Issuu

y r

p i l n e gH H

2022

A Letter from the CEO and President Dear Friends and Supporters, As the CEO and President of the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity, we are honored to present to you our Annual Report for the year 2022. It is with great pride that we share with you the impact that our organization has had in the past year and the progress we have made toward our mission of building homes, communities, and hope.

Zerik Samples CEO

Over the past year, we have faced unprecedented challenges, from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to natural disasters and economic uncertainty. However, despite these obstacles, we have continued to work tirelessly to help families in need of safe and affordable housing. Our report highlights the many ways in which we have been able to make a difference, from building new homes and repairing existing ones to partnering with local organizations and volunteers to create vibrant, sustainable communities. We are proud to report that we served over 157 family members in need of housing assistance last year and empowered 48 Habitat Savannah Homeowners to fully pay off their mortgages. None of this would be possible without the support of our donors, volunteers, and community partners. We are incredibly grateful for your ongoing commitment to our mission, and we look forward to continuing to work together to create a world where everyone has a decent place to live. In the coming year, we will be more committed than ever to provide affordable homeownership for Chatham County families. As we continue to work towards our mission, we are adapting our programs and services to meet the evolving needs of our communities. We are working to ensure that every family has a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home, and we are exploring new ways to engage our volunteers and supporters in this important work. We are also focused on creating more sustainable, equitable, and resilient communities, and we are exploring innovative approaches to address the complex challenges facing our world today. We believe that by working together, we can create lasting change and build a better future for everyone. Thank you for your ongoing support of Habitat for Humanity, and we look forward to continuing this important work together. Please take a moment to review our Annual Report to learn more about the impact we have made together.

Jed Young PRESIDENT

Table of Contents About

Events

Women Build

CEO Build

Hops for Habitat

Family Reunion

Savannopoly

Republic Services

Breaking Ground

Time, Talent & Treasure

Hanging Up the Hardhat: Mrs. Dot Evans

Audit Report

Our Mission Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities, and hope

Our Vision A world where everyone has a decent place to live

Our Principles 1. Demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ. 2. Focus on shelter. 3. Advocate for affordable housing. 4. Promote dignity and hope. 5. Support sustainable and transformative development.

homes

community

hope

We are a non-profit lender creating affordable homeownership for hardworking families in Chatham County. We construct homes, educates future homeowners, and help community members utilize their time and talents to give back in a meaningful and impactful way.

Need

Impact

26% of Chatham County residents

live below the poverty line (published by Step Up Savannah, 2020) Research shows that Chatham County lacks 15,000 affordable housing units. Chatham County’s homeownership rate is 56% versus the Georgia state average of 67%.

157

homes built

paid-off mortgages

Women Build March 1 - 12, 2022 Women Build events provide the opportunity for women to take a proactive step in serving their communities. Any woman who wanted to learn how to build and construct a home was invited to join us. No experience was necessary! This was a rewarding experience for all involved, and improved the community that we share. Women Build is a terrific way to involve friends and family of all ages in crucial work with a lasting impact. Be sure to join us next year!

$14,035 Raised!

Super HERos Super Powers 4

“Everybody here is doing something to give back to the community. It’s why I’m here. I’m not just here representing Hunter, I’m here for myself, as well, because this is a worthy cause.”

CEO Build February 22, 2022 Business executives from across Savannah took off their suit jackets and picked up shovels, hammers, drills, and whatever else they need to join Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity for a day of service on Tuesday, February 22, working on three homes in the Woodville-Thompkins community.

Lt. Steve Bolton Commander of Hunter Army Airfield Garrison

Hops for Habitat August 31, 2021

Hops for Habitat benefitted Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity and was a fun-filled evening filled with live music from Leir Bryant, craft beer, and amazing “bar food” by The Dive Savannah!

$3,522 Raised!

First Annual

Family Reunion July 2021 At this event, homeowners were provided with not only a sense of camaraderie and community, but an avenue linking them to the home ownership resources they needed. The event provided hope for future homeowners by demonstrating that, through hard work and dedication, the dream of home ownership is within reach.

“We strive to be top of mind when the village, the community, wants to work with entities making a difference in the community in which they live.”

