends within the “Habitat family”. Habitat Cabarrus has benefited greatly from being involved with this collaboration.  This partnership has capitalized on the strengths of each organization and used economies of scale to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of all involved.

Last but not least, Habitat Cabarrus continues to focus on operating in a fiscally responsible way. The affiliate has eliminated borrowing, reduced expenses, paid down debt and works hard to be a good steward of the funds received from our generous supporters.

Cabarrus County ReStore

The ReStore is a HUGE part of our Habitat for Humanity identity.  What is a ReStore you ask?... well it is a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center that sells new and gently used furniture, home accessories, building materials, and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price.  What do we use the proceeds for?... to build homes, community, and hope locally and around the world.

Our ReStore is located at 2902 South Cannon Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28083.  

We are open M-F 10am-5pm and Saturday 9am-4pm

Have bulky furniture or appliances you want to donate but can't transport.. no worries we have trucks and can pick your donations up!

Love vintage?? This is definitely the place for you!

Check out our Metrolina Partners blog for repurposing ideas. http://blog.metrolinarestores.org/  You never know what you might come across while shopping at our restore!
Also check out our Pinterest page for more ideas, including organization, decorating and handyman tips!
http://pinterest.com/habitatcc/boards/

Kannapolis City Schools House Dedication

The time is approaching to dedicate The Kannapolis City Schools House! 

The date is set for Tuesday July 9th at 4:00pm 

@ 204 Lowe Ave, Kannapolis 

Come and celebrate the hard work of Carissa Mouton and the community!

Building on Faith 2013

2013 Building on Faith home will be build in the Logan Community in Concord, NC. Habitat for Humanity Cabarrus County and the city of Concord have developed a partnership to revitalize the Logan neighborhood with new home builds, increased homeownership and some “brush with kindness” repairs. Terrance will then pay an affordable, 0% interest mortgage to support future Habitat builds. We need your prayers and your help!

Volunteer

Volunteer dates for Building on Faith begin July 13. Volunteer registration can be completed online at http://habitatcabarrus.ivolunteer.com/ or by contacting Tiana DuVall (information below). In addition to on site volunteering, we can use volunteers in the office to help with some of the behind the scenes work such as scheduling volunteers, contacting local churches to engage their support or planning the dedication. If you are interested in helping in this way, email or call Tiana DuVall at tianaduvall@habitatcabarrus.org or 704-786-4001.

Donate

We need your help raising the funds to complete this house. Donate online here, or mail a check to Habitat Cabarrus, P.O. Box 1502, Concord, NC 28025. Please put 2013 BOF in the memo line.

If you or your church would like to donate but cannot do so right now, email your commitment with a timeframe (prior to 11/30/13)  for your gift to Martha Seger at marthaseger@habitatcabarrus.org

Meet the homeowner

Terrance Grier is a dedicated, hard working partner of Habitat Cabarrus who will be a homeowner by the end of the year!  Terrance moved to Concord to live with his sister (who was Habitat Cabarrus’ first homeowner), after a few life challenges left him unemployed and homeless. His sister helped him get back on his feet and encouraged him to seek help from Habitat. He wasn’t ready for Habitat’s homeownership program, but he moved into one of our transitional apartments in Concord and started working towards qualification for his own Habitat home. Even before he was identified as a Habitat partner family, Terrance took the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University classes, putting a lot of effort into finding financial freedom and meeting the qualifications for the Habitat program. Through his volunteer work with Habitat Cabarrus, he found employment and has now put in a lot of sweat equity hours towards his own home.  Terrance has a culinary arts certificate and uses that to earn some of his sweat equity hours by cooking meals for partner family classes. His dream is to one day own his own catering business. Habitat and homeownership is a step in the right direction.

"When we move out in faith, God moves, too, and our small supplies are miraculously multiplied to fill the need … If Habitat were primarily a movement of individuals, there would be nothing lasting to it. But this is God's movement, and there's nothing that can stop it." Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International