Sandhills Habitat E-newsletter

Update from Our Director

Habitat Happenings in Hoke

After several years of informal partnership, Habitat for Humanity of the NC Sandhills merged with the volunteer-led Raeford Hoke Habitat in January 2020. This merger meant the community could leverage a larger affiliate's experience to serve more families locally. Most Habitat affiliates (including the Sandhills) began as all volunteer affiliates. Still, the increased need for regulation of construction, lending, and other components of the nonprofit has made it challenging to continue operating without hiring licensed or certified staff. Sandhills Habitat recognizes the incredible dedication of the former Raeford Hoke Board of Directors: William McDonald, Daphne Dudley, Glen King, Kermit Wood, and Eddie and Katie Poole. Without their commitment and those who came before them, there would be no Habitat opportunity for affordable home ownership and critical home repair in Hoke County.

The newly merged affiliates hit their first challenge just a few months later as Covid halted most volunteers. Luckily, as an essential service, Habitat construction continued without pause. We wanted to show the residents of Hoke County that we are committed to growing the number of families who can be helped through the Habitat mission, even when faced with adversity. We got to work and have now built and sold three homes to Hoke families and provided multiple critical home repairs through our Aging in Place program. Habitat homes are sold to income-qualified families who invest 300 hours of sweat equity per adult for the opportunity to purchase their home with a guaranteed affordable mortgage. Critical home repair recipients generally partner by paying 25% of the direct cost of their repair. Grants like the Hoke County Community Foundation Grant awarded to Habitat for Humanity this year help to fund the remainder of the repair costs.

Hoke County Community Foundations donates 16 grants to non-profits

Now the team is tackling its next Hoke build – and looking to add volunteer builders to their team. From July 20-29, you can join the crew on Thursday, Friday or Saturday from 8 am-1 pm. Sign up online at sandhillshabitat.org or email volunteer@sandhillshabitat.org. Days are beginning to fill, with the Raeford-Hoke Kiwanis Club leading the charge with seven volunteers on July 21st. Each build day can include up to 12 volunteers, so grab a few friends or sign up solo to meet others in your community interested in creating opportunities for affordable housing.

On the horizon for Hoke County is the build-out of a 16-home subdivision. As a local affiliate, we set our own goals regarding production. The more local support we can gather, the more we can build and repair. The beauty of the merger is that we can at least triple the money raised within to community by adding ReStore proceeds from our Aberdeen store and grant dollars to local contributions. We can move faster than we have in the past few years if the community sees value in the work.

In addition to volunteering on the construction site, volunteers are hosting a "Studs and Sliders" fundraising event on September 14th at the Hoke Civic Center. Local lead volunteers Daphne Dudley and Stephanie Hendrix are chairing the event with hopes of raising $10,000 toward next year's construction. Tickets are $25 per dinner, or you can purchase a $40 ticket, including an opportunity to decorate one of the wall studs for an upcoming build. It's a great chance to share your wishes and prayers with a future family to see when they begin building their home. It means so much to a homebuyer to see the sentiments of those building with them in partnership. The dinners will be served by some local favorites in the community who are eager to lend their hand to the Habitat mission.

Purchase Tickets

Thank you for supporting the Habitat mission – we look forward to building with you!

Peace and Grace,

Amie N. Fraley

Executive Director

Habitat Celebrates Homebuyers-in- Progress

Meet the McRae Family

The best thing I can think of, being in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, is my kids now receiving the opportunity to have a room of their own. They will have a home for them to set up their things and to be able to have spaces where they can grow. We do not have the area where we are now for them to have anything, anywhere. We are on top of each other with stuff on top of us. With our new home, they will have their beds, places for their toys, a place for a YouTube set up (Aceton), and so forth! We can sit at the kitchen table for dinner and have space in the living room to play games. Very, very excited and nervous simultaneously. Much appreciation to Habitat for Humanity and everyone involved in making a dream of a home a reality!

Aceton Jason James McRae. He has his mind set on being a YouTuber. He wants to make videos on Beyblades, Pokemon, and such content. He has an excellent passion for it, so the plan is to set him up a spot in his room to make videos of opening Beyblades, Pokemon merchandise, etc... and putting them to use and rating them. Hopefully, like the popular YouTubers he watches now, he can do what he loves for a living one day. The home we purchase through Habitat will give him the space required and a quiet place where we can make the quality content needed for success!

Justus James Rufus McRae. The biggest personality of all. A little ball of fire, full of energy, wide open always! He would be one if Curious George were made into a little boy. You cannot keep this boy inside! You can find him driving his truck, working on it, and riding his bike in the yard. He loves his toy trucks, tractors, cars, etc. He and Gabriel will be sharing a room, though he will probably be between ours and theirs. I can't wait to get him a little workstation set up in its place where he can work on his things and have a little space for them.

