In hard times, everyone needs a place to come home to. In the hardest of times, you can help families build a legacy to last generations.

Catawba County is a community of builders, makers, and doers thanks to leaders like YOU. The story of Habitat is also the story of building. And because of your support, Habitat is not just building back. Habitat is building better.

Build Better. Give Now.
When Habitat Catawba Valley first acquired a modest half block of land just 5 blocks southeast of downtown Hickory, the only things visible were empty lots and abandoned houses. Now, 7 green built craftsman cottages line a vibrant neighborhood corner, with plans for more homes on the way.

The journey from empty lots to energy efficient homes was made possible by the commitment of supporters like you. The first shovel hit the ground at the Cottages in Ridgeview in early March 2020. Just two weeks later, it seemed like everything we knew came to a standstill. However, our community of givers had the powerful vision to see something where there was nothing.

Inspired by a world where everyone has a decent place to live, and the belief that with a little help everyone has the potential to stand on their own, donors like you rolled up your sleeves and began the work of building something better.

That “something better” lays a foundation in the lives of our partner families, helping them to better help themselves. Affordable homeownership enables families to save more, invest in education, pursue opportunity, and make forward-looking decisions.

That “something better” also changes the bedrock of our community. Homeownership improves health outcomes, leads to greater educational attainment, creates safer neighborhoods, and inspires more civic engagement.
In 2019 when Habitat drew up our original plans for the Cottages at Ridgeview, we mapped out 7 energy efficient craftsman-styled cottages on a half-block of land in the Ridgeview neighborhood. At the time, the average construction cost of a Habitat home was $130,000 bringing the total project cost to $910,000.

However, we never could have anticipated the unprecedented cost increase of construction materials due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Disruptions to the supply chain are resulting in price increases of over 30%. This unparalleled situation added an additional $40,000 per house – or $280,000 for the Cottages at Ridgeview neighborhood – of unforeseen expenses as Habitat Catawba Valley prepared to serve 7 local families with the decent home and sturdy foundation, we all need to thrive.

Since we last asked for your help in closing this funding gap, we have received $181,000 dollars in support for shelter – bringing the remaining deficit to just $90,000. This goal is within reach, and you can take us home. Our support comes from many different sources – individual donors, grants, foundations, and major gifts. However, while there are many supporters, the shared vision is the same – just like you, people across our community envision a world where everyone has a decent place to live, and believe that with a little help, everyone has the potential to stand on their own.

Close the Gap. Take us home.

Will you join us in building strength, stability, and self-reliance through shelter? Your urgent gift today will build a foundation for a better tomorrow.

Build tomorrow. Give Now.