Nashville Area Habitat shines spotlight on donors

Nashville Area Habitat hosted the annual donor appreciation event on May 31 in Timberwood, at which time the agency honored all 2008 donors and present the 2008 Golden Hammer Award, the Spirit of Habitat Award and the Habitat Humanitarian Award.

“We are so happy to host our donors and honor them in the very place where their contributions make a tremendous difference for hardworking families in Nashville,” said Nashville Area Habitat president and CEO Chris McCarthy. “Timberwood would not be possible without their incredible generosity, and we always appreciate the opportunity to show donors what their funds are doing for these families and for Nashville.”

Awards presented at the donor appreciation event include:

The Golden Hammer Award, presented to the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors (GNAR). GNAR has been involved with Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity since 1997, funding and building 12 homes for hardworking families. In June, GNAR is building its 13th home for Meia Ellis and her 7-year-old son. Each year, GNAR hosts a benefit golf tournament to raise funds for a Habitat home.

Pictured are (L to R) Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Denise Beard, GNAR CEO Don Klein, Nashville Area Habitat president and CEO Chris McCarthy, 2009 GNAR president Mike Nichols and GNAR board secretary/treasurer Alice Walker.

The Spirit of Habitat Award, presented West End United Methodist Church. West End UMC has helped build six Nashville Area Habitat homes, the last two of which were fully funded by the church. Church member Sue Smith serves on Nashville Area Habitat’s advisory board.

Pictured are (L to R) West End United Methodist Church members April Bragg and Hannah Koonce, communications and outreach minister Kenneth Townsend, and church members Jonathan Carle and Sue Smith.

The Habitat Humanitarian Award, presented to The Ensworth School. Some of the agency’s youngest volunteers — Ensworth pre-first-grade students — collect pennies for Habitat each year, and the students help shovel gravel for a driveway or sidewalk. In 2008, Ensworth celebrated the school’s 50th birthday with a four-house build, all on one cul-de-sac, named Tiger Circle after the school’s mascot. Ensworth parent Jo Ella McClellan serves on Nashville Area Habitat’s board of directors and chaired the agency’s Houses of Hope Luncheon in December 2008.

Pictured are (L to R) The Ensworth School Headmaster Will Mosely, pre-first grade teacher Cris Hempel, Habitat homeowner Hanaa Hamed, and Laura and Ben Folk.

Public partners who received awards that day were:

• Mayor Karl Dean
• Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA)
• Tennessee Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA)
• Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati (FHLBank)