Hammers & High Heels 2024 Reaches Fundraising Milestone
(Franklin, TN) [June 28, 2024] Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury is thrilled to announce the success of their 2024 Hammers & High Heels fundraiser, presented by Community Health Systems. The event, held on Saturday, May 18th, 2024, at The Factory at Franklin, surpassed all expectations, marking a significant milestone in raising $170,000 to build a home for a single mom. This is a record-breaking amount for the nonprofit, exceeding their original fundraising goal by $50,000.
About The Event
With the theme “There’s No Place Like Home,” Hammers & High Heels welcomed guests with a yellow brick carpet, life-size Oz characters for photos, and hand-crafted gates welcoming you into the Emerald City. Hosted by former Pink Power Ranger, Catherine Sutherland, and Larissa Wohl, host and producer of Local On 2, the event showcased the heartwarming story of the Women Build family, Chasity Britton, and the pressing need for safe, affordable housing options in the community. Chasity is a Franklin native and mom of three who grew up living in Section 8 housing. All the money raised from the event will be used to build a home which Chasity will purchase with an affordable mortgage.
This year’s event added a new “Friends of Habitat” section on the second level of Liberty Hall, made possible through a partnership with Jackson National. This addition allowed guests to mix, mingle, and enjoy exclusive amenities, including heavy hors d’oeuvres and access to the silent and live auction, all at a budget-friendly ticket cost.
Libations flowed throughout the evening, with beer courtesy of Mill Creek Brewing Company and Curio Brewing, wine donated by Danica Patrick and Lynchburg Winery, and signature cocktails crafted by Papa Pillar. The energy was electric as attendees kicked off their ruby red heels and hit the dance floor, with Emerald Empire providing the perfect soundtrack for the night.
The highlight of the evening was the live auction, featuring an array of items generously donated by The Nashville Predators, Pearce Bespoke, an exciting stay at Marriott Shoals, and more.
“Thank you. There are not enough words for me to say how thankful I am… they [supporters] are giving me and my children a place to call home,” the future homeowner shared.
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury extends their heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to the success of Hammers & High Heels, including the top sponsors Community Health Systems, Jackson National, and Gresham Smith.
For more information about Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury programs and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.hfhwm.org.
About Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in approximately 70 countries. Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury (HFHWM) was fully incorporated as an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International on December 5, 1992. We have built more than 300 homes in Williamson and Maury Counties and continue to build 10-12 new homes per year. Home construction, critical repair, and neighborhood development services are funded through tax-deductible financial contributions; in-kind donations from local businesses, churches, civic organizations, and individuals; and profits generated from our affiliate’s ReStore.
Homes built by Habitat are not given away, and partner families must complete a homebuyer’s education program and earn at least 200 hours of “sweat equity” by working on their home and the homes of others. After a thorough qualification process, applicants are selected based on three criteria: the need for affordable housing, the ability to pay the mortgage, and the willingness to partner. Completed homes are SOLD with an affordable mortgage to the families, helping build strength, stability, and independence to build a better life.
Britton Family
Chasity Britton was born and raised in Franklin, TN, and attended Franklin High School. Growing up with divorced parents, Chasity and her sister spent lots of time together while their mom worked two jobs to make ends meet. In 1999, their mother, Regina, became a homeowner through Habitat for Humanity. The girls experienced the impact of Habitat first-hand and were inspired to have their own homes one day.
Since becoming a single mother at 19, Chasity has worked hard to provide for her family. She has two sets of twins, Aaliyah and Ayanna (20), who are grown and live on their own, and Lamont and Lamarius (14). Their family has spent many years in public housing and Section 8 homes as Chasity has remained focused on reaching her dream of homeownership.
When asked what she is most looking forward to about the homeownership program, Chasity mentioned learning how to budget and starting her build hours. She is prepared to work hard to provide a home for her family. Chasity can’t wait to have a home that her kids will always come back to where they can have game nights and big family sleepovers.
In her free time, she loves bowling, trying new recipes, and spending time with her kids. Her sons enjoy gaming, sports, and hanging out with their friends.
The Britton family is so grateful to the sponsors, donors, and volunteers that are helping to make their dream a reality.
Smith Family
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury is excited to offer a pathway to homeownership for the Smith family.
A Columbia native, Alarriona is looking forward to raising her family in the town she’s always called home. She moved around a lot growing up as her father was in and out of prison.
“Every time the lease was up, we’d move or stay with a family member. I’ve lived in some tough and dangerous places. When I got pregnant, I knew I wanted my daughter to have a better life. I wanted her to have her own room, to go in the yard knowing she’ll be okay to play, and to have a house to say ‘this is where I grew up, this is my childhood home.'”
