Macon Area Habitat for Humanity - Building home, community and self in partnership with God's people.

Mercer Habitat Chapter Hosts Second Annual Faculty Luncheon

Macon, GA – Mercer University Student Chapter President, Abdul Razaq Adeniyi announced today that members of the Mercer Habitat Campus Chapter along with support from Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity will host the Second Annual Mercer University Build Faculty and Staff Benefit Luncheon on Tuesday, February 23rd from 12:15-1:15 PM at the Mercer Religious Life Center

The lunch has two goals; first, to increase awareness of the chapter’s work with Macon Area Habitat for Humanity among the Mercer University faculty, staff and student community. Second, to raise funds for the costs associated with constructing the annual Mercer Build house. According to Chapter Advisor, Paul Lewis, the luncheon has been endorsed by the administration because it is a unique service learning opportunity for students to not only provide financial support to this build, but to also gain invaluable construction, leadership and organizational skills which will stand them in good stead as they continue in their chosen career tracks.

The luncheon will be co-sponsored by Five Star Travels and Mercer Catering, both Macon area companies and Habitat partners. Faculty planning to attend this event should email Macon Area Habitat for Humanity at rsvp@maconhabitat.org to make their reservation. If unable to attend but would like to help financially, please go to www.maconhabitat.org, click on the “make your donation here” button and designate your donation to the 2010 Mercer Build. Donations can also be mailed at Macon Area Habitat for Humanity, 3225-A Rice Mill Rd., Macon, GA 31206.

Since the late 1990s Mercer University and its campus chapter have been partnering with First Baptist Church of Christ Macon and Highland Hills Baptist Church. To date they have partnered with Macon Area Habitat for Humanity to jointly construct nine decent and affordable homes with deserving Macon-Bibb County families. The 2010 Mercer University will begin late March 2010 and is scheduled to be completed by June 2010.

For more information regarding donating to or volunteering for the Mercer Build, please contact Jim Mercer, Macon Area Habitat for Humanity Development Director at 478-784-6800 or email jmercer@maconhabitat.org.

Let the building begin!

Mayor Reichert shows the City of Macon's support as Wachovia/Wells Fargo makes presentation of $35,000 toward Macon Area Habitat's first rehab project.

(From l-r) Mayor Robert Reichert, Harold Tessendorf (Macon Area Habitat for Humanity Executive Director), Connie Bryant (Wachovia/Wells Fargo V.P, Sr. Community Development Officer at), Christina Hooker (Habitat/Wachovia Rehab Homeowner), Reginald Bell (Executive Director of HomeFirst Housing Counseling Agency), Scott Sapp (Wachovia Sr. VP Central Georgia Market President Community Banking)

Wachovia, a Wells Fargo Company, Sponsors Macon Habitat’s First Rehab Build

Harold Tessendorf, Executive Director announced today that Macon Area Habitat for Humanity will partner with Wachovia on the construction of its 17th home in Lynmore Estates. A significant donation of $35,000 provided by the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation will go toward the rehabilitation and transformation of an existing duplex home into a single family residence. Macon Area Habitat for Humanity Habitat’s first rehab house in Lynmore Estates is part of its forty-six home build program scheduled to be completed in 2012. Construction will begin September 12th and is projected to be completed during early winter, 2010.

On Wednesday, September 9th at 12 noon Wachovia and HomeFirst Housing Resource Services Inc. employees along with Macon Habitat for Humanity Board members, In-Kind donors and Macon area community leaders will come together at 4137 San Carlos Drive to celebrate this innovative project. “Here a sponsorship donation check will be presented to Macon Habitat by Scott Sapp, Wachovia Market President, launching the construction of this first rehab home and the formalization of this wonderful partnership,” Tessendorf added.

Since 1986, Macon Area Habitat for Humanity has constructed seventy-two new homes in Bibb and Jones Counties. In 2005 the Macon Area Habitat Board of Directors established the Lynmore Estates Neighborhood Revitalization Project with the goal of restoring a once thriving WW II neighborhood established in 1945 by veterans of the Second World War.

“The contribution from Wells Fargo Housing Foundation combined with our Wachovia volunteers is making this possible and shows the power of bringing Wachovia and Wells Fargo together," said Sapp. "It demonstrates that this merger will take our commitment to Macon and our working relationship with community leaders like Habitat for Humanity to a new level.”

Both Wachovia and Wells Fargo have a long-standing commitment to the community. Because of the merger, Wachovia is able to leverage Wells Fargo’s Team Member Volunteer Program, an initiative through the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation that provides a combination of team member volunteer hours and grants to organizations that promote homeownership, such as Habitat for Humanity.

“We are pleased to come together as a team and work alongside Habitat for Humanity to make a difference in the Macon area,” said Sapp.