Habitat Greenville launching 40th Anniversary Celebration

GREENVILLE, SC – Forty years ago this week, a small group of Greenville residents looking to build one house a year to help local families escape generational poverty received a charter from Habitat for Humanity International to see if they could meet that goal. 

More than 430 houses later, that group’s efforts have led to an organization that has become one of the backbones of Greenville’s affordable housing efforts. 

“When the first group of volunteers came together, the vast majority of people had never heard of Habitat for Humanity or really knew its purpose,” said LaTonya Phillips, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County. “But their sense of purpose has led us to today where we are constantly changing lives for the better.”  

As part of its celebration of its 40^th anniversary, Habitat Greenville will be holding numerous events in the coming months looking to further engage the community, she said. 

This includes: 

• Dinner on Ice: Habitat Greenville’s largest annual fundraising event will be held on October 21 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. This dinner features members of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits engaging guests at tables, a silent auction and live music. Learn more here. (https://DinnerOnIce2025.givesmart.com.) 

• A special fundraising raffle will start on October 1. More information can be found here. 

• The Anniversary Build, which aims to raise $400,000 by the end of the year. 

• The Women’s Build. This is the annual Women’s Build, but adding a goal of 40 women participating to build a house for a family.

“This is just the start,” Phillips said. “We will be holding more events in the coming months to help celebrate Habitat’s continued legacy in Greenville.” 

Habitat Greenville got its start from a man named Joe Barron, who moved to Greenville in 1985 and previously was involved with the Habitat affiliate in Columbia. He gathered a group of volunteers including Tom Faulker at Buncombe Street United Methodist, who earned their Habitat charter on September 20, 1985. The first house they built was in the Poe Mill community, and their goal was to build at least one house a year. 

“At the time, people didn’t know much about Habitat for Humanity, but they saw what we were doing, and we quickly gained support,” Faulkner said. 

They soon outpaced that goal as Habitat evolved over the years. Today, Habitat Greenville has completed 430 houses, done 330 home renovations and amassed more than 234,000 volunteer hours. 

“What started as a handful of compassionate neighbors has grown into an organization that’s reshaped lives across Greenville,” Phillips said. “Each of those 430 homes represents not just bricks and mortar, but stability, dignity, and a chance for families to build a different future. That legacy is something we’re proud to continue.”