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Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) and Architecture of Humanity (AfH) Kick Off Joint Habitat Build for Greenville County

Submitted by: Joan Krause on Jul 12, 2011 at 3:56 pm Tagged with: Community Service, construction, Networking, Professional Associations. Professional Organizations Source: Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas

Fundraising to Kick Off with Members Serving on Volunteer Workforce at Downtown Alive on Thursday, July 28, All Tips from the Evening Will Go Directly to Habitat for Humanity Project

Greenville, SC — The Upstate Council of the Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas and the Greenville Chapter of Architecture for Humanity (AfH) announce they are teaming up to design and build an economical, sustainable, energy efficient home for Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County in 2012. Time and materials will be provided on a pro-bono basis by ABC and AfH member companies — architectural firms, general and specialty contractors, materials vendors and suppliers.

Fundraising efforts are set to kick off on Thursday evening, July 28 at Downtown Alive. ABC and AfH member volunteers will be selling tickets, serving refreshments and performing other functions for this weekly public entertainment venue, with tips collected (in well-marked jars) at the various stations going directly to the 2012 Habitat for Humanity home build project.

ABC and AfH intend to leverage their resources to go beyond building a traditional Habitat home. ”By joining forces, we have a unique opportunity to not only create a home that can be affordably replicated many times over, but also to provide a creative design which families will benefit from, such as incorporating a number of sustainable features,” said Brad Benjamin, AIA, CSI, LEED AP, co-director of Architecture for Humanity/Greenville, and president of Radium Architecture, a local firm located in downtown Greenville. “However, we will need financial support from the local business community and the public in order to make this happen. We encourage people to come downtown on July 28 and show their support for this special Habitat build. It will be an amazing gift for a deserving family.”

Darath Mackie, chairwoman of ABC/Upstate and director of business development for Greenville-based Cely Construction, added, “One of the priorities of ABC Upstate has been to look for opportunities where we in the construction industry can make a difference using our collective skills and resources to give back to the community at large. By partnering with other organizations in our field — like Architecture for Humanity — we can learn from one another, set a positive example for future leaders in our industry, and also raise the bar for humanitarian efforts in the Upstate.”

About ABC of the Carolinas
The Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of the Carolinas represents the merit construction contractors and related firms in North and South Carolina. Current membership for the two-state region exceeds 500 member firms. ABC of the Carolinas supports members in South Carolina through established local Councils in the Upstate, Midlands and Low Country. ABC of the Carolinas is a chapter of the national ABC organization which represents more than 25,000 members.

About Architecture for Humanity: Greenville
Architecture for Humanity is a nonprofit design services firm founded in 1999 in order to build a more sustainable future through the power of professional design. By tapping a network of more than 50,000 professionals willing to lend time and expertise to help those who would not otherwise be able to afford their
services, Architecture for Humanity brings design, construction and development services where they are most critically needed.

For more information and news, visit www.abccarolinas.org and http://greenville.architectureforhumanity.org