Habitat of Humanity of Bucks County held its first gala fundraiser ten years ago. It was a humble beginning. The venue was the Habitat Restore, which the construction team converted into a dining hall decorated with donated chandeliers strung from the rafters. The centerpieces were re-purposed banisters turned into candle holders. The auction items were few, and the inventory went quickly.
However, that night set the tone for what has become a mainstay in our fund-raising activity. Hard Hats & High Heels is now an annual event, helping raise critical resources to help Habitat build and repair homes throughout the county. From Perkasie to Morrisville, the generosity of event sponsors and attendees has strengthened our community.
Making an impact
During our last fiscal year, funds raised at Hard Hats & High Heels helped build a new home from the ground up and renovate five vacant homes in residential neighborhoods. Our volunteers and staff completed 13 home repair projects which helped increase safety and accessibility while preserving an affordable home environment.
In addition, we helped 21 potential home buyers get closer to their dream by completing “Almost Home”, our free homebuyer workshop which provides education on how to manage debt and begin saving for the future. We hope to see these program graduates in a home of their own soon.
This year’s Hard Hats & High Heels will help us reach our ambitious goals which include building two new homes, renovating five homes, as well as twenty repair projects. We also hope to graduate 30 new Almost Home program participants. Most of our focus in 2019 will be on four new home builds on adjacent lots in the borough of Morrisville. These single-family homes, like all Habitat projects, help people build strength, stability, and self-reliance.
One family works toward their new home
Damian and Joanne share a small, two-bedroom apartment above a meat shop in NE Philadelphia with their young sons. The boys sleep with their parents to avoid the heavy smoke coming into their apartment from their neighbors. Once they move into their new home in Morrisville, the family will have more time together because Damian will spend less time commuting to work. What a blessing!
Want to join us for this special evening?
There are many ways to participate in this year’s event. If you are interested in attending Hard Hats & High Heels, tickets are available online. There, you can also view and register to bid on silent auction items, even if you can’t attend.
