ASHEVILLE - Asheville Habitat will raise the first wall on the last house in Phase 1 of its New Heights neighborhood on Friday, March 24. In addition to marking a milestone in the community’s construction, it also marks a significant milestone in the organization’s history. This home is built in honor of Asheville Area Habitat’s 40th Anniversary.

Following a short speaking program, volunteers, supporters, neighbors, and future homebuyer

the Brockwell family, will raise the first wall of their new home, the 40 th Anniversary House. 

Founded by five women on February 11, 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity (called WNC Habitat for Humanity at the time) was the first Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Since that time, thousands of adults and children have built brighter futures on the foundation of stable homes. Each home build and home repair project has been an exercise in partnership.

Volunteers, donors, advocates, homeowners, and ReStore supporters – folks of various

religions, ethnicities, socio-economic classes, and political beliefs – all united around a shared

vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to call home.

Future homeowner and Asheville native Haley Brockwell is a caretaker, both in her work as a

medical assistant and in her daily life as a single mother of two. Having moved frequently while growing up, her biggest goal is to give her children a stable place to live, and a place to call their own. Despite her long-term efforts to solidify her Asheville roots through homeownership, sky-high housing costs have left the family renting a subsidized unit and just getting by. Haley is thrilled to be able to purchase a new and affordable Green Built Habitat home in the community she knows and loves.

Asheville Habitat’s Executive Director Andy Barnett said, “For forty years, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has proven that when we come together we can build the kind of community that we want to be a part of. There’s no better symbol of that than neighbors shoulder to shoulder raising walls that surround a family with love. Whatever our hopes for the future, it starts with a place to call home.”

The community is invited to get involved:

• Donate to support the construction of the 40 th Anniversary House. All gifts will be matched by Eaton Charitable Fund (up to $20k).
• Volunteer to help build. Or, serve on home repair, deconstruction, or in the ReStore. All volunteer efforts help build homes, communities and hope.
• Advocate for smart housing policies by joining the Advocacy Alert list and be notified when there is a policy or issue in need of support.