Volunteer Spotlight: Mara Grisham

Mara presently serves the Chairman of the Family Advocacy Committee. Mara has worked in the Administrative Offices, swung a hammer on the construction site, and she has served on the Board of Directors and on various additional committees. Mara began volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in 1991, when Habitat was the regional service project for her church’s women’s group. Since Habitat was just getting started here in Cleveland, they decided to get involved and still include Habitat as a part of their budget. Mara’s first project as a volunteer was working on the construction of the second Habitat house ever built.

“Mara Grisham is a true Habitat Hero,” said NaCole Harris-Massengill, Habitat’s Family Services Manager. “When I think about Mara, I see a person who is enthusiastic, caring, determined and passionate about families and their opportunity to achieve their dream of homeownership.  Mara is a leader and by her example families stay the course of the homeownership program and leave a legacy for their family.”

When asked what keeps her coming back year after year to volunteer, Mara spoke of the families that go through the Homeownership Program. “It is amazing to watch the change as they go from renter to homeowner and a step into the American dream,” said Mara. “They walk with more pride and accomplishment, thanking God and Habitat with every step. Even the children who might not understand the whole process know that something important is happening! Knowing that I can help with that is why I come back.”

Mara is currently retired, but she worked in the Cleveland City School system as a Reading Interventionist for many years prior to retiring. Mara’s husband is retired from Merck (formerly Schering-Plough). Together, they love to travel and visit their two sons, Ben and Lee, any chance they get. Mara is also very involved with her church, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), on the local and regional level. On top of all of this, Mara bakes amazing Apricot Bar Cookies (just ask her committee!).

FSG Bank, Partnering for Impact with Habitat

[two_third last="no" spacing="yes" center_content="no" hide_on_mobile="no" background_color="" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_position="left top" hover_type="none" link="" border_position="all" border_size="0px" border_color="" border_style="" padding="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" class="" id=""][title size="2" content_align="left" style_type="default" sep_color="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class="" id=""]FSG Bank[/title][imageframe lightbox="no" gallery_id="" lightbox_image="" style_type="none" hover_type="none" bordercolor="" bordersize="0px" borderradius="0" stylecolor="" align="none" link="" linktarget="_self" animation_type="0" animation_direction="down" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" hide_on_mobile="no" class="" id=""] [/imageframe][fusion_text]FSG Bank joined Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland Women’s Build initiative as a corporate sponsor for the second consecutive year. On June 4, a team of six female volunteers from FSG Bank were on hand at a Cleveland area construction site as part of build week, assisting homeowners with debris cleanup and the painting of their homes. FSG Bank’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity is one that began organically through outreach initiatives with the organization’s executive leadership. FSG successfully completed a commercial loan for Habitat and through that relationship the partnership took root and has grown over a span of nearly 15 years. Habitat’s mission of empowering residents to stand up, and together create genuine communities is near and dear to the hearts and minds of FSG’s leadership and employees.

“We are delighted to partner with Habitat of Cleveland in their efforts to make the dream of homeownership a reality for these local families. We believe in collaborating and investing for impact by directing meaningful resources to help local non-profits. We also look for opportunities to actively engage our employees as volunteers,” said Steve Pettit, FSG Bank’s Cleveland Market Executive.

Mr. Pettit says FSG Bank is highly committed to serving and prospering the communities across its footprint, highlighting a recent donation of $3,500 made to Habitat to help fund affordable housing for families.  FSG’s longtime partnership with Habitat has allowed the bank to directly impact the people of the Greater Cleveland/Bradley County area economically, through housing support and volunteerism. Partnering with community organizations is a passion for Steve. He knows the importance of giving back and continues to work with area companies in different capacities. As the Market Executive at FSG’s Keith Street location, Pettit has oversight over all aspects of the bank’s financial operations in Cleveland. He has successfully assisted small and medium size companies around the country with their commercial lending needs over the last 30 years and is very excited about the business growth in Bradley County.

