Lifting Walls and a Family’s Spirits
Buzzing saws and clanging hammers in the Northside Neighborhood aren’t just construction noise—they’re the sound of the American dream coming true for the Zaw Moe and his family. When Zaw Moe arrived in the U.S. in 2005 as a refugee from Burma, he never imagined his audacious move overseas would culminate in owning a home.
For years, Grubb Properties, owner of Glen Lennox, has supported Habitat for Humanity with monetary donations and teams of volunteers. This year, we are honored to be helping our local Habitat chapter mark an incredible milestone—the construction of its 300th new home!
On a beautiful October morning, a Grubb Properties team of masked volunteers hoisted the walls up on this house that is being built in partnership with Habitat and the Northside Neighborhood Initiative (NNI).
“The Habitat staff showed us how to use the tools and walked us through each step in the construction process,” said Colin Walker, associate of sustainability at Grubb Properties. “It was so great to be with my team again, and at the end of our shift, we could see how we’re making a difference.”
Throughout the home’s construction, Zaw Moe and his family will put in sweat equity alongside volunteers, and once finished, they will pay an affordable mortgage on their new home. Not only does this provide them with a stable roof over their heads, it allows the family to live closer to Zaw’s work at UNC and brings them back to a neighborhood they love.
This will be the 16th home that Habitat and NNI have constructed in the Northside neighborhood. The organizations are committed to maintaining and strengthening a vibrant, diverse, family-friendly neighborhood that honors the history of Northside and supports the retention of long-term Northside residents.
Since its founding in 1963, Grubb Properties has worked to find creative solutions that combine compassion and prosperity to improve the quality of communities—making Habitat for Humanity a natural fit for our philanthropic efforts. Through the Grubb Giving Project, Grubb is donating $85,000 to sponsor this house and is also recruiting clients and industry peers to raise funds and enlist volunteers to build the home. Samet Corporation, Tobin & Company, BB+M Architecture, MBI Installed Services, Clancy & Theys, CBM Atlanta, WDG Architecture and Southern Energy Management have already stepped up to the plate with generous donations.
“This year’s economic struggles are putting even more pressure on Americans facing a severe crisis of affordable housing, and we are proud to once again join with Habitat for Humanity, an organization truly providing a hand up,” said Clay Grubb, CEO of Grubb Properties. “We are honored to get involved in the Northside neighborhood and to be a good partner to the Chapel Hill community.”
Throughout the fall, Grubb Properties’ employees, clients, partners, vendors and residents can volunteer to work on the house and support affordable housing in the region. For more information or to make a donation, please visit grubbproperties.com/giving.