Transform Chattanooga

A tree donated by Take Root Chattanooga stands in front of the newly completed NCAA Home Team House

Construction of a Habitat for Humanity home that began in the parking lot at Finley stadium in Chattanooga at last year’s NCAA Division I Football Championship is now complete.  The walls to the home were built by local volunteers and members of the teams in last year’s championship, then assembled on site when construction of the home began.

“Chattanooga has the honor of being home to both the first and last homes built under the Home Team partnership between Habitat for Humanity International and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCCA)” said Pete Palmer, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.  “From 2005 to 2008, 5,000 NCAA student-athletes, coaches, staff and other volunteers have helped build nearly 60 homes throughout the nation.  We are grateful to the NCAA, its staff and student athletes who helped make a difference for Crystal and her family.”

Having a new place to call home will mean a new start for Crystal and her children.  Fear was a constant companion during Crystal Johnson’s childhood in Avondale.   Her home was broken into on a regular basis and her parents feared for the safety of their children.  Crystal remembers going home to a house that had been broken into yet again, and her father doing his walk-through of her house to make sure it was safe enough for his family to come in.  Her house was riddled with roaches and gophers – the roach problem only exacerbated Crystal’s asthma, another reason she couldn’t stay in her own home.

The fear and poverty of her childhood drove her to become a social worker.  “I really wanted to make a difference in other people’s lives,” Crystal says. After graduating from Brainerd, Crystal pursued a degree in social work at UTC.  Her first job was working with the children at Chambliss Children’s Shelter.   She now works as a case worker at Fortwood Mental Health Center.

Crystal is determined to give her two children a home free of fear and to use homeownership to break the cycle of poverty she has endured.   Crystal’s determination led her to Habitat as a resource to reach that goal. “I’m so independent and I am ready to own a home of my own., ” Crystal says.

Construction of Crystal’s home was accomplished with countless hours of volunteer labor from individuals and groups around Chattanooga.

The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. Visit  www.ncaa.org and  www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes.

Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.

Michelle Moore, future owner of the Chris Horne Memorial was on-hand for the kick-off. With Michelle are her brother and her daughter.

Making a difference in the world, enjoying the outdoors and teaching children about nature were important to Chris Horne.   This  morning, his family and friends came together to kickoff construction of a Habitat for Humanity home in his memory for Michelle Moore and her children.

Chris was born in Durham, N.C., but moved around a lot, growing up mostly in northern Virginia. He graduated from William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., with a degree in biology. He taught in Alexandria, Va., from 1995-1997, before moving to Jackson Hole, Wyo., to enroll in a one-year master’s program teaching field-based education methods.

He met Mandy Hullander, only daughter of Bill and Linda Hullander, of Chattanooga, TN, while at Jackson Hole.  Chris stayed in Jackson Hole for seven years, before briefly returning to graduate school at Antioch New England Graduate School in New Hampshire, where he earned his master’s degree in conservation biology.

In 2007 Chris accepted a position as principal of the Summit Charter School in Cashiers, North Carolina.  Mandy and Chris were married in June 2007.  While on a trip to Baja in November 2007, Chris and Mandy were involved in a car crash, which claimed his life.

“I approached Habitat with this idea to not only honor my late brother-in-law but to help a family in need and give our employees a chance to participate and give back as well.,” says Matt Hullander.  “Chris would be proud and is for sure missed. “

Thanks to the support of Alside Incorporated , Associated Roofing & Insulation, C.B. Electric, Drain Right Guttering, Elegant Accents, Excel Contracting, Howard Outdoors, Hullco Exteriors, J.B. Millworks, James Wilson Crane Company, Key’s Carpet Center, Lansing Building Products, Mike Bible Carpet, Shane Foley, Scott Orr, Sun Windows, Sunrise Windows , Ted Fugunt Heat & Air , Wally’s Restaurant and many others,  construct is poised to begin on a simple , decent, and affordable home for Michelle Moore and her two children over the next several months.

Bill Hullander, right, workers from Hullco Exteriors, and Hafitat constrution staff lay out walls for the home.

“It amazes me to think that people are going to take time out of their busy lives to help build my house,” say Michelle.  “I never knew people like that before Habitat.”  Michelle has struggled with insect infestations and landlords who would not fix problems in the unit she could barely afford.  Her children lacked a safe and decent place to play.  “After my car was broken into for the second time, I knew I had to find a better home for my family.”

Habitat has provided Michelle with much more than just an opportunity to receive a home-the required homeowner

Workers from Hullco Exteriors steady the first wall of the Chris Horne Memorial house about one hour after the start of construction this morning.

education classes have taught her valuable life lessons.  “Like most people, I was spending money unwisely.  The money management classes have taught me so much.”

Michelle is working hard to complete the 300 sweat equity hours that are required before she can close and move into her new home.   “Working full time and being a single mom makes putting in hours difficult, but I know it is well worth the hard work.  My daughters constantly talk about their new home.  They want everything to be pink.”

More than providing a home for her daughters, Michelle will also be able to help her mom care for three of her nieces for whom she has custody.  “My mom is a recent survivor of lung cancer.  I can’t wait to have a place where they can all come relax and be happy.”

