At 61, John has spent his whole life as part of this community. Born in Mitchell County, and raised in Valdese, John has been a resident of Catawba County for the past 3 decades. He is closely knit to many corners of our community: he has 2 sons, one of whom lives in Conover; he is a prayer leader in his congregation; he was a diesel mechanic for over 30 years; and his sister Nancy is also a Habitat homeowner.

John’s favorite part about working in the mechanical field was fixing something that nobody could fix. He enjoys the challenge of problem solving, and draws a lot of strength from providing solutions in situations without easy answers. An injury forced John to retire from the career that he loved; but he still finds ways to leverage his strengths. You can often catch him working for free on the cars of friends, family, and other Habitat Homebuyers who might otherwise struggle with the unanticipated expense of repairs. 

However, there comes a point where even the helpers need a hand up sometimes. That’s where Habitat Catawba Valley comes in. Home prices have skyrocketed, leaving families behind. But Habitat keeps the dream of homeownership attainable. Through our Homebuyer Downpayment Assistance, Habitat covers the shortfall between what a house costs, and what families can afford. 

Watch this video to learn more about how John is using Habitat Catawba Valley and our Homebuyer Downpayment Assistance to build a bridge to his goals.