Alarriona graduated from dental staff school in September of 2022, earning a license and certificate for dental assisting. For the past 3 years, she’s been employed as a CVS pharmacy tech, which has been a positive step into the healthcare field. She plans to eventually obtain her associate’s in dental hygiene.
Alarriona is so grateful to all those who have offered support to her and her daughter on the journey to homeownership. She is looking forward to building her new home alongside our volunteers, as well as helping other families with their homes. Welcome to the Habitat family, Alarriona and Ashantis!
Allegria Family
Cynthia was born in Northbrook, Illinois but spent her high school years and beyond in Franklin, TN. She graduated from Centennial High School where her son, Geoffrey, followed in his mom’s footsteps to also graduate from CHS in 2022.
Now that Geoffrey has graduated, Cynthia has enjoyed having more time for her own hobbies. When she isn’t working at Market Graphics in Franklin, she loves to go to the gym, spend time with friends and family, and is interested in volunteering for organizations that she’s passionate about.
After living in the same apartment complex for many years, Cynthia is ready to take the next step in achieving her financial goals. She is extremely grateful for the opportunity to become a homeowner, and she has enjoyed learning more about how to save money and maintain financial stability.
We are so happy that Cynthia took the chance to apply and that we can be part of her homeownership journey.
Jones Family
Angela Jones is the epitome of never giving up, and we are so happy to have her join our Homeownership Program!
Angela was born and raised in Franklin, TN, and is a proud Franklin High School graduate. She speaks fondly of her childhood and enjoyed spending summers with her grandmother in Spring Hill. She comes from a tight-knit family that loves to spend time together. All they need to have a great time is good food and a few card games. She considers her twelve nieces and nephews and four great-nieces and nephews to be like her own children. Angela is excited to have her own home where her family can gather. One day she hopes to become a foster parent and provide a safe space to those who need it.
For the past two years, Angela has worked at Whole Foods. She loves interacting with customers every day. In her free time, she loves to find a good TV show to get lost in, and on Sundays, you can find her at Providence Baptist Church in Franklin.
The journey to homeownership has not been an easy one for Angela. The rising prices of Franklin have made it impossible to live in her hometown. As a victim of identity fraud, she has struggled to clean up her damaged credit. Through patience and hard work, Angela has been able to make her dream come true. She said, “When I become a homeowner, I will not have to worry about rent constantly going up. It will help me go further in life and experience a more steady lifestyle.”
We are so excited for Angela and can’t wait to watch her continue to grow and succeed!
Crutcher Family
Nakeisha Crutcher’s journey to homeownership has been shaped by love and resilience. Growing up in a
single-parent household in Marshall County, Nakeisha took on many responsibilities from an early
age, looking after her siblings while her mother worked. When she too became a mom during her
sophomore year of high school, she found unwavering support from her grandmother, whose love
and support played a crucial role in shaping the woman she is today. Despite the hurdles of teen
motherhood, she nearly completed her senior year but ultimately made the difficult decision to drop
out, later obtaining her GED.
Being a mom to Maurikeon (16) and Nariyah (4) is her greatest joy in life. Maurikeon loves music and
the arts, teaching himself guitar and piano. Nariyah embraces her inner diva, exploring singing,
makeup, and gymnastics. As a family, they love to play games and watch movies together.
Nakeisha’s heart for others shines through in all that she does.
As a property manager of a 62 and older/disabled community, she has been dedicated to providing affordable, income-based homes for seniors and disabled individuals for almost five years. She shares a close bond with her 130 residents and considers them to be her second family, knowing them all by first and last name.
Nakeisha loves to garden and looks forward to growing fruits, veggies, and herbs at her new home. She also enjoys making her own all-natural skincare products, a talent she has used to benefit family and friends. Her compassionate spirit also shines through in her dedication to caring for her mother, currently battling breast cancer. Nakeisha not only supports her family but also actively participates in breast cancer awareness events, aiming to spread awareness and stand in solidarity with other women facing similar challenges.
Nakeisha applied to Habitat for Humanity driven by the desire to provide her children with a stable,
forever home.
Cater Family
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury is excited to welcome the Cater family into our Homeownership Program!
Heather Cater has called Columbia, TN home for most of her life. Throughout her childhood, she and her 4 siblings bounced from place to place- struggling to find stability and peace. At 15, she dropped out of high school after facing homelessness and discovering she was pregnant with her first daughter. Although life has not been easy for Heather, she has persevered.
For over 5 years, Heather has been employed at McDonald’s. While working full-time and raising her children as a single mother, she is also earning an associate’s degree in Nursing.