Baja Dalla receives the keys to his new home earlier this year. His story, and the details of the effort to build his home are detailed in a film to be shown at a national revitalization conference

Though construction of the Habitat for Humanity home built in Chattanooga’s Southside last year has been completed for several months, its impact continues through a locally produced film that will be shown at the National Brownfields Conference in New Orleans on November 17.

Main Street: More than a Home, by Dave Porfiri and Linda Duvoisin of Chattanooga based film and television production company Mindflow Media , documents the construction of the first Habitat for Humanity home in Chattanooga to be built to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.  It also touches on the inspiring story of Baja Dalla who lost his family in the genocide in the Sudan, grew to adulthood in a refugee camp, fell in love, was married, and now has found a new home in Chattanooga, thanks to the generosity of the Southside Community.

“This event is the most comprehensive conference on environmental revitalization and economic redevelopment in the nation,” says Pete Palmer, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.  “The Southside build was a special experience for everyone involved.  I am confident that the film will touch many hearts, and will encourage others to initiate change in their communities.  It is a real honor for our community, and particularly for Dave and Linda to have this film shown at such an important conference.”

More information about the conference is available at www.brownfieldsconference.org.  Information about the  filmmakers is available at www.mindflowmedia.com.  Film details are available at www.greeninghabitat.org.  Baja Dalla’s story is available at www.transformchattanooga.org.  More information about Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga is available at www.habichatt.org.

Mildred and Carroll Fox

As members of First Baptist Church gather on Bill Reed Road in Ooltewah to start a Habitat build this weekend, Carroll and Mildred Fox will be in their thoughts.

During the formative years of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga, Carroll was actively involved building homes alongside fellow members of First Baptist Church, and in providing leadership for Habitat’s efforts through serving on the board of directors, and for a term as president of the organization.  Carroll continued to volunteer despite health challenges and the death of his wife, Mildred.  Though illness put him on the sidelines several years ago, he kept in touch with Habitat’s progress through friends and fellow volunteers until his death earlier this year.

“Carroll was a dedicated supporter of Habitat’s work,” says Pete Palmer, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area.   “His work on the jobsite and in building the organization laid a strong foundation for Habitat’s continued work in Chattanooga.   I’m sure that both he and Mildred would be delighted to have their name associated with the construction of a home for a young couple who have struggled with housing.”

Construction of the home for Zachary and Christy Hullender and their two children will start October 17, and continue for the next 16 weeks, not counting the upcoming holidays.  The project will make a tremendous difference in this young family’s life.

Prior to the start of their new Habitat home, the Hullenders lived in a rundown trailer with serious mold problems, and unsafe aluminum wiring that would catch fire.  Their daughter was often burned by the space heaters the family had to use in the winter time.   All four of them were forced to sleep in one room because of a hole in the ceiling of the only other bedroom, and the only toilet in the trailer was falling through the floor.

The Hullenders have always wanted to have something better for their children, but felt like they had no hope being so young and with the economy in turmoil.   After hearing about Habitat for Humanity from Zachary’s mother, they applied to be a partner family and found hope that they would soon have a home of their own.

“My children are still very small, but I know they are going to love having a new home, to have a room all their own, a place big enough for them to play,” Christy says.  The family is excited to have their dream coming true, and wants others to also feel the joy of their own dreams being fulfilled. Christy plans to volunteer to help build another family’s home, so that she can make a difference in someone else’s life in the same way Habitat has done for her and her family.

“We are grateful for the support of First Baptist church in building this home in memory of the Foxes,” says Palmer.  “It is a privilege to work with them to bless the Hullander family, and honor the memory of two people who have  made a tremendous difference in our community through their service.”

Main Street: More than a Home, a local film by Mindflow Media, will be featured at the Brownfields Film Festival on Tuesday, November 17th.  The film follows the story of the construction of one of Habitat for Humanity’s first LEED Certified Homes in Tennessee.

The Wilkinson Group, developers of the Pinnacle Condominiums on Stringers Ridge have generously donated a portion of process from recent unit sales in support of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area, Inc.’s homeownership program.

Phil Deguire, right, presents a check to Pete Palmer, Habitat's director

“We are tremendously grateful for the $20,000 in operating support that the Wilkinson Group has given to our program,” says Pete Palmer, Habitat’s Executive Director.  “While Habitat focuses on building homes for families, there are many behind the scenes aspects beyond the costs of simply building the house.  Educating families for home ownership, shepherding them through build process, and working with them over the 30 year life of their zero interest mortgage, are as crucial as the actual construction of their home.”

“To have such a supportive partnership with a local business as we do with Wilkinson Group provides significant encouragement to the work we are doing at Habitat. Obviously, the funding support certainly makes a difference. But also of importance, their support offers evidence of the resonance of Habitat for Humanity’s work in the Chattanooga community. It is one more outlet for our message of the need for our city to focus on developing affordable housing, especially in this down economy.”

