Charles City gets a taste of teamwork
Habitat for Humanity, local businesses partner to build house
CHARLES CITY — Garcia Harris and his family live in a deteriorating house that belongs to his motherin-law.
In need of a fresh start following the death of his wife, Harris was encouraged to apply for a homebuyer program through Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg. Now, he and his family are the recipients of the first home being built by Habitat in Charles City County — the same home that is being funded through an effort among local businesses.
The house is one of four Habitat for Humanity is building in The Pines at Wilcox Neck, about a halfmile from the Blue Heron restaurant. The nonprofit organization selected the Harris family as recipients of the home through its firsttime homebuyer program, which enables qualified families to purchase homes and pay back a zero-interest 20- to 30-year mortgage.
Harris’ wife, Tina, died three years ago from breast cancer, leaving behind her husband, mother, brother, two sisters and six children. The new home will be big enough for Harris and four of the kids.
The home is being called “The House That Small Business Built,” an initiative started by Gloucester-based marketing firm Consociate Media and other local businesses to raise funds and assist with construction. Each Habitat house costs $125,000 to build. Consociate Media is collaborating with companies such as Alewerks Brewing Co., Williamsburg Winery, Phillips Energy, Blink, Local Scoop Magazine and others on the Habitat house for the Harris family.
Team members from Consociate Media spent Sept. 28 volunteering at the construction site.
“Our work that day was putting up the siding on the house,” said Stephanie Heinatz, founding partner of Consociate Media. “Construction is expected to be completed this year, with big hopes for getting the family in their home for the holidays.”
Each of the four homes in The Pines is being built using insulating concrete forms, or ICF. These are molds used to hold freshly poured concrete in place during construction, which then remain in place permanently to provide additional insulation for the concrete walls.
The forms are energy efficient and disaster resistant. The ICF projects are another first for the local Habitat for Humanity.
Roughly $32,000 has been raised so far for the Harris home, which will include three bedrooms and two baths. Dozens of businesses donated through a raffle last year. Another unique fundraiser is in the works with the goal of raising $40,000.
“Homegrown: An Evening for Habitat at Reckon Acres” will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The event will
feature a four-course, family-style, farm-to-table meal in the pasture at Reckon Acres prepared by Amber Ox Public House executive chef David McClure and his team. This is the first time Reckon Acres will be open in such a capacity, with 100% of ticket sales going toward Harris’ home.
“I don’t know of any other restaurant group or restaurant that has done anything like this dinner in our region,” Chris Cook, who co-owns the sustainable farm with his wife, Heidi, said in a release. Cook, along with partner Andrew Voss, also owns Against the Grain Restaurants, which includes Amber Ox, Precarious Beer Project and Reckon Acres.
“Being part of this fundraiser, having the potential to raise nearly $40,000 for an incredible organization, a great purpose and a great cause, is awesome for our team,” Cook said.
Heinatz is proud of what all the businesses involved in the initiative have accomplished.
“It’s truly a community of business owners coming together to make this happen,” she said. “That has been what The House That Small Business Built was meant to be. Small businesses, like all of ours, can’t afford to sponsor an entire house for Habitat, but together, we can combine our collective efforts and gifts. That’s what’s happened here. This dinner will be the largest of the fundraisers for the entire project.”
Janet V. Green, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg, said she’s equally excited to see everyone come together to help the Harris family.
“We are so thrilled and honored to partner with Consociate Media on this house and this very unique fundraiser,” Green said. “I have been the CEO of Habitat for more than 20 years, and I have never met a group of people as supportive and caring as Consociate Media, willing to spearhead a fundraiser like this for one of our families. I have also never had the pleasure of knowing so many companies donating 100% of their services. To have so many people involved is truly amazing.”
Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg builds houses in the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and Williamsburg as well as the counties of Charles City, James City, New Kent and York.
Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg builds houses in the cities of Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson and Williamsburg as well as the counties of Charles City, James City, New Kent and York. To learn more, visit www.habitatpgw.org.