Outside of work, Heather is learning new recipes, planting in her garden, and putting her faith into action. The Cater family loves to play board games, watch movies, spend time outside, and bake together. Her girls love to learn and are involved in many activities, such as dancing, running, and drawing.
Heather is looking forward to providing a permanent home for her children that will foster stability and a sense of community.
“I’m eager to grow as a family, as well as help build the homes and participate in the financial education classes.”
The Cater family would like to thank the sponsors, donors, and volunteers from the bottom of their hearts for changing lives and providing this blessing to their family.
2024 Habitat for Humanity International Conference
Insights from our Board Chair, Kim Varga
Every two years, our staff attends the Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) Conference at their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.
Affiliate offices from around the world are invited to attend, collaborate, and propel our mission forward.
In early March, our small but mighty team cozied up in a van and drove four hours to spend four days with our fellow Habitat for Humanitarians. However, unique to this year’s trip, we had the pleasure of being accompanied by the Chair of our Board of Directors and longtime HFHWM supporter, Kim Varga.
Meet Kim Varga:
Ms. Varga has been an avid volunteer and advocate of our mission since 2018. During her time at Schneider Electric, she helped secure corporate sponsorship of our home builds and annual Hammers & High Heels event. She is no stranger to working on the construction site, working on many homes in her six years of support. Today, she’s enjoying retirement life with her beloved pups and generously donating her time to lead our Board of Directors.
Coming into this experience from the lens of a board member, volunteer, and proud supporter, we were excited to hear her takeaways from our time in Atlanta. We had the opportunity to interview Kim and wanted to share her insights with neighbors and friends.
Insights from our Board of Directors Chair, Kim Varga:
Question 1: How would you describe your experience at the Habitat for Humanity International Conference?
“Amazing & humbling! The breadth and depth of Habitat’s impact globally was very impressive. I was familiar with the traditional Habitat model- raising money, buying land, and then building houses with volunteers and homeowners during the sweat equity process. However, I was unaware that Habitat for Humanity International was partnering with the United Nations and global food banks to address the temporary/short-term housing needs of refugees in Ukraine and Poland [as one example].
Question 2: What was the most impactful experience from your time this week?
“The passionate commitment to the mission of affordable and safe housing! Habitat is a global network of friends & partners truly aligned to a single mission. There are many options on how to achieve that mission based on the needs of the unique communities we serve.
Hearing what worked and what didn’t for each community and why was educational and inspiring. Every affiliate has access to these ideas! The fact that we are all in the same network and can leverage each other’s learnings is key. No need to make the same mistakes or create unnecessary delays in the work we do.”
Question 3: What ideas are you excited to bring back to our community?
More sustainable housing: Our community is a great place to lead the way with net-zero energy and sustainability.
Creative housing models: Our shortage of land and housing for low-to-moderate-income families is a necessary driver for innovative solutions.
Strengthening partnerships: It takes a village to build one! To serve our community, we need to collaborate and partner with the groups in our community! That includes large corporations, small/family businesses, fellow non-profits, churches, etc.
Question 4: What made you feel energized at the conference?
“I was very energized by the creativity and perseverance I saw in action. This comes from listening to and learning about your community’s needs. If something doesn’t work – try again or try a different way. The mission is too important to give up. There are 2.8 billion people around the world without access to affordable or safe housing, many of which can be found in our community.”
Question 5: What is something you didn’t expect to feel or take away from this experience?
“During one of our group sessions, HFHI’s CEO, Johnathan Reckford, said, “If not us, then who?”
Who indeed!”
Our entire HFHWM team is buzzing with fresh ideas after the 2024 Habitat for Humanity International Conference. Here’s to building bigger and better in the years to come!
Join Our Team
We are looking for a dedicated Homeowner Services & Office Coordinator to join our team!
The Homeowner Services & Office Coordinator is responsible for assisting with the successful transition to homeownership for HFHWM homebuyers and the day-to-day office operations of HFHWM. The primary responsibilities are to assist with coordinating, organizing, and tracking homeowner information, electronically or manually, as well as be responsible for office management responsibilities. They will also assist in committee support, community outreach, stewardship, and inter-department communication. This position reports to the Homeowner Services Manager.
Responsibilities:
- Reporting and Tracking: Assist the department by coordinating and tracking the department timeline (selection through post-closing) through reports and file management. Maintain master homeowner list. Collecting demographic information and delivering information to all departments as needed.
- Homeowner Services Processing: Basic screening of applicants for HFHWM Homeownership Program. Order applicant background checks. Assist Homeowner Services Manager in tracking and collecting partner family documentation while in the program, as well as file management from selection through post-closing. Assist the Homeowner Services Manager in coordinating the closing punch list and ordering pre-closing documents.