Zerik Samples CEO

Savannopoly April 23, 2021

Location Gallery at Austin Hill Realty hosted an experiential monopoly-inspired art exhibit featuring thirty local artists from Savannah called Savannopoly on Friday, April 23, 2021. Art work displayed in Savannopoly featured local places from Jones to Gaston St., beautiful Spanish moss squares, and other various Savannah landmarks laid out like a Monopoly board game with color-coded mortgage tag cards.

Republic Services Small Business Development This is a grant focused on neighborhood revitalization and entrepreneurial ship that is currently in progress for the Rossignol Hill neighborhood in Garden City. This grant aided small businesses in the community coming out of COVID-19. The identified businesses were One Price Cleaners and Simply Devine Hair Design.

“The Republic Services Grant was such a gift to my salon. There are many times I end my days late at night there after working with Habitat. It is hard, but I want my girls to know that they do not have to rely on anyone but themselves.

Tamiko Jackson Owner of Simply Devine Hair Design and Partner Family

With the funds, I was able to rebrand my business with a new logo and update my equipment as well as use those funds to wrap my windows. This added curb appeal and created a warm and inviting environment for my clients.” 9

Take Up Your Spade &

Break Ground Sun is up, a new day is before you Sun is up, wake your sleepy soul Sun is up, hold on to what is yours Take up your spade and break ground Shake off your shoes, Leave yesterday behind you Shake off your shoes, But forget not where you’ve been Shake off your shoes, Forgive and be forgiven Take up your spade and break ground Give thanks, for all that you’ve been given Give thanks, for who you can become Give thanks, for each moment and every crumb Take up your spade and break ground Break ground, break ground, break ground

Sara Watkins 10

“It feels amazing. As a single mother this is exciting for us. I worked very hard to make sure we have stable home, somewhere comfortable for us to live forever that we will own.”

Brittany Jackson

We broke ground for the Jackson, Hills and Ramsey Family homes on Darling Street, June of 2021.

Time, Talent & Treasure Builder

Block Captain

Pillar • Pro-Grade South, LLC • Thomas & Hutton • Regions Bank 12

• Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC • Mr. Robert Miller • Mr. and Mrs. James Dwyer

Cornerstone • The Savannah Community Foundation, Inc. • The Dunn Foundation • Savannah Area REALTORS® • Custom Cabinets by Williamson Millworks, Inc. • Yawn Land Surveys, LLC • Kirk Gilbert • St. James Catholic Church • Mr. Mark Piven • Mr. Samuel McCachern • National Financial Services, LLC • CareSource • Simply Savannah Marketing • Terracon

• Innovative Tax and Accounting Solutions, LLC • International Paper • J.E. Dunn • Mr. Michael Traynor • Mr. Ben George • Ms. Allyson Harvin • Mr. Rusty Zittrauer • Mr. Ira P. Berman and Ms. Helen A. Borrello • Schwab Charitable • Ms. Carol Coppola • Ms. Rebecca Sasser • Mr. Matthew Allan

Thank you to our donors. Without you, we could not continue to build homes, community, and hope. 13

H A N G I N G U P T H E H A R D H AT

Mrs. Dot Evans Volunteer Coordinator & Office Manager

Dot Evans moved to Savannah in 2010 after retiring from a long career with the YWCA. She was looking to give back to her new community, so she found a part-time volunteer coordinator position with us in 2013. She told us that the mission of Habitat and her passion for connecting with people is what drove her to work with us. Mrs. Dot saw our organization go through many big changes, from moving the administrative offices and the Restore to its new location, to implementing new systems to make volunteering with the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity a better experience for her and the volunteers. She feels that these changes will allow the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity to continue to grow and impact our community in a positive way. When asked about the most rewarding part of serving as the volunteer coordinator, she explained that it was connecting with the partner families and seeing firsthand how much hard work they put into obtaining their home and then seeing them receive their keys during their home dedication. “Something I found while working for this organization is if someone is given an opportunity become a homeowner and given the steps and resources to achieve that, they will work hard to provide that home for not only themselves, but their families,” said Evans. “Everyone has a yearning to provide an inheritance for their next generation and Habitat provides a way to make this dream a reality.” We cannot thank Mrs. Dot enough for her many years of service to the Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity, and we wish her the best as she enjoys this next phase in her life.

We love everything you did for us, now go do what you love for you! 14

Audit Report

Every Helping Hand.