Partnering with companies to help them meet their business objectives is what FSG Bank does best. FSG Bank is a division of Atlantic Capital Bank, serving small and medium size businesses with full service locations and a second-to-none team of experienced financial service providers. Atlantic Capital Bank, NA is a subsidiary of Atlantic Capital Bancshares, Inc. which is a $2.6 billion publicly traded bank holding company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlantic Capital offers banking, treasury management, capital markets, trust, and mortgage services to privately held companies and individuals in Atlanta, eastern Tennessee, and northwest Georgia. Atlantic Capital also provides specialized financial services to select clients nationally.[/fusion_text][/two_third][one_third last="yes" spacing="yes" center_content="no" hide_on_mobile="no" background_color="" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_position="left top" hover_type="none" link="" border_position="all" border_size="0px" border_color="" border_style="" padding="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" class="" id=""][title size="2" content_align="left" style_type="default" sep_color="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" class="" id=""]Contact FSG Bank[/title][map address="3200 Keith St NW, Cleveland, TN 37312" type="terrain" map_style="default" overlay_color="" infobox="default" infobox_background_color="" infobox_text_color="" infobox_content="" icon="" width="100%" height="180px" zoom="14" scrollwheel="yes" scale="yes" zoom_pancontrol="yes" animation="yes" popup="yes" class="" id=""][/map][fusion_text]

Located In Cleveland, TN

3200 Keith St NW, Cleveland, TN 37312 | Phone: (423) 308-2000 | Web: www.fsgbank.com[/fusion_text][/one_third][one_fourth last="no" spacing="yes" center_content="no" hide_on_mobile="no" background_color="" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_position="left top" hover_type="none" link="" border_position="all" border_size="0px" border_color="" border_style="" padding="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" class="" id=""][fusion_text][/fusion_text][/one_fourth][one_fourth last="no" spacing="yes" center_content="no" hide_on_mobile="no" background_color="" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_position="left top" hover_type="none" link="" border_position="all" border_size="0px" border_color="" border_style="" padding="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" class="" id=""][fusion_text][/fusion_text][/one_fourth][one_fourth last="no" spacing="yes" center_content="no" hide_on_mobile="no" background_color="" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_position="left top" hover_type="none" link="" border_position="all" border_size="0px" border_color="" border_style="" padding="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" class="" id=""][fusion_text][/fusion_text][/one_fourth][one_fourth last="yes" spacing="yes" center_content="no" hide_on_mobile="no" background_color="" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" background_position="left top" hover_type="none" link="" border_position="all" border_size="0px" border_color="" border_style="" padding="" margin_top="" margin_bottom="" animation_type="" animation_direction="" animation_speed="0.1" animation_offset="" class="" id=""][fusion_text][/fusion_text][/one_fourth]

Board of Directors Report: August 2016

Former President of the board, Jeff Morelock, rolled off of the Board of Directors in June as he came to the end of his two-year term. Jeff has an impressive amount of experience including spending about 40 years in the insurance business in Cleveland and also served one term on the Bradley County Commission. Jeff is now retired from Insurance Incorporated (not that Jeff really retires from anything) and has served on numerous boards throughout Bradley County. Jeff and his wife, Kathy, are faithful members of First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, a wonderful partner of Habitat for Humanity.  Jeff has two children,  Kate and Davis, and also has four wonderful  grandchildren. “I like working with Habitat because the organization helps people who are willing to help themselves,” said Jeff.  Jeff will continue to serve on Habitat’s Finance Committee and work closely with Habitat. “As the new executive director, I could not have had a better Board President to introduce me to the community,” said Chip Willis. “Jeff was always available when I had questions and continues to work tirelessly to keep this affiliate moving forward. He is a man of honor and integrity and I benefitted from our time together.”

Keith Barrett, Area Manager of Pinnacle Bank, stepped into the role of President of the Board. He has served on the Habitat Board of Directors since July 2012 and most recently served as the Board Vice President. Barrett has received numerous achievements for his outstanding leadership in both his career and community endeavors and presently serves on many boards  throughout Bradley County.

The Board of Directors welcomed two new members in June, Alta-Maria “Marie” de Barros (Store Manager at The Cleveland Home Depot) and Julian Sullivan (President and Chief Financial Officer for Bank of Cleveland). Habitat’s Executive Committee welcomed Shawn McKay as Vice President, Joe Mason as Treasurer, and Carolyn Ingram-Franitza will serve as Secretary for another term.

