For 24 years, the Clemson University community has come together to build a Habitat for Humanity home for a local family during the 10 days leading up to the homecoming football game. As an orange wave of pride in Clemson Tigers football surged across campus, a new home for a local family came to life on Bowman Field on Saturday.
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom, one-story home will be moved to a local neighborhood, where it will be home to Lakeesha Jones and her family.
The project was supported in part this year by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Conservation and Community Partnerships Grant program in partnership with the South Carolina SFI Implementation Committee. The grant provided funding and wood products certified to SFI. Wood was donated by Kapstone Paper and Packaging, Norbord provided subflooring, and Huber contributed roof and wall sheathing — all of which are SFI Program Participants and committee members.
“We are so proud to support this Habitat for Humanity build. It’s a big win for a local family, and the energy and excitement of homecoming helps us draw attention to the links between quality of life in our communities, people and the environment,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc.
The build’s first stage, on Bowman Field, saw the walls and roof go up, the drywall and siding hung, and the windows, doors, basic electricity and plumbing installed. The house was opened for homecoming fans to tour on Saturday, October 15.
Jones’ children Keyondra and Kameron are looking forward to having their own yard to play in after they leave their two-bedroom apartment. Jones will pay a reduced monthly mortgage and will eventually put in 200 sweat-equity hours of work on her own and other local Habitat homes.
Each year, more than 500 students volunteer with Clemson’s Habitat for Humanity chapter. “Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity made me want to study civil engineering. After I graduate, I want to keep helping people who can’t afford their own homes,” said Sadler Gensch, the student Homecoming Build Coordinator for Clemson’s Habitat for Humanity Chapter.
more at: http://www.sfiprogram.org/media-resources/news/habitat-for-humanity-is-24-0-at-clemson-homecoming-games/