Homeownership is a big part of The American Dream. At Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, we are a proud partner with individuals and families who are living in substandard housing conditions who want a safe and comfortable place to call home.
Laughter and tears of joy played a big part of the dedication ceremony for the 2010 blitz build as the new homeowners, Covenant Partners, and crowd of volunteers stood together to celebrate the successful end to a weeklong build of 5 houses on Stanley Ave. in East Knoxville.
"For sure, it's impressive to build five houses in one week. It's a big accomplishment that involves many months of staff planning, the generosity of our Covenant Partners, and hundreds of volunteers who give of their time," said Kelle Shultz, president and CEO of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity. "But this blitz build is not really about the houses. It's about the families who will now call these houses home."
Covenant Partner representatives who stood before the crowd to talk about their experiences during the blitz build recounted stories of team building, learning new construction skills and working alongside the homeowners. One poignant story came from Eric Zeenah, president of American Accessories International (AAI), one of the 2010 Coveanant Partners, who said that his employees passed on their bonuses so that AAI could sponsor a house in the blitz build."
"The dedication of these homes is an important day in the lives of these new homeowners, who will remember it for years to come," said Zeenah. "They've worked hard and made many sacrifices to be standing here today, and I want them to know that many others also have made sacrifices to help make this day possible because we believe in them."
In addition to American Accessories International, the Covenant Partners for the 2010 build were 2nd Presbyterian, Cedar Springs Presbyterian, Knoxville Bar Association, KUB Employees' Association, Pilot Corporation, and the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils from The University of Tennessee.
Final preparations are now being made on the houses in order to secure their certificates of occupancy while the families finish up their 500 hours of sweat equity. It is anticipated they will all move in before June 30th so that they can take advantage of the first-time homebuyer tax credit.
Check out these photo galleries from each day of the seven-day blitz build:
Homeownership is a big part of The American Dream. At Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, we are a proud partner with individuals and families who are living in substandard housing conditions who want a safe and comfortable place to call home.
From donations of money or land to cars and items we sell, here’s how you can help.
Learn construction skills, meet new people and share yourself for a great cause.