Gabriel James Cullen McRae is a hard-working outdoors boy. He loves to help with any work I do, whether cutting and weed-eating grass or working on the car, bikes, or four-wheeler! Gabriel loves to fish and is really into turtles! He is very particular about his things and likes to have them organized, which is impossible at our current house, so with the new home we are so blessed to be purchasing through Habitat for Humanity, it becomes possible. I love him so much; he's an awesome kid, always doing his best.

Nevaeh Erabella Denise McRae loves gymnastics and messing around with makeup. She collects mini brands, a country girl, and a girly girl. Nevaeh loves dressing up, playing in rain puddles, fishing, flag football, and basketball. She likes to make funny "cool" videos—a big personality and a bit goofy. Being the only girl, Habitat for Humanity is making it possible for her to have a much-needed room! She can have some space and a little privacy from all these stinky boys! Lol!

James Elijah Xavior McRae. There are not many made like him. He has a heart for the Lord and goes out of his way to help someone in need. He takes time to spend with his siblings and does meaningful things that I've not seen or heard an average teenager do, such as buying his parents a new washing machine when ours went out. What kind of kid does that? We will give him the mobile home we live in once we have moved to the new house. Our new Habitat home is only a few miles away. Seeing him grow and being able to begin his adult journey is an emotional rollercoaster. Still, with Habitat's help, we can give him a foot in the door to success in life! Thank you!

Celebrating Habitat Home Closing for Smith Family

Shannon Smith has lived in the Sandhills all her life and dreamed of a safe and affordable place to raise her five children in a nurturing environment where they would thrive. She applied to the Homebuyer Program in 2021. She met the three partnership qualifications needed to build a home with an affordable mortgage; live or work in a county we serve, have the ability to pay, and be willing to partner.

Shannon has worked in the healthcare industry for over seven years caring for older adults. She is currently employed by Terra Bella (Elmcroft) of Southern Pines. As single mother, she has cared for her five children in the worst of times and has set a new course for her family through her strong will and determination. Shannon put in over “300 Sweat Equity” hours on the construction site, the ReStore, and in homeowner classes before we broke ground for her own home.

We are proud to partner with Shannon and her family as she turns the page to a new chapter in her story.

Habitat homeowner, Gail Ayers, works part time as a caregiver/companion for Al Mangum who has medical issues. Al and Gail are pictured at the Aberdeen Food Pantry where Al volunteers two days each week. They are packaging items for Back Pack Pals.

July Faith Relations Meeting

Save the Date for our Faith Relations Meeting on Wednesday, July 19th at 12:00 in Hoke County at Leach Springs Missionary Baptist Church, 821 Arabia Road, Raeford. We are looking for community partners and volunteers to advocate for affordable housing.

PLEASE RSVP

Contact our Faith Coordinator

Women Build Golf Tournament and Fundraiser

Women Build 2023 kicked off its Habitat home build with a golf tournament at Forest Creek Golf Club in early June, which sold out in weeks. We are thrilled to receive positive feedback from the players, the club, and the sponsors. Speaking of sponsors, WOW, we are honored to have so many support us in our mission. Special appreciation is for our Ace Sponsors that pushed us to and over our goals, Julie Kampf of JBK Associates, Tammy Lyne of Keller Williams, Bonnie McPeake of McPeake Hotels, and Design Direction. We are thankful for the support of Forest Creek and the staff that did an excellent job making this a stupendous event.

Julie Kampf of JBK - Ace Sponsors

Mary Ellen Tindall, Barbara Brando,

Pat Watterworth, and Karen Teems.

Katrina Ellison, Judith Kelley

and Kathy Beddow

Amie Fraley - Executive Director

Sally Brown - Women Build Chair

Susan Brown and Jan Vair

Women Build Committee

Linda Branch - Women Build Co-Chair

Our Women Build Committee went over and beyond planning every event detail—special thanks to Linda Branch for chairing the event and keeping us all on the same page! Women Build Rocks! Send an email to volunteer@sandhillshabitat.orgif you would like to be a part of this dynamic group!

Ms. P. started her journey with Habitat at our Rockingham ReStore many years ago, working with a client in a direct support role. For years, she volunteered alongside her client, which greatly benefited Habitat!

This year, she retired from over 30 years of working as a caregiver and is busier than ever (we often hear this from our retirees). Ms. P. primarily focuses on the housewares department, unpacking and cleaning donations and pricing them for resale. She loves the atmosphere at the ReStore. Said she likes everyone who works and volunteers in the ReStore. Her advice for anyone thinking of joining the ReStore team is to be ready to have fun and also to work with the public because shoppers are excited to get a great deal. They will come right up to you when you are putting out items for sale with all kinds of questions.

When Ms. P. isn’t volunteering at Habitat, you might find her helping at Kings Gate Church’s soup kitchen or enjoying keeping tabs on her three grandchildren, aged 16 (in Fayetteville), 21 (in Southern Pines), and 23 (in Charlotte).

We are lucky to have volunteers who arrive at Habitat in unique ways but enjoy us too much to leave! You could be next – join us for our July “New to Habitat” Orientation on July15th!