2016 - 2017 Board of Directors

Keith Barrett, President Shawn McKay, Vice President Joe Mason, Treasurer Carolyn Ingram-Franitza, Secretary Alta-Maria de Barros Andrew Morgan Andy Anderson Cason Conn Doug Berry Ed McCartney Frank Thaggard Gene Sparks Julian Sullivan Father Mike Nolan Teresa Norman Dr. Tommy Wright Verrill Norwood

Staff Spotlight: Jerry Franitza

It is our sad duty to report that Jerry Franitza, previously Habitat’s Construction Director, is moving into retirement. The staff and regular volunteers at Habitat for Humanity are very sad he is moving out of a staff role, however, we are happy to report that he has agreed to return as a volunteer! Jerry first became involved with Habitat for Humanity in 1996. He was employed at Eaton Corporation at the time and volunteered to take on a project supervising volunteers installing siding on a Habitat home. During his time volunteering, he secured a $25,000 grant to build a Habitat home and led employees in building the home in Fitzgerald Village. He continued volunteering until when he accepted the position as Construction Director in 2002. During this time, Jerry worked closely with the late Bob Sain and the late Jim Tucker to build two homes per year.

“Wow, it’s hard to imagine it has been 14 years since becoming the Construction Director,” said Jerry. “They say time flies if you are having fun.” During those 14 years and with the support of so many volunteers, Jerry has been involved in building about 100 homes. “I’ve been a part of building homes in Fitzgerald Village, homes on Howard Circle, Crestview Drive, 6^th Street, 8^th Street, Century Village, Victory Cove and now Southgate Hills. Habitat’s supporters, employees and relentless volunteers can proudly say that we are family and have made and will continue to make a difference in Bradley County,” he said.

Jerry’s wife, Carolyn, is also involved with Habitat as the Secretary on the Board of Directors, serves on the Family Selection Committee, the Leadership Planning Team of Habitat and has also volunteered on Women Build teams. “I can remember one day she was on-site and I handed her a pneumatic nail gun to do some framing,” said Jerry. “When she pulled the trigger I thought she was going to jump out of her shoes. Scared the heck out of her and I will never forget that day!”

“I’m happy to be working with Jerry during this transition phase of his retirement,” said Tyler Bramlett, incoming Construction Director for Habitat. “He has done many great things for Habitat, and I look forward to building on the foundation that he has laid.” From Habitat’s staff, volunteers, donors and supporters: we are so grateful for your devotion, wisdom, leadership, and so thankful you have given of your life and talents to fulfill the mission of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

We couldn't do it without volunteers!

By: LaManda Bowers, Volunteer Services Manager “The Harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of his harvest to send out laborers into his Harvest.” ─ Luke 10: 2

To me, “volunteer” is a precious word. It is a word that permeates the love of Christ.  A volunteer is a person with a servant’s heart who plows forward in a world that is full of daily challenges, heartache and frustrations. This person oftentimes demonstrates the love of Jesus Christ through their actions and sacrifice. Volunteers give of their lives for individuals who need hope.

Volunteers bring a greater level of love into everything they do. They challenge us to give freely of ourselves and to share our abilities and talents with those who are in need. Volunteers teach the world that there is more beyond just serving ourselves. They challenge us to do more, to be greater, and to achieve through compassion and team work. They force us to never settle for mediocre. Philippians 2: 3- 4 states, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” 

That, my friends, is what volunteers do. You are laborers bringing forth a harvest for the Lord’s kingdom. Putting other peoples interests at the forefront and investing your time here on Earth to show that there is no greater love than His.

Ways you can get involved

We are always in need of regular volunteers on the construction site, in the ReStores, and to serve on our committees.

We are currently in need of a part-time receptionist to help us at our Grove Avenue  Administrative Offices. We are also in need of a few volunteers to come and be our Apparel  Experts. Volunteers who take over this position will be in charge of sorting and hanging up clothes.

Register to volunteer today!