- Education: Work with the Homeowner Services Manager to help coordinate and track education to homeowners and committee members.
- Committee Support: Assist the Homeowner Services Manager with coordinating and preparation of meetings with the HOS selection committee to present families for selection into the program. Complete home visits with the support of the selection committee. Order annual committee member background checks.
- Servicing/Post Closing: Maintain applicant and homeowner files within proper compliance/audit standards. Assist Homeowner Services Manager and VP of Finance with communication of post-closing payment schedules and mortgage deed releases. Delinquency management (30 and 60-day letters) including foreclosures and bankruptcy, reporting to appropriate parties.
- Office Management: Oversight of building, office machinery, and vehicles, including repairs, cleaning, recycling, registrations, and vendors. Welcome guests and callers with a cheerful disposition. Screen phone calls for all departments and direct them as needed. Provide in-depth information about Homeowner Services and Critical Repair departments. Keep inventory and organize office materials. Take notes at meetings, including the weekly staff meeting, and prepare next week’s agenda with action items. Handle incoming and outgoing mail, distributing as needed. Proactively procure and circulate cards for office staff or other birthdays, condolences, etc. Order birthday treats/office meals as needed. Assist CEO and President with Board management tasks (annual recertifications, board list/website, trainings, etc.).
- Community Outreach and Stewardship: Work with the Homeowner Services Manager to develop relationships with other non-profit agencies and key constituencies with the goal of strengthening all HFHWM communities to build partnerships. Assist the Homeowner Services Manager in maintaining stewardship between partner families and sponsors, volunteers, community members, etc.
- Compliance Training: Complete all training for federal, state, and HFHI requirements as assigned.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications:
- BA/BS Degree in a related field and/or 1-2 years equivalent work experience.
- Commitment to Habitat’s mission and the ability to work with people of all races, faiths, and backgrounds, as well as provide hope and encouragement for those in need.
- Highly proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Great communication and problem-solving skills are required.
- Solid interpersonal skills: professional and welcoming demeanor with demonstrated ability to maintain discretion in dealing with highly confidential information.
- Demonstrated planning and organizational skills, including the ability to anticipate tasks, set priorities meet deadlines, and function smoothly under strict deadlines and shifting priorities with excellent attention to detail.
- Ability to complete detailed calculations to determine financial eligibility for Habitat’s programs (e.g. debt to income ratios, housing ratios, etc.).
- Flexibility regarding work assignments and work hours.
- Knowledge of fair housing, ADA, ECOA, FCRA, TILA, and other applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations is a plus, but training can also be provided.
- Proficiency in Spanish is an asset but not required.
Hours/Working Conditions:
- Full-time (40 hours/week) – Monday – Friday. Some nights and weekend work are required. Hours may vary during busy seasons (applications, home closings, etc.)
- Office conditions with occasional build site and other environments
Benefits:
Medical, dental, and vision insurance will become effective following 30 days of employment. We also offer a 403(b)-retirement plan with an employer match available after one year of work and three weeks of paid time off.
EEO Statement:
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status of protected veteran, among other things or status as a qualified individual with a disability.
Bettis Family
Habitat for Humanity Williamson-Maury is happy to welcome D’Angelo, his wife, Tierra, and their children Gabriella (7), Arianna (5), Mar’riana (3), and Josiah (1) into the Homeownership Program.
D’Angelo is originally from Mobile, Alabama, but relocated to Columbia, TN in high school. He was raised in a close-knit family, always playing games with his younger brother and sister. Tierra grew up in Columbia, TN alongside her five siblings. She sadly lost her father at a young age, so her family had to frequently move throughout her childhood. For her, providing a stable, permanent space for their family to call home is truly a blessing.
D’ Angelo currently works at Magna Seating of Spring Hill as a utility floater and aspires to attend trade school for industrial maintenance and one day hopes to start his own business. His wife, Tierra, has her hands full as a stay-at-home mom for their four lively children.
In his spare time, D’Angelo enjoys fishing, hunting, working on cars, and spending time with his kids. His favorite activity, of course, is being a father. “We like being adventurous and doing things together as a family,” he states. Tierra loves to cook and is excited to prepare home-cooked meals in her own kitchen.
This home is a dream come true for the Bettis family. Although becoming homeowners has been a lifelong goal for the Bettis family, they were not able to qualify for traditional mortgage options. The family’s present living conditions are unsafe and overcrowded, resulting in their three daughters sharing a cramped bedroom.
Through the Habitat Homeownership Program, his children will finally have bedrooms of their own and the Bettis family will have a safe space where they will make lasting memories together.
