Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity (AAHH) incorporated in 1983 under the name of Western North Carolina Habitat for Humanity making it the first Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Today the state boasts 87 affiliates.
The first Habitat house took volunteers 18 months to complete with a few dedicated volunteers working only on Saturdays.
Currently, volunteers work six days each week; we begin a new house every 3-1/2 weeks.
Over 1800 people volunteer with AAHH each year.
We have completed 152 houses and are on target to build 16 houses this year.
There have been many milestones marking the growth of our affiliate:
1983
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Founding of the affiliate under the name of WNC Habitat for Humanity |
1984
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Construction of first house begins on Martin Luther King Drive.
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1985
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First house completed at the cost of $25,000.
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1988
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First staff member hired.
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| 1989 |
First church sponsored house - First Baptist, First Presbyterian, Central United Methodist and Trinity Episcopal join forces to finance and build a house.
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1990
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Habitat Home Store makes its debut on Biltmore Avenue.
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1991
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Volunteers build 6 new Habitat houses and rehab 2.
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1992
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First Annual Golf Tournament held at Champion Hills; tournament continues to build a house each year.
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1993
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WNC Habitat celebrates its 10th anniversary by hosting the Regional Meeting for all Habitat affiliates in North and South Carolina. Over 900 people attended the two day convention.
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1994
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First Women’s House built by affiliate. Architect, construction supervisors and volunteers were women. Men allowed on worksite to bring lunches.
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1995
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Name changed from WNC Habitat for Humanity to Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity to reflect our service area now that other affiliates were forming in western North Carolina.
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1996
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Completion of Oakwood, our first sub-division of 20 houses.
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1999
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Developed property in West Asheville in a cooperative effort with the City of Asheville and the other non-profit housing providers. Habitat completed six of the 18 houses.
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2000
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Habitat received 34 lot subdivision donated by the City of Asheville.
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| 2001 |
Habitat celebrated its 100th house. Habitat founders, Millard and Linda Fuller attended.
Skip and Mary Hood Pearlman donate facility at 30 Meadow Road to AAHH – future Habitat Home Center.
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2002
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Affiliate launches its first capital campaign to renovate donated building on Meadow Road. Campaign raises $2.3 M in six months.
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2003
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AAHH moves to new Habitat Home Center, with expanded Home Store and administrative offices. Celebrates 20th anniversary of the affiliate.
Mortgage on the first house built by Habitat is paid off by the family.
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2004
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First Anniversary at the Habitat Home Center. Home Store sales grew by 299% since moving to Meadow Road.
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2005
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AAHH receives Affiliate of the Year Award for our 5 state Central Atlantic Region.
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| 2006 |
With funds from the City of Asheville and The Janirve Foundation, development was completed for Enka Hills, a 55 lot sub-division in West Asheville. This is the largest Asheville Area Habitat development to date. |
| 2007 |
Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity completes the affiliate’s 150th house.
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