The Vega Family: Homeowner Profile

Volunteers are hard at work on the construction site building three homes for three local families. There has been a steady flow of volunteers laying foundation, shingling roofs, installing doors and windows, and painting walls since construction started again in February. When you get involved with Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, you help hardworking, low-income families build the strength, stability and independence they need to create a better life for themselves and their children. Affordable housing is out of reach for so many of our community’s hardworking families and a full-time job is no guarantee that a family can afford a decent place to live in Bradley County.

These are families like Guillermo and Stephanie Vega.

The Vega’s are both from Puerto Rico, but their families moved to the United States when they were both young. When they moved to Cleveland, they instantly knew it was a perfect fit for their family. “Cleveland is peaceful,” said Stephanie. “It’s small enough that everyone knows each other, and I love that it is such a faith-oriented and service-oriented town.”

Together, the couple has four young children: Nevaeh (7 years old), Natalia (5 years old), Naiya (2 years old) and Nathan (7 months old). The Vega’s are a tight-knit family who enjoy playing outside together, watching science films and are very involved at First Baptist Church.

The Vega’s currently live in a small apartment in a very unsafe neighborhood. The Vega family’s vehicle was stolen from their driveway, and a grocery store in the neighborhood was recently held-up at gun point. “When more and more crimes began happening in our neighborhood, we knew we had to make a change,” said Guillermo.

Vega is working full-time at Peyton’s Southeastern with hopes of one day completing his Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. His wife cares for their children and also makes jewelry and crochets baby clothes in order to provide a little extra income. However, their low-wage jobs make it impossible for them to afford a better place to live.

Guillermo and Stephanie learned about Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland and were accepted into the program based on their need and willingness to partner in the program.  They have been building their home alongside volunteers, investing more than 300 hours of “sweat equity.” “Completing these hours shows we are willing to work for what we want, and it has also helped us to gain so much experience in making home repairs,” said Stephanie.

When construction is complete, they will pay an affordable mortgage and this hardworking family will have a permanent place to call home. When asked what her house will look like, Stephanie said excitedly, “We will have four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a full kitchen!” Guillermo added that they are very excited about having a back deck and a garden, too. “Our home will run on island time,” Guillermo added with a smile.

“Owning a home has been a goal for our family for a long time now,” said Stephanie. “Owning our own home means financial security and safety. We want our kids to know that if we can do this, they can do this, too.”

In order to qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home, potential homeowners must provide hundreds of volunteer hours towards that requirement. The Vega family has been very active on the construction site, coming out almost every weekend to work on their home and they have also worked in the Habitat ReStores.  Chip Willis, Habitat for Humanity Executive Director, spoke very highly of the Vega family. “It’s been a great pleasure getting to know Guillermo and Stephanie and their children,” said Willis. “We have so many other families seeking to become homeowners like the Vega’s and we have an exciting opportunity that could make homeownership a reality for several families. An anonymous donor has offered to donate $75,000 if we can match that gift with another $75,000! We need the community to step in and help us reach that goal so that we can build several more homes this year.”  Anyone wishing to help can contact Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

Volunteer Spotlight: Mrs. Hazel Spain

Hazel first heard about Habitat for Humanity and started volunteering in 2005. She did all of the filing after her initial job of keeping the tiny storage room organized. She then added taking pictures of all Habitat events and pictures of Habitat houses under construction in 2006. Hazel took charge over creating beautiful scrapbooks that hold each year's memories through photos and newspaper clippings. Hazel is a skilled historian and has taken charge of archiving Habitat's history, volunteer records and keeping fantastic record of all events - both big and small. "I suppose volunteering at Habitat so long has become a habit," said Hazel. "I like what I do. I enjoy doing the “library” books, and I enjoy filing for NaCole because I like to organize “stuff.”  Also, I have taken pictures of the construction guys so long I feel like they are long-time friends.  I have been taking pictures of Don Rollens, Chuck Haney, Danny Britt for 10 years, and for the others as long as they have been volunteering on construction," said Hazel.

Hazel is now retired, but she worked in the sales department of a steel foundry in Shreveport, LA over 32 years. She then worked for a real estate attorney about 12 years. While working for the attorney, she had a Notary Public license, which allowed her to close real estate transactions  A Notary can do that in Louisiana because you have to earn a license by passing some very extensive tests.

