Nissan Employees Build Their Seventh Habitat Home in Williamson County
November 8, 2013
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FRANKLIN, Tenn. (Nov. 8, 2013) – Today, at a dedication ceremony conducted by Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County, Nissan Director Erich Marx presented the keys to the latest Nissan-sponsored Habitat home to homeowner Annie Dixon. Over the prior five weeks, more than 150 Nissan employee volunteers helped to build the Dixon home located near downtown Franklin.
“Nissan is a longstanding partner of Habitat for Humanity, and its commitment to building sustainable communities aligns with our corporate vision to enrich people’s lives,” said Marx. “We are honored to have worked with Ms. Dixon to build her new home and to have had this opportunity to make such a positive contribution in our hometown community.”
Dixon has a son and a daughter who are attending Middle Tennessee State University. A Franklin native and lifelong resident, she has worked as a teacher at the Community Child Care Center off Natchez Street for 38 years. Since she does not have a driver’s license and has relied on public transportation to get to her workplace, she is excited that her new home is located within walking distance of her job.
“This is a dream for me and my children, and I plan to settle in this place for the rest of my life,” said Dixon. “‘I am so grateful to everyone at Nissan who has worked so hard to help me. I have peace of mind now, knowing that I have a safe, comfortable home to take care of and call my own.”
The Dixons’ home is the 139th home built by Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County since the organization was incorporated as an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International in 1992. This is the seventh house built by Nissan in Williamson County.
“Community partnerships are the foundation of Habitat’s impact and success as a charitable organization,” explains Becket Moore, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County. Our “hand up” philosophy of providing affordable and safe housing cannot be accomplished without the generosity and support of community-focused volunteers and sponsors. We are honored to have a corporate sponsor like Nissan, who commits to funding and building a whole home each year. We are excited about today’s dedication; we will be able to officially thank Nissan and celebrate Ms. Dixon’s future in her new home.”
The Nissan-sponsored Habitat home is equipped with many “green living” features, including low-flowing plumbing fixtures, programmable thermostats, energy-efficient fluorescent lighting, high-performance windows and ENERGY STAR® appliances. These eco-friendly amenities align with Nissan’s Green Program, which supports efforts to reduce the company’s impact on the environment.
Funding for Dixons’ home is part of the $1.5 million donation to Habitat for Humanity International made by Nissan in 2013. Nissan is funding the construction of homes in Arizona, California, Michigan, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas and Toronto, Canada. The company is funding grants and providing Nissan vehicles to 10 Habitat affiliates that make commitments to sustainable construction practices. Habitat is using a portion of Nissan’s donation to conduct sustainability “summits” for Habitat affiliates and their local communities. Nissan funding has also supported the annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project in October 2013, when six Nissan employees joined more than 500 volunteers to help build or renovate homes in five U.S. cities during the weeklong project.
Nissan’s partnership with Habitat dates to 2005, following hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Nissan donated 50 Nissan Titan trucks to assist Habitat’s response efforts in the Gulf Coast and mobilized employees to assist in home building. Since 2006, Nissan has provided cash and in-kind donations of $7.8 million, and Nissan employees have worked with homeowners across the United States to help build more than 50 homes.
