George and Karen were both born and raised in Charlotte, NC. They have seen Charlotte grow and evolve tremendously over the past 60+ years, and the quaint city they once knew and loved has transformed around them. Over the past several years, they couldn’t help but feel like they were being pushed out of their own city.

When George and Karen began looking to purchase a home, they were faced with increasingly common barriers in the open market, such as a lack of housing stock and unaffordability. This caused them to look for an alternative, which brought them to Habitat.

George served in the military for 15 years and served in Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield in the early 1990s. We are honored to give back to George and Karen through this year’s Veterans Build, a project that engages veterans and active-duty military personnel to build a home for a fellow veteran.

Ready to retire from city life and settle down somewhere quieter, George and Karen chose to build their new home in Statesville. As proud grandparents to 22 grandchildren, the couple was ready for more space and a more peaceful pace of living.

Karen reflected on their time during the program so far, recounting that she connected with an old friend while volunteering in the ReStore and that she appreciated learning more about managing their finances through the homeownership classes. Equipped with new knowledge and tools, she shared that she has found a renewed sense of freedom in the ability to plan and save more for their future.

Looking ahead, George and Karen have big plans for their new home. The home will be filled with family and the sounds of old-school music. They look forward to inviting their family over for cookouts, taking their grandchildren to play on the playground across the street, and enjoying their outdoor space. Karen loves to garden and plans to put in a little pond in the yard with fish, and a patio for their dogs Mickey and Minnie to sunbathe on.