Hazel loves to travel and has had many adventures to other states and countries. "After retiring several times (the attorney kept calling me back), I moved to O’ahu (Hawaii) because my daughter and her husband had moved there where she was teaching school and he was a nurse in O’ahu," said Hazel. "I had a wonderful 2-years vacation there before they decided to go to Dhaka, Bangladesh where my daughter taught in the American International School and her husband was the school nurse."

Hazel is an extremely active and hardworking at Habitat for Humanity, and she also spends her time volunteering at other places. She volunteers at First Baptist Church wherever she is needed, and she also completes special projects for one of her Sunday School class leaders. "Dale McClure, Ginger Shaffer, Brian Silkett (all HFH volunteers) and another friend and I furnish dinner at the Emergency Shelter once a month. She has recruited a Habitat staff member and his wife who also help by preparing a large dish every month that they serve at the shelter.

We cannot say how grateful we are to volunteers like Hazel Spain. Hazel has been a giving of her time and talents to Habitat for many years, and we would not be able to grow and accomplish our mission without her contribution and the contributions of many other volunteers.

Whirlpool Sponsors and Builds with Habitat

Whirlpool joined Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland’s Women Build initiative as a title sponsor. Additionally, Whirlpool had two teams of female employees build on the construction site. These teams built on April 22 and will build again on April 29. "We feel fortunate to work and live in a community where volunteerism is alive and well,” said Cindy Slater, Human Resource Lead at Whirlpool. “We consider it an honor to play a small role in helping someone see their dreams come true in becoming a home owner.”

Whirlpool Corporation is the largest global partner of Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI). Whirlpool’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity is based around inspiring employees, partners and consumers to build lives through Habitat’s life-enriching program. Every Home … Everywhere, with Pride, Passion, and Performance - these are the hallmarks of the company.

The partnership began in 1999 when Whirlpool Corporation partnered with HFHI by donating a refrigerator and a range to every Habitat home built in North America during that year. In 2000, Whirlpool became the first Cornerstone Partner of Habitat for Humanity by committing $25 million in product through 2005 – today’s commitment nears $90 million.  Beyond donations, Whirlpool has sold at discounts more than 30,000 appliances to Habitat affiliates and families.

Whirlpool has helped open many doors for Habitat for Humanity including: being a leading sponsor at the Jimmy Carter Work Project for the last six years; bringing many important trade partners to begin supporting HFHI (most notably Lowe’s Companies who following their experience with Whirlpool, partnered to support HFHI at $2 million per year); and helping HFHI solidify additional partnerships such as Valspar Paints’ $15 million sponsorship.

The female employees building from Whirlpool are: Cindy Slater (Team Leader), Joy Bolton, Phyllis Daniels, Lisa Gibson, Madeline Hying, Melissa Janke, Tynia Keith, Angie Leamon, Sherrell Maples, Darlene Ownbey, Elizabeth Rainwater, Carley Spurling, Penny Walker and April Willis.

Willis gives Knights of Columbus information on Habitat for Humanity

Chip Willis, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland, was the program speaker at the Knight of Columbus social meeting and dinner recently at in Breen Hall at St. Therese of Lisieux Church. Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland brings people together to build and repair homes, communities and hope, Willis explained.

Many families in Bradley County are in need of decent and affordable housing, which might be anything from overcrowding, homelessness, unsafe living environment, structural damage or a variety of other needs.

Habitat provides a long-term impact that changes a family’s life forever.

Habitat homeowners partner with Habitat for Humanity through working sweat equity hours, completing homeowner education courses and paying a zero-percent interest mortgage on their home. Habitat works with families to build better lives in order to build stronger communities, Willis said.

The Knights of Columbus undertake several fundraising activities throughout the year, including a Labor Day and Super Bowl barbecue roast sale, a golf tournament held each year in May, and valet parking services, to raise funds to donate to charities in the community that help those in need.

The Knights of Columbus are dedicated to the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.

Photo: Knights of Columbus Council No. 4572 Grand Knight Dale Foust and fellow Knight Barry Boettner, who is currently the project manager of Habitat’s Victory Cove Phase II and past board member and past president of Habitat of Cleveland, presented a donation to Chip Willis, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland.

Story by: Cleveland Daily Banner