“The Wilkinson Group is very pleased to be a contributor to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.  Pete Palmer, Sumner McCallie and the rest of the Habitat team are doing great things in Chattanooga.  We look forward to expanding our relationship with this fantastic organization in the future,”  says Phil Deguire, Chief Executive Officer of The Wilkinson Companies.

“To tell you why I’m so happy and grateful for Habitat, you have to know where my family and I have been for many years.”  For the last twelve years Carey Glass and her three children have lived in turmoil, never being totally sure from one day to the next if they would have a place to call home.  It was during this tumultuous time in Carey’s life that her husband, while under the influence of alcohol, would verbally and physically abuse Carey and her children, oftentimes kicking them out of ‘his house.’ “I knew I had to take the next step and move out for good.  I wanted my children to have a sense of security.  I wanted to provide a good home for them.”

After finding a place to rent, Carey decided to give Habitat for Humanity a call.  Carey filled out an application, gathered all of the necessary paperwork and met with Connie O’Neal, Director of Family Services.  What a glorious day when Carey received notice that she and her family were accepted into the program at Habitat for Humanity!

Carey’s current living conditions are less than desirable.  With only makeshift heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, winters are very cold and summers are very hot.  Moreover, Carey’s neighbors do not appreciate her musically talented and expressive children.  Their creativity is regularly stifled by the neighbors’ banging on the walls of their duplex.

A Habitat home means much more to Carey than just a place to call home.  “No one will be kicking us out ever again!”  Carey will be able to experience the safety and security a home should provide and her children will have the opportunity to not only pursue their musical talents but to also have a quiet place to study, free from the stress and worries they once knew.  With a Habitat home they will be able to enjoy the carefree life of just being a kid!

“An organization like Habitat has to stay around.  I always wanted to be that someone who could give money to help others less fortunate, but now I realize I can help others like me get a home of their own through becoming a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

Thanks to the support of McCallie and GPS students, alumni and faculty, construction of the Glass family’s home is now underway!

Dennis Neal, Director of Construction at Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga Area, Inc. has completed the requirements required to become a LEED Accredited Professional in residential construction.

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized green building certification system, providing third-party verification that a building or community was designed and built using strategies to increase  energy and  water use efficiency, decrease CO₂ emissions, improve indoor environmental quality, and that includes stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

“We are proud of Dennis for his success on the challenging LEED AP- Home accreditation exam,” says Pete Palmer, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga.  “Under his leadership, our organization has been working to incorporate greener building practices through the Energy Star and Earthcraft building processes over the last several years.   With his accreditation as a LEED AP, we are better now positioned to build homes that are healthier for the environment and that better serve the needs of our families.”

“It is rewarding to have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our partner families,” says Neal.  “During my time at Habitat, we have been working to improve the quality and energy efficiency of the homes we build.  The LEED AP-Home accreditation process has equipped me with knowledge that will help us improve the efficiency of the homes we build, and help them have less impact on the environment.”

Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED standards and building certifications provide building owners and operators, as well as home or commercial property buyers with a concise framework for understanding effective green building practices, as well recognition for building professionals who understand  and can implement these methods.

LEED, Chattanooga, LEED Builders Chattanooga, LEED AP-Home, www.habichatt.org, Dennis Neal, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga, Inc., www.transformchattanooga.org

The McCallie chapter of Habitat for Humanity began work on its 13th Chattanooga-based house this weekend and the group rekindled student interest and energy by introducing the Upper School to the owner whose family will be moving into their finished project.

The homeowner-to-be, an employee at Memorial Hospital and mother of three teens, will be on site with her children helping the students as the house goes from foundation to completion over the course of a few months’ worth of consistent weekend work by students from McCallie and Girls Preparatory School. She introduced herself to the students and expressed her gratitude for the work about to be done to give her and her children something she’d always hoped for but had never quite been able to attain: a home of their own, and all of the feelings of safety and stability that go with it.”Construction started Saturday in the warehouse where our under-16 year olds will build wall frames,” said Sumner McCallie, the long-time faculty advisor to the group. “We’ll take lengths of 2×4s along with door frames and window frames and using a pattern will put together sections that will become the walls to the house. Work will involve lots and lots of hammering. The segments we construct will be 6-15 feet in length. We’ll build them on table frames and then move them to the side of the warehouse for storage until the next Saturday when they will be what we erect on site as the walls.”

Work on site in St. Elmo — 57th and Alabama at the base of Lookout Mountain — will begin in two weeks when alumnus Eric Haralson ‘65 comes down from Knoxville to help with completing and raising the outside walls. Mr. Haralson has been a valuable and enduring help to McCallie’s Habitat chapter over the years, officials said.

Dedication of the home is planned for Dec. 12.

“Over the course of the build, students will have the chance to frame and roof the house, build porches and sheds, hang siding and soffitting, install insulation, mount baseboards, paint, and finish with doors and fixtures,” said Mr. McCallie.

McCallie’s chapter received a $10,000 grant from State Farm last year, the only high school chapter to receive such a large amount. Members of the organization will travel to Chicago in October to speak at the annual Youth Leadership Conference.

In addition, the chapter took two Global Village trips, one to El Salvador last spring break, and one this summer to Argentina.