|
Habitat NEGA's Happenings | Building Hope * One Home at a Time |
| | |
Here are the latest opportunities to help strengthen
your faith and connect with the community.
| | |
Women Build 2025
"Thank you" to the many who made this such an amazing event!
| | Women Build 2025 was held the week of May 5th …and what an amazing week it was! For almost 20 years, Women Build has been bringing women from all walks of life together to address the critical need for affordable housing in the White & Habersham County areas. Through this initiative, women learn construction skills, raise funds, and work side by side to help local families achieve the dream of homeownership. And, thanks to the many groups and individuals participating in WB2025– this year’s event was one of the biggest and best ever and we were overwhelmed by the tremendous support, excitement and enthusiasm seen from the Habersham & White County Communities – and those traveling in from outside of those areas, for this year’s event! It’s challenging to confirm at this point after rainouts and make-up days, groups and individuals joining in at the last minute and a lot of “…a few others wanted to join in the fun so I hope it’s ok they came along”, (the more the merrier from HFHNEGA’s perspective), but it’s estimated that approximately 200 participants volunteered more than 600 hours over the 4-5 days of WB2025! Habitat For Humanity of NE GA is so very blessed to serve a community who both supports and is passionate about our Mission of bringing people together to build homes, communities and hope…and, we sincerely thank each and every person participating in this year’s event. Oh, and it goes without saying that everyone here at HFHNEGA is already looking forward to WB2026! | | Celebrating the hard work & dedication of two Habitat For Humanity of NE GA Partner Families. | Habitat For Humanity of NE GA would like to introduce The Henson Family...HFHNEGA's newest Habitat Homeowners! The Hensons journey to homeownership began in 2023 and culminated in the closing of their home on Friday, May 16th. A Partner Family's path to homeownership begins with a simple application followed by a home visit and interview then program acceptance. Once accepted, the Partner Family with attend financial literacy workshops which include one-on-one mentoring, complete 300 hours of sweat equity while volunteering at a Habitat Build Site or at the ReStore, attend HFHNEGA events as well as work with other Partner Families in the program - all the while working towards obtaining a mortgage for their Habitat Home. Is it easy? No. Is it worth it? Yes! Throughout their journey, The Hensons never lost faith in achieving their dream of becoming a Habitat Homeowner and remained dedicated and determined to building a stable, secure life for their family. Now, The Hensons have a home they can call THEIR OWN…a place of happiness, joy and where many memories will be made. At Habitat, we believe that everyone deserves a place to call home, and seeing dreams come true – like that of The Hensons, is what inspires us every day. To The Hensons, your dedication, faith and hard work has paid off, and everyone at Habitat of NE GA couldn't be more proud of you! | Habitat House #80 is no longer a Habitat House...it's a Habitat Partner Family's HOME! On Thursday, June 5th, the Habitat Home Dedication was held for The Kinnarath Family and many of their friends and family, Habitat Board and Staff members, Habitat Volunteers as well as other Habitat Partner Families were all in attendance to help celebrate this very special day. Habitat For Humanity of NE GA would like to congratulate Chris & Tiffany Kinnarath and family and we wish them many, many joyous and blessed years to come in their new HOME! | | |
Some introductions are in order…
Habitat For Humanity of NE GA is proud to introduce the Cattanach, Evans and Piedra Families to HFHNEGA’s Partner Family Program. Each joined the Habitat Partner "Family" in May and all of us here at HFHNEGA - staff, Board members and volunteers, are excited to be a part of their journey to Habitat Homeownership!
| | |
The HFHNEGA ReStore celebrates our community with a Customer Appreciation Day!
| | | | Habitat of NE GA would like to thank everyone who came out to support our Customer Appreciation Day held on Saturday, May 24th! Hot dogs were on the grill, raffles were held, lucky customers won door prizes and a lot of amazing deals were certainly found by all those stopping by the ReStore. We'd like to give special thanks to the following for being a part of the event and helping to make it an amazing day: Pebble Ministry Inc., Cornelia Boxing Academy, North Georgia Technical College, Smash It, Habersham County Animal Shelter and Partner Family Tiffany & Chris Kinnarath! What an incredible day and we appreciate the amazing support from our community in helping make this a fun and memorable day for everyone! | | | The path to Habitat Homeownership begins for three new HFHNEGA Partner Families! | | New Partner Family Orientation was held on Tuesday, May 20th, and Habitat of NE GA is so excited to welcome the Cattanach, Piedra and Evans families into the program! Orientation is a critical part of the Partner Family Program and represents the beginning of a journey towards Habitat Homeownership for each new Habitat Partner Family. At Orientation, the new Partner Families had the opportunity to; learn about "Sweat Equity", meet the other new Partner Families as well as ones already in the program, be introduced to Habitat of NE GA staff members and volunteers who will each play pivotal roles along their path to Habitat homeownership, be provided with information about Habitat Financial Literacy and Home Maintenance Workshops as well as one-on-one financial mentoring, learn vital information about the mortgage process, review required forms and documents and be able to ask any and all questions along the way...and have pizza - lots and lots of pizza! What a great kick-off to each new Habitat Partner Family's journey to Habitat Homeownership! | | |
Being a Habitat Partner Family isn't just about one family's journey to homeownership, it is indeed about "Family". Tiffany Kinnarath, (House #80), and Christina Cody, (House #81), have been in the HFHNEGA Partner Family Program since March of 2024. They started their Habitat journeys together, attended orientation and workshops together, took part in HFHNEGA events together and have each helped in the build process of the others Habitat Home - and the homes of other Habitat Partner Families. And, one day soon, Tiffany and her husband Chris will be neighbors of Christina. The HFHNEGA Partner "Family" - all the families within the program along with Habitat staff and volunteers, work together to support and encourage each other from orientation to eventual Home Dedication. And, that bond of "Family" doesn't end there. The "Family" support network established during a Partner Family's homeownership journey extends long after the paint is dry, the last nails are driven and the Habitat House is made into a Habitat Home - it is a lifelong bond that only a "Family" could provide.
