Update from Our Director

Breaking Records and Breaking Ground as we close out the year

Habitat’s fiscal year ended with a celebration on June 30th as our team of homebuyers, volunteers, donors, and staff could look back on a challenging year in construction with a few bruises but a generous amount of success. We met our goal for new housing by building and selling 12 local homes and 12 international homes. Every time we close on a home in the Sandhills, we fund a home through Habitat for Humanity's Tithe Program to one of our partners in Haiti or Zambia. In addition to our new home construction, we continued to grow our Aging in Place Critical Home Repair Program by providing 55 repairs (approximately $550,000) to homes of individuals living with disabilities or over 55 years of age and needing critical fixes to their home to remain in it safely and affordably. 

With increased costs (our home costs averaged 35% higher than just a year ago), we were grateful for the increased sales in the ReStore! After breaking all previous sales records last year, we were amazed to see sales jump an additional $70,000 this year with decreased expenses, meaning more dollars were used for building materials!

Developing land is a time-consuming business. Habitat tries to balance the development of new ground with building in existing lots to ensure we stay on track with our build schedule. We are excited to report that a long-awaited cul-de-sac is in the clearing phase, and we will soon be announcing the naming of this road in honor of two of our favorite construction volunteers who have each invested well over 5,000 volunteer hours. Stay tuned for the details! Five new families will soon call this neighborhood home and join the five families living on Keyser St. in the first phase of the development.

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

Peace and Grace,

Amie N. Fraley

Executive Director

Honey Doers are back in the Hive!

Everyone can find a way to support Habitat.

Sandhills Habitat keeps operating costs down with the generosity of volunteers committing their precious time to performing all kinds of tasks. Pictured above is our Honey-Do team; they are an essential part of our marketing plan and our ability to reach out to the community. And they are so much fun to be around, swap stories, and support each other.

Below is a new team from Penick Village who were a tremendous help to us this month, quite a production team. They knocked out mailings engaging Habitat International's local supporters with information about all we do as a local affiliate in the Sandhills.

If you or someone you know needs to get out more and who would like to do something meaningful but stay indoors, call us. We have various opportunities that lead to building affordable housing in the Sandhills.

Home Buyer Sessions Schedule in August

It's only open once a year!

Sometimes it is a conversation in a grocery store, waiting to get your car serviced, or after church. If you see someone struggling to stay afloat, advocate for Habitat.

We build quality homes for people earning between 30% and 80% of the median income in the counties we serve; Moore, Hoke, and Richmond. And we do it with a guaranteed affordable mortgage for those selected for the program. Once a year, we hold an open session to explain the process and review applications for those who believe they qualify.

Two Sessions

Information

August 24^th 6:00pm

West Southern Pines Center Auditorium

1250 W. New York Avenue

Southern Pines

Application Submission

August 28^th 9:00am-7:00pm

Sandhills Habitat

2268 NC Highway 5, Aberdeen

Appointments in Order of Arrival

By working together and sharing each member's talent, our Women Build volunteers have built eight homes since 1998 and are currently on track to sponsor and build one house yearly! They encourage and empower each other to go beyond their comfort zone, whether using power tools or asking for your support. Recently this team hosted a golf tournament for Habitat, which will allow us to build with Tiara McKeithan in Aberdeen. 

Tiara has lived and worked in Moore County all of her life. She works at Penick Village, where her co-workers encouraged her to apply for the homebuyer program. We love when our homeowner partners who have gone through the program recommend us because it tells us we have served them courteously and respectfully. Co-workers have pushed her, supported her, and now say they are proud of her commitment to her family. Tiara has finished her 300 sweat equity hours and has picked out finishes for her new home in Aberdeen. 

We are encouraging women who want to participate in this build to go to our website and sign up individually or bring out a team. Either way, you will be united with people with a common goal (affordable housing) and surrounded by people who will guide you through the process.

APOSTLES BUILD 2023 WRAP UP

Habitat again teamed with the faith community to build a house that will become a home for a hardworking and deserving family. This nine-week build kicked off on Thursday, March 16, when 32 pastors and other church leaders came out to contribute volunteer hours—for the next nine weekends – Thursday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – various church teams of 8 to 12 volunteers also helped to build. Over these nine weeks, the vacant lot at 200 Hatley in Aberdeen soon became a nearly complete house. 

