50 for 50 Challenge

50 Golden Hammer Donors Marks the Completion of 50 Habitat Homes for 50 Families in Franklin and Hampshire Counties

YOU DID IT, and you didn’t stop at 50! There are now 55 Golden Hammer donors, people who make a financial contribution on a regular monthly or quarterly basis to Pioneer Valley Habitat. An anonymous donor pledged to give a total of $3500 if we reached our celebratory 50 Golden Hammer givers goal, and when you helped us exceed it, the donor matched your generosity in return, giving an extra $500 to honor the willingness of the Habitat community to go above and beyond.

So THANK YOU. Whether you offer financial support, hammer some nails, attend an event, spread the word, or engage in any number of ways, you are laying the foundations for the next fifty families who build their Habitat homes alongside hundreds of community volunteers.

FEAST 2022

Join Pioneer Valley Habitat and our co-hosts rk Miles for the annual FEAST for Habitat, a fun after-work party in a transformed construction warehouse! The FEAST was held this year at rk Miles from 5:30pm – 8:00pm on Wednesday, May 25th.

For the $50 ticket price, party goers mingled with old friends and made new ones while sampling food and drink from local purveyors, placed bids on fabulous silent auction items, and listened to jazz music provided by the Hey Hey Club. Thank you to the sponsors and attendees for joining Habitat in celebrating the good work being done by so many at Habitat, including our volunteers, building and housing community, and building supply donors. This years FEAST went amazingly and we raised nearly $20,000 for Habitat.

Limited tickets were available at the door. Pre-registration was open until Monday, May 23rd. Please note that this event is for individuals 21 years of age and over because alcohol was served. Guests were required to present proof of up-to-date Covid-19 vaccination, including relevant boosters, to enter the event.

Thanks to our 2022 FEAST Sponsors and Contributors!

PVHH wins Design of the Year

Sometimes, less is more. Pioneer Valley Habitat’s design of a “big enough” house is making homeownership more accessible and affordable for families with this build in Northampton, and it was recognized by Habitat for Humanity International as Design of the Year at the 2021 Habitat House Design Contest. PVHH partnered with local architecture firm, Simple City Studio, to design a single-story, one-bedroom home that maximizes its square footage with an open living and dining area.

“This design focuses on the Habitat value that everyone deserves a decent place to live. By building small, simple, energy efficient homes, that’s one way of achieving that vision.”

Megan McDonough, Executive Director, Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity

2021 Gingerbread Build

In 2021, a record 55 teams registered and 21 generous banks and businesses supported the Build. We’re sure you remember: the competition was fierce and fun! On top of that, several teams hosted fundraising pages and together raised more than $1,600 to more than match the $1,500 challenge that was on the table from an anonymous Habitat friend. Altogether the building of small homes from the comfort of contestant homes raised over $18,000 to support real families with low incomes building real homes.

PVHH home wins Best In Sustainability

Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity’s house at 1 Garfield Ave. in Florence was recently recognized by Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) with the Best in Sustainability award at the 2020 Habitat House Design Contest. As a contest winner, Pioneer Valley Habitat will receive a grant from Habitat for Humanity International to continue the affiliate’s work building affordable homes in partnership with local families in Hampshire and Franklin counties.

Every year, the contest recognizes Habitat for Humanity affiliates who exemplify the Habitat commitment to “high-quality housing that is safe and affordable for the long-term, as well as strategies that advance shelter technology toward building more and building better.” Pioneer Valley Habitat’s build was chosen from among 100 submissions for exemplifying a sustainable approach to affordable housing that can be replicated by other Habitat affiliates.

1 Garfield Ave. was designed by Jones Whitsett Architects, and was completed in 2019. This unique small house project of only 625 square feet cost less than $70,000 in materials.  Well-insulated and powered by the sun, the home is designed for a single adult or couple with potential for the addition of a second bedroom. With a HERS index rating of 8 the home is anticipated to cost only $238 a year in utilities.  JWA worked with PVHH as a part of our firm’s commitment to dedicate 1% of our professional hours to pro-bono work in our local community. Designer Molly Clark and Principal Dorrie Brooks led the project, creating a set of documents expressly designed for non-professional builders and volunteers; documents which are now available to other chapters of Habitat for Humanity International.

“Our local communities in the Valley are facing a critical shortage of affordable housing that has been growing more dire every year. Our firm volunteered to design the project and brought our entire staff out to do a Team Build in order to learn what we could from Habitat about efficient home construction.  We know it’s going to take new models of design, financing and construction to achieve the volume highly sustainable small homes our neighbors needs to thrive.” – Dorrie Brooks, Principal, Jones Whitsett Architects.

1 Garfield Ave. is also the pilot home for Pioneer Valley Habitat’s Big Enough Project, funded by the Community Foundation of Western Mass. The project aims to revolutionize how we think about homeownership in Franklin and Hampshire counties by advocating for and building simple, durable, and affordable small homes. Pioneer Valley Habitat has since completed three other “big enough” homes and more are in progress; all have a goal of utilizing innovative building techniques to maximize energy efficiency, preserving long-term affordability for homeowners by lowering operating costs.

To learn more about 1 Garfield Ave. and the Big Enough Project, visit www.pvhabitat.org/big-enough, read the 2020 Big Enough Report, or watch the foundation-to-finish documentary.

 

About Jones Whitsett Architects

Jones Whitsett Architects provides comprehensive design services in education, housing and civic architecture.  With over 36 years of experience, a talented staff of architects and a commitment to ethical and sustainable design, JWA is well-known for its work in public architecture projects throughout Western Massachusetts. To learn more, visit www.joneswhitsett.com.

2020 Housing Innovation Award

We’re excited to announce that PV Habitat has been chosen as a 2020 winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Housing Innovation Awards for our modular project, built in coordination with VEIC and Vermod. As one of three Habitat affiliate winners in the Affordable category, we are thrilled and honored to be a part of the movement for energy-efficient, net-zero ready affordable homes, and hope to continue to see it grow! Special thanks, as always, to our dedicated teams of volunteers who make these builds possible.