Building Hope with Habitat for Humanity: Wesco's Commitment to Affordable Housing

<h1>Building Hope with Habitat for Humanity: Wesco's Commitment to Affordable Housing</h1>

<p>Published Nov. 27, 2024 by Audree Grubesic. Read time: 3 min.</p>

<h2>Habitat for Humanity</h2>
<p>Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit that helps families in need of decent and affordable housing. It builds, renovates, and repairs homes with help from volunteers and donations.</p>

<ul>
  <li>Founded in 1976.</li>
  <li>Operates in over 70 countries.</li>
  <li>Uses a partnership model with “sweat equity.”</li>
  <li>Offers homes at no profit with affordable mortgages.</li>
  <li>Relies on volunteers for construction, outreach, and fundraising.</li>
</ul>

<h2>Wesco’s involvement</h2>
<p>Wesco supported Habitat for Humanity through the Jimmy &amp; Rosalynn Carter Work Project in October 2023. Kent Anderson, Senior Business Development Manager of Wesco’s Manufactured Structures Group, joined other team members for a week of volunteer work at a build site in Charlotte, NC.</p>

<h2>Project purpose</h2>
<p>The goal was to build a community of homes for local Charlotte residents through Habitat for Humanity.</p>

<h2>What Wesco learned</h2>
<p>Anderson said the project showed how a community build can bring experts together quickly across many tasks. The Wesco team worked on one house, including windows, trim, porch columns, and flooring.</p>
<p>He said the purpose became clear by the end of the day: to love a neighbor by working on a home.</p>

<h2>Outcome</h2>
<p>At the end of the project, over two dozen new homes were occupied by residents.</p>

<h2>Reflection</h2>
<p>Anderson said the experience changed his view of impact. He said helping “just one” can be enough and can be everything.</p>