Information on the Unity Build

The Unity Build is a coalition of churches and organizations working with the Nashville affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses are then sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.

Habitat helps families with a “hand up and not a handout.” Partner families themselves invest 475 hours of labor - "sweat equity" - into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving fund that is used to build more houses.

The Unity Build grew out of a need for churches and organizations to partner with each other to build a Habitat House when they could not fully support a build from their own resources. The 2008 Unity Build commitment is to raise $57,000 and provide 30 volunteers for each of the 8 days of the build. A Unity Build partner may participate for one day of the build or for multiple days of the build depending upon their objective and resources. This year the Unity Build is scheduled for four straight weekends (Saturday/Sunday) beginning September 20th and finishing on October 12, 2008. The house will be dedicated on October 19th along with 14 other houses in the fall build. We will build in the new Habitat subdivision named Timberwood, located in northwest Nashville off Brick Church Pike near I-24 west and Briley Parkway.

The Unity Build coalition has built fifteen (15) Habitat houses in Nashville since 1994. The Unity Build is lead by a Steering Committee that assists partner organizations to understand the needs and responsibilities of participating in the build. Each Unity Build partner assigns a Coordinator (s) to lead the efforts of their organization for the build and work with the Steering Committee.

Helping individuals in our own community make a better life for themselves and their families is a heart warming experience that lasts much longer than the eight days of the build. Children that can grow and play in a safe and nurturing neighborhood builds stronger communities. We welcome the opportunity to discuss whether your organization has an interest in participating in the 2008 Unity Build for Habitat for Humanity.

or information on the Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity Chapter go to www.habitatnashville.org/ and on the Unity Build see www.unitybuild.org. The Unity Build uses this web site for sharing information with partners while planning for the build and during construction. The Unity Build web site will be updated with 2008 info shortly.