Framing the Future
40 Years of Local Impact
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis was founded in 1983 by volunteers who were concerned that the opportunity to buy affordable, quality homes was out of reach for too many of their neighbors.
Today Memphis Habitat is a leader among Habitats around the state and country. With a staff of 60-plus (and growing!) Memphis Habitat serves hundreds of families annually through homebuyer education, home-building, zero-interest mortgages, and Aging In Place repairs for older homeowners.
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF GREATER MEMPHIS NEWSLETTER | SUMMER 2023
Hi there, Habitat family!
I am thrilled to share this latest Blueprint with you. Because of you and your support, Memphis Habitat has reached an incredible milestone— our 40th anniversary of serving the community!
Here are examples of the local impact you’ve helped make possible since 1983:
• Nearly 600 homebuyers built and purchased homes for the first time with Habitat’s no-interest mortgages.
• More than 1,100 older homeowners are safer at home because of Aging In Place repairs provided at no cost to them.
• Almost $155 million in local economic activity through construction alone.
• Over $365 million in cumulative benefit to the Greater Memphis area through Memphis Habitat’s local work!
Simply incredible!!
This fall, we will celebrate the best way we know how—by building! Our 40th Anniversary Build will bring together future Habitat homebuyers and hundreds of volunteers to build 12 homes in Castalia Heights in South Memphis. This will be a BIG build—our first in an all-Habitat community since 2019—and include our 600th local home!
We have other plans to share—growth is on the horizon. We have big goals because we’re here to serve a big need. Over the next year, we will build and sell 32 homes with affordable mortgages; provide 200-250 older homeowners with repairs so they can age in place; and raise $400,000 to serve as seed funding for the work ahead.
2023 is far from over, and we need your help to reach these big goals. I hope you’ll be inspired to reconnect or get involved for the first time, and to join us in making a difference right here at home.
30
new homes/ affordable mortgages
140
2,205 volunteers
8,899 hours $250, 240 in value**
total volunteers across organization
* July 2022-June 2023
Dwayne Spencer President & CEO
** Based on $28.12 value of volunteer hour in Tennessee, according to Independent Sector
Your impact so far in fiscal year 2023*
In community,
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO
Aging In Place repairs/ improvements for older homeowners
Andreah and family
Living Her Dreams
The saying is that delay is not denial but a time of preparing you for the promise. Andreah was committed to her dream of owning her own home—even after two denials she persevered. She held tight to her promise, and it has been a year since she bought and moved into her home with her daughters.
AGING IN PLACE
Safer At Home
We first met Ms. Gwen in 2022 when she received Aging In Place repair services.
Gwen purchased her home [outside of Habitat] in 2003, but in recent years, she’d been dealing with roofing issues, a bathroom with fall hazards and leaky faucets, and damaged siding. The steps to her attic were unsafe, and she was afraid she’d get trapped.
She contacted Memphis Habitat after hearing about Aging In Place from a neighbor and started the process to secure the repairs she needed but could not afford to do herself. Gwen was able to get a new roof, bathroom modifications, and replacement siding—all at no cost to her.
Andreah found out about Memphis Habitat at 19 but admits she was not yet ready. “When I first applied for the program, I was young, and I dropped out of the Homeownership Class because I didn’t think I would get it.” She applied again in 2020 but was living in Arkansas and denied a second time.
In 2021 Andreah moved back, determined to make her dream a reality. By June 2022, it was!
“Our house is THE house where my kids’ friends come over to have fun and relax,” she says. “My kids and I like to be outside, and so once we wake up, we open our windows for sunlight. My girls asked if they could get a pool in the front yard now since it is our home!”
In their old neighborhood, Andreah didn’t feel safe letting her girls play outside. Now they live in their own home in a community where neighbors look after each other.
Andreah is living her dream—and she is most excited to pass her home to her girls.
She also continues to tell others about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis. “When I’m at work or church, I make sure I mention to my friends and family about Habitat and how they were able to help me to get my dream home.”
When she first used her new bathroom, she said it was the best shower she’d ever had! A year later, she still takes long showers and can go up into her attic without any worries. Gwen says she continues to feel much safer and independent in her house.
Gwen adores Memphis Habitat’s staff. “Everyone from the phone [calls] to the CEO Dwayne was so kind and supportive of my repairs. I feel like I am a part of the family at Habitat for Humanity.”
Andreah and Ms. Gwen shared their stories in video last year!
Visit memphishabitat.com/videos to watch! HOMEBUYER UPDATE
Ms. Gwen
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
Thank you to our Build sponsors!
BlueCare Tennessee
TJX Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
FRAMER LEVEL
Cadence Bank | Cummins
Financial Federal | Regions Bank
St. Luke Lutheran Church
Thompson Machinery
BUILDER LEVEL
The CarMax Foundation
Junior League of Memphis
ADDITIONAL BUILD SUPPORT
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.Phi Lambda Omega Chapter
Bank of Bartlett | Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati | Dow Friends of the Memphis Public Library | General Shale | Milwaukee
Tool | Procore | Yale Lock
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
NAME: Raydient
VOLUNTEER ROLE: ReStore
Blue Hat lead volunteer
YEARS VOLUNTEERED: 2
HOURS CONTRIBUTED: 200+
HABITAT IN ONE WORD: “Exciting!”
Raydient was seeking more volunteer opportunities for herself and her family and found the ReStore through local resource Volunteer Odyssey. Quickly, her role evolved to that of a lead volunteer—or
Blue Hat—because the staff noticed volunteers drawn to her leadership and enthusiasm.
Today, Raydient is one of the ReStore’s most trusted Blue Hats, hosting and leading large volunteer groups. She even works to recruit more volunteers to join her!
“I encourage every volunteer with Habitat for Humanity to become a Green Hat [build site leader] or Blue Hat by explaining that volunteers with experience and thorough knowledge are needed.”
We are actively recruiting Blue Hat leaders for the ReStore, Green Hat leaders for the build site, and fall build volunteers. To sign up, scan this QR code.
7136 Winchester Road | Memphis, TN 38125 | 901-761-4771
LEVEL CRAFTSMAN LEVEL
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of the U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Habitat for Humanity is an equal opportunity employer.
COMMUNITY
Orgill
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LEVEL ARCHITECT LEVEL
NEIGHBOR
Funding for this project was provided through the American Rescue Plan Act SLFRF Program through a contract administered by the City of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development.
