Install Olympics Sparks Interest in Trades With Younger Generations

With summer just beginning, there are ample opportunities to get outside and help your community. Recently, Renewal by Andersen of Charlotte sponsored the Habitat for Humanity Charlotte Women’s Build, and on June 4, the team participated in the 30th Anniversary Build in Charlotte.

A lot of hard work and sweat went into the build, from framing and preparing the drywall to swinging a hammer or cutting 2x4’s. The team of five women spent all day on the build, which is estimated to be completed mid-August.

Sharon Esler Sullivan, CEO of Renewal by Andersen of the Carolinas, says, “It certainly gave us a renewed appreciation for our incredible installation crews that do this all day!”

The Renewal Carolinas team has been proud partners with Habitat for Humanity across all their markets. In Charlotte, North Carolina, and in Greeneville and Columbia, South Carolina, they are regularly donating returned doors to the Habitat RE-Stores.

Additionally, they also participate in Habitat’s Critical Home Repair program, which provides comprehensive repairs designed to eradicate problems and extend the functional life of a home of a person in need.

Due to the age of the housing stock, many Charlotte-area owner-occupied homes are in of need significant repairs. In many cases, owners are seniors living on fixed incomes who cannot afford to fix their homes and are in jeopardy of being displaced. The Critical Repair Program plays a key role in helping these individuals stay in their homes.

RbA of the Carolinas donated and installed all of the windows in the home of Maggie King, a widow who had been displaced for nearly a year after her home was severely damaged in an electrical fire. (Watch the video below to learn more about King and her story)

It was a powerful experience, and one the team was honored to have been a part of. “We believe that it is a privilege to be able to make a difference and support affordable housing for those in our community,” says Esler Sullivan.

About the King build

Maggie King was the 1,000th critical house repair for Habitat in the Charlotte region. Her husband was fighting cancer but ended up passing away. She was taking care of him when there was an electrical fire in the house, she was displaced for over a year until Habitat for Humanity took a look at her home and helped. To hear more about Maggie’s story and the impact of Habitat for Humanity, take a look at this video.