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The Rotary Club of Moncks Corner awarded a $2,500 club grant to the Miracle League and Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County in May 2019. The club grant will help build an affordable home for a hardworking family in Berkeley County. HFHBC serves families living in overcrowded housing, living in unsanitary, substandard or unsafe housing, or cost burdened- spending more than 30 percent of their gross income on rent.

The club grants are intended to provide funding for projects and organizations that represent the six focus areas of Rotary; Hunger & Nutrition, Housing & Shelter, Literacy & Education, Children & Families, Health & Wellness and Building Better Communities. Read more https://bit.ly/2Xx1w2o

Over 30 Lowe’s Heroes, Habitat for Humanity volunteers and community members, joined forces to build a community garden in the Wall Street Neighborhood. Lowe’s Heroes had the opportunity to get to know the residents, build and plant a garden alongside residents and embodied the saying “Community is Unity.”  Lowe’s awarded Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County $100,000 grant to revitalize the Wall Street neighborhood in Moncks Corner. The funding is an effort to study the health and quality-of-life impact of a neighborhood revitalization approach that puts residents in the driver’s seat, with a focus on 10 neighborhoods across America. 

"We are building a community garden to give our neighborhood fresh produce,” said Alisha Simmons, Community Outreach Coordinator of Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County. “Some of our neighbors don’t have transportation so we want be able to give them local access to fresh vegetables and fruits."

“The impact will be building a sense of community pride and teaching our neighbors to have healthy eating habits,” Shelah Durant, Executive Director of the Community’s Hope Impact Center. “We can be an example to other communities. It's a beautiful process to have different organizations like Habitat and Lowe’s and the local community coming together." The community garden will provide a sustainable source of vegetables for a soon to be developed food pantry based out of the Community’s Hope Impact Center in the neighborhood. Cooking classes to promote healthy eating are also planned. 

Tacisha Pinckney says, "I've been living with my mom, seven of us in a small house. So we've been on the floor and now we're just ready."

President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County, George Druyos, says, "These families have to put in 350 hours of volunteer work, much of that on the house and it's within the time that we build this home. So they still have to do their job, they still have to take care of their families, they still have to provide, and they have to come out and do this part time job volunteering. For her, she's had health issues, she's worked two jobs, so it's been a major, major feat to get this in and she's doing it without one complaint, without one issue."

Pinckney says, "I prayed and asked for the strength to do everything." And it's paying off. She says she is most looking forward to giving her three kids a stable home.

“The enormity of this project and the necessary collaborations shows us that what we believe for is actually possible,” said Tory Liferidge, pastor of Grace Reformed Episcopal Church who helped spearhead the project. “It means a lot. I see these little kids running around with smiles on their faces knowing that this is their place. I see seniors who are waiting like ‘When are we going to have our program’ because they know this is their place. That’s what means the most for me.” Read more: https://bit.ly/2xMpHhy

“Since 1991, Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County has been uniting strong women volunteers of all experience levels in our community to build or repair homes alongside our hardworking, empowered Habitat homeowners,” said George Druyos, HFHBC CEO, in a press release. “We continue to be thankful for the support of the local Lowe’s employees for their dedication to improving Berkeley County.” Read more: https://bit.ly/2J5wFzC

Executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County George Druyos said the money saved will ultimately be reinvested into building homes. “The savings we’re going to have in energy from the lighting and the solar will equate to approximately 1,200 a month,” said George Druyos “That will be 25 to $26,000 that we can turn around and put in a house. It’s a big deal for us. And to know we’re eliminating some usage of energy, it’s big for us.” Read more: https://bit.ly/2qXnQ2Y

Folks representing different Habitat agencies across the country went to Washington last week to warn lawmakers that proposed federal cuts will only increase the affordable housing crisis facing parts of Berkeley County and other communities nationwide.Read more: https://bit.ly/2MJKvJd

Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County hosted over 30 of the Lowe’s Heroes Planting Hope employees on Oct. 26 at the community center build site. Lowe’s Heroes had the opportunity to get to know the Wall Street residents, planted the beautiful landscaping around the center and embodied the saying “Community is Unity.” Lowe's awarded Habitat a $70,000 grant to revitalize the Wall Street neighborhood in Moncks Corner. The funding is part of 1.75 million in grants Lowe’s awarded 22 Habitat affiliates across the country to support more than 84 Neighborhood Revitalization projects. Read more: http://bit.ly/2gSDjMU

Hundreds of guests came to support the cause of providing hope through homes.

Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County hosted their first annual Framing the Future gal02a on Thursday at Charles Towne Landing. Guests and dignitaries joined the event to raise funds for the organization that has built dozens of home in Berkeley County and other surrounding areas.

Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg was the keynote speaker. Tecklenburg, who has spearheaded the state’s largest city to help curb homelessness throughout Charleston, addressed the area’s growth and how it correlates with affordable housing.

“Growth is like a two-edged sword,” Tecklenburg said. “We’re glad to have fine firms like Boeing and Volvo and all moving here. The net of 30 or 40 people a day are moving to Charleston. There’s a limited supply of housing so that drives prices up. Makes it hard on working families to afford a decent place to live.”

read more http://bit.ly/2ilS77e

Local soccer players opted to use their hands on Wednesday – but for a good cause. The Charleston Battery collaborated with Berkeley’s Habitat for Humanity to put up walls for the new community center in Moncks Corner’s Wall Street neighborhood.

Charleston Battery players labored with sledgehammers and screw drivers under 90-degree weather. Drenched in sweat, they cracked friendly jokes as they positioned the framework upright for community center’s outer walls. Despite the extreme conditions, players were excited to give back.

“We are doing this to help the community,” said Battery defender O’Brian Woodbine. “We are a professional soccer team. It’s good to help [give] back to the community of Charleston. It’s fun being out here. We only play soccer. It doesn’t matter if you do something different sometimes.” read more http://bit.ly/2zbDCgk

Conveniently, his work desk is at the front of the store next to the drop-off and pick-up station. “That’s what I like,” he said. “I like to see what stuff comes in.” Mr. Floyd’s eye for novelties is what initially drew him as a regular to the community spot. Nearly five years ago, Habitat asked if he would be interested in volunteering. He hasn’t looked back since.

“I love this job,” he said. “It’s keeping me alive.”

Mr. Floyd is a handyman. After completing his tenure with the United States Army, he discovered his passion in woodwork and mechanical tasks. He’s widely popular at Habitat for helping himself to a few 10-cent wooden boards to construct clocks, birdhouses and garbage cans. He then donates the bird homes to Habitat for sale to buying customers. Mr. Floyd is not your average volunteer, though. A recipient of three prestigious military medals, he was on the frontlines of WWII combat in Europe between 1943 and 1945.... read more http://bit.ly/2tGKPzv

Together, Habitat for Humanity and Thrivent Financial support the Thrivent Builds to mobilize volunteers to build, repair or rehab homes to help families achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. ​

Darlene Williams of St. Stephens, SC has owned her first home since 1990. She was a Habitat for Humanity partner family and a single parent with 3 boys at that time. In the past 27 years, she has raised her children while working as a school aide and paid off her mortgage in full.

​Then in 2016, Hurricane Matthew damaged the exterior siding and trim, and tree roots had clogged the septic drains. She had to drain the septic tank with a garden hose every week in order to operate the toilets. Her need for a TBR home preservation project was important to maintain the integrity of the home. The total costs were too much for her to pay all at once. So she called Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County, remembering the volunteers who helped to build her house and she offered her sweat equity as well as her sons to get the job done. The work was completed on August 5, 2017. 

A site that hosted ballgames and picnics years ago has transformed into an empty field on the corner of Cooper and Wall streets.

The lot in the Wall Street Community, a predominately black and low-income neighborhood, is now the future home to a 1,600-square-foot community center – thanks to a vision by Wall Street residents, Grace Reformed Episcopal Church, Berkeley’s Habitat for Humanity, and a $70,000 Lowe's grant that has kick-started the project. Read more at: http://bit.ly/2sjIWuA

The Goose Creek Tea Ladies supported Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County’s Sponsor a Stud program. The Goose Creek Tea Ladies collectively voted to sponsor 18 studs with the charity funds raised at their annual tea fundraiser.

The ladies gathered at Habitat to adorn their studs with messages of encouragement for the family and blessings for the new home. The Goose Creek Tea Ladies were joined by honorary member, Mayor Michael J. Heitzler. Read more at: http://bit.ly/2r0aTEo

Habitat for Humanity of Berkeley County has been awarded a $70,000 grant from Lowe’s to revitalize the Wall Street neighborhood in Moncks Corner as part of Habitat for Humanity’s Neighborhood Revitalization, a nationwide program dedicated to serving more families through community development partnerships. Lowe’s awarded $1.75 million in grants to 22 Habitat affiliates across the country to support more than 84 community improvement projects ranging from critical repairs to new home construction.

It’s more than a house. It’s where the heart is. Over the years, Publix associates have generously volunteered to assist with building Habitat for Humanity homes. Recently, our Publix Serves initiative has helped associates devote time to making a difference, and many have spent Publix Serves Day performing tasks such as painting, carpentry, and landscaping in order to support Habitat for Humanity affiliates in their communities. (Read More...)