| |  | |
Financial Literacy is the key to both short- & long- term Habitat Homeownership success.
| |
Being a Habitat Partner Family is the start down a new path — one with far fewer barriers to a better, healthier, more financially stable life. Along this path, there are many components a Partner Family must complete and benchmarks to achieve. And, one such component is Financial Literacy. A Habitat Partner Family is required to attend financial education and budget-planning classes to help both in the obtainment of a mortgage as well as to ensure future financial success long after they've moved into their Habitat Home. In June, Habitat For Humanity of NE GA's Partner Families participated in the first of 3 Financial Literacy Workshops presented and hosted by SouthState Bank of Cleveland, GA. With that, we want to say a big "THANK YOU" to SouthState Bank for spending time with our Partner Families and supporting them on their journey to Habitat Home Ownership!
| | | |
Learn how you can support our Mission to build
through volunteering.
| | Volunteers are the lifeblood for any non-profit organization and Habitat For Humanity of NE GA is certainly no exception. By volunteering - like the amazing Mr. John Ott who's help to build 49 Habitat For Humanity of NE GA homes, you can be a part of the change you want to see in your community. HFHNEGA offers volunteer opportunities at our build sites as well as at our Habitat ReStore - you can even invite your friends and family to join us! And, churches, community-based organizations, businesses and other civic groups are certainly welcome to volunteer because - together, we can all help build a world where everyone has a safe and secure place they can call home. To find out what opportunities are available or to learn more about volunteering for Habitat for Humanity of Northeast Georgia, please email Brian Young - Executive Director at: director@habitatnega.org | | |
Though month’s away, all of us at Habitat For Humanity of NE GA have started planning for the 47th Edition of the Hogpen Hillclimb 18k and Georgia Mountain Coster 5k, which is to be held on January 17th, 2026! And, “Yes”, you read that right…we’d like to welcome and say a big “Thank You” to Georgia Mountain Coaster of Helen for being the 5k title sponsor for 2026!
And, with January 2025’s Hogpen being one of the biggest in years with participants from all over the southeast taking part, we’re rolling out some new and exciting things to make the 2026 Edition even bigger; exciting pre-race activities, vendors, raffles and a silent action, a rerouted 5k course taking racers throughout the city of Helen and swag bags filled with sponsor information, logo items & coupons, and much, much more!
And, "Yes", Georgia's own little "Bavarian Village", Helen, will – of course, still be the starting point for both the 18k & 5k and the Hogpen Hillclimb is still going to run up to Hogpen Gap!
To register for the 47th Edition of this great event, please visit: www.runthehogpen.org or scan the QR Code Below:
| |
And, we can’t make the 47th Edition the biggest and best ever without the support of our business community.
For 2026, there will be more opportunities to get your business out there with increased marketing of the event itself, (beginning in July), greater visibility of business logos on all race promotional items as well as various sponsor levels tailored towards marketing your business to all participants, spectators and those visiting the Helen area to take part!
There are various ways to sponsor:
· Habitat Community Build Sponsorship: $250 - Your company’s logo will appear on the back of this year’s event t-shirt and will be listed on our website as an Hogpen sponsor. And, will be displayed proudly on the 2026 Sponsor Banner that will hang at our ReStore for a year.
· Habitat Hope Builder Sponsorship: $500 – At this level, your company’s logo will be displayed on one of the mile marker signs lining the race course as well as carry all the benefits of the Community Build Sponsorship level!
· Habitat Community Champion Sponsorship: $1,000. Your company’s logo will be promoted at race registration as well as displayed in a more readily visible manner (larger) on our website, race t-shirt and 2026 Sponsor Banner...and will include all the benefits provided at the lower sponsorship levels.
· Habitat Cornerstone of Community Sponsorship: $2,000. Your company’s logo will be prominently displayed at registration as well as listed as a “Primary Sponsor” on our website and 2026 Sponsor Banner...and will include all benefits provided at the lower sponsorship levels. In addition, your logo will also appear and your business identified as a “Primary Sponsor” on the actual race promotional flyer appearing in numerous print publications throughout the SE, internet event calendars, race websites, radio media placements and all Habitat For Humanity of NE GA social media outlets.
If you would like to be a part of 47th Hogpen and support Habitat For Humanity of NE GA, our Partner Families and – most of all, our Mission of service, please visit the following link: www.habitatnega.org/run-the-hogpen
Finally, please email Brian Young – HGHNEGA Executive Director at; Director@habitatnega.org with any questions you may have regarding sponsorship, registration, volunteering or the event itself.
Thank you in advance for your consideration in supporting the Hogpen and our Mission of Building Hope …. One Habitat Home at a time!
| | | | | |