See the list below for the diverse church representation involved in this effort. Some contributed financially, some with volunteer hours, and others with dollars and sweat. We all thank them for their support in helping to grow the mission – one house, one home, one family at a time. We invite other churches to join us for our 2024 Apostles Build. Planning begins on that inspiring project in just a few weeks!

We have a tremendous amount of gratitude for this year’s faith partners:

• Bethesda Presbyterian
• Cameron First Baptist
• Carthage Presbyterian
• Chapel in the Pines
• Community Presbyterian
• Culdee Presbyterian
• Brownson Presbyterian
• Eagle Springs First Baptist
• Emmanuel Episcopal
• First Baptist Aberdeen
• First Baptist Pinehurst
• Kingdom Minded Ministries
• Mt. Sinai Baptist of Rockingham
• Mount Zion United Church of Christ Rockingham
• West End Presbyterian
• Pinehurst United Methodist
• Penick Village
• Redeemer Presbyterian
• Robbins First Baptist
• RockFish Church of Hoke County
• Sacred Heart Catholic
• Southern Pines First Baptist
• Southern Pines United Methodist
• The Village Chapel
• Trinity Christian Fellowship

A robust thank you to all of our faith partners!

Save the Date for Shana's Home Dedication!

October 17th

You can reach our Faith Relations Coordinator,

Dan Joslin, at 910-295-1799 and danjoslin2@aol.com.

Another Record Breaking Year of Donations and Sales!

We're always looking for new volunteers at the ReStore. Volunteers work with ReStore staff, collecting and receiving donated materials, pricing, stocking items on the store floor, cleaning and organizing the store, and assisting customers. 

By volunteering at ReStore, you are helping us work towards the next Habitat house for a family in Moore, Hoke or Richmond Counties. Volunteers meet fun and engaging new people while keeping items out of overflowing landfills.

New volunteers can join an upcoming Volunteer Orientation on the 3rd Saturday of the month from 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Please visit our website at sandhillshabitat.org to get more information and register for an upcoming orientation.

• ReStore sells furniture, appliances, building materials, household items, lawn & garden items, clothing and more. 
• Most of the ReStore’s inventory comes from local donations accepted Monday—Saturday 9 am-4 pm. Schedule a free pickup for large items at sandhillshabitat.org. 
• 100% of the proceeds are used for building materials in our community, providing enough funding to build for several families each year.
• Sales from the ReStore sponsored the build of eight of the 12 houses sold this year.

Karen is new to us but no stranger to Habitat ReStore. She worked at the Housatonic Habitat affiliate in Connecticut before moving here in August, 2022. Before her Habitat staff role up north, she managed a thrift store, so clothing is her natural Habitat, and she's enjoying her volunteer experience here in the Sandhills. "It's a fast-paced, friendly environment where you can't help but do good work." She encourages others to join in on the fun. When Karen isn't getting our beautiful clothes ready for the sales floor, she is likely swimming, playing pickleball, or playing rummy with her husband (at least daily, she says). Check out the fabulous clothing at the ReStore – high-end brands with a great selection!

Rachel owes her start at Habitat to our sweet Dorothy, who spent many days greeting our customers before moving back to California this summer (we miss you already, Dorothy)! Rachel began at the cash register but wanted little more action, so she began helping in the housewares department. "I love housewares because every day is like a treasure hunt." Rachel hails from Massachusetts but has been here in the Sandhills for 25 years and has no plans to leave. She has two children and many grand-dogs here in the area. When she isn't spending time at Habitat or with her family, you may find her volunteering at Coalition in the Boutique or playing her new sport, pickleball!

ReStore Needs Volunteers

It's a fun opportunity where you will meet like-minded friends who support

 affordable housing. Great staff, flexible hours!

Habitat Board Members

OFFICERS 

Fallon Brewington, Chair

Tim Dwyer, Vice Chair

Lisa Fagan, Secretary

Kirk Lynch, Treasurer

Amie Fraley, Executive Director

DIRECTORS

Tavares Bostic 

Daphne Dudley

Karen Dulmage

Bob Friesen

Robin Porter Graham

Fran Grandinetti

Jana Green

Jim Hart

Robert Jackson

Karen Resse May

Helen Probst Mills

Kayla Prestwood

Sue Ralston 

Mary Rocca

Jill Saunders

Tracy Thomas

Be sure to follow the new ReStore Facebook page

to learn about the latest inventory and sales

@sandhillsrestore