Skip to main content
Appalachian Today
News and events at Appalachian State University
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Galleries
  • In the Media
  • Grants
  • Speakers
  • All Posts
  • Topics
  • Accolades
  • Alumni
  • Arts and Humanities
  • Athletics
  • Awards and Honors
  • Community Engagement
  • Diversity
  • Events
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Global
  • Health and Wellness
  • Publications
  • Research
  • Safety
  • Scholarships
  • Students
  • Sustainability
☰ Menu
  • Events
  • Webcams
  • Galleries
  • In the Media
  • Grants
  • Speakers
  • All Posts
  • Topics
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact

App Builds a Home breaks ground on 3rd ‘safe and affordable home’

View larger image

Appalachian State University’s App Builds a Home (ABAH) and Watauga County Habitat for Humanity hosted a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 6 to mark the beginning of the third ABAH build. Kim Paterno, right, is the partner family for the home. Paterno, who is pictured with her sister, Beth Marlowe, said she is “beyond grateful” for the opportunity to have a safe and affordable home at this time in her life. Photo submitted

“It’s the moment we shovel some dirt and call it the start of a new house. But really, it marks the beginning of someone living in a safe and affordable home.”

App State senior Mackenzie Millett, an Honors College student majoring in exercise science

By Jan Todd
Posted Nov. 17, 2021 at 10:12 a.m.

BOONE, N.C. — The sun shone on a Nov. 6 groundbreaking ceremony hosted by App Builds a Home (ABAH) and Watauga County Habitat for Humanity — marking the beginning of the third build since Appalachian State University partnered with Watauga Habitat in 2018 to build homes with local families.

“It’s the moment we shovel some dirt and call it the start of a new house. But really, it marks the beginning of someone living in a safe and affordable home.”

App State senior Mackenzie Millett, an Honors College student majoring in exercise science

Mackenzie Millett, ABAH student co-director, described the groundbreaking as a “defining and life-changing moment” for the new homeowner, as well as for herself.

“It’s the moment we shovel some dirt and call it the start of a new house,” Millett said. “But really, it marks the beginning of someone living in a safe and affordable home.”

Millett, a senior Honors College student from Amelia Island, Florida, with an exercise science major and a general business minor, has volunteered with ABAH since her first semester at App State. “The experience with ABAH has helped define who I am,” Millett shared.

Student participation in ABAH has grown in its third year. “Because students are aware of the shortage of affordable housing in the community, more people are looking to participate either by joining our team, hosting a fundraiser, volunteering at the build site or simply donating,” she said.

View larger image

Mackenzie Millett, a senior from Amelia Island, Florida, serves as the student co-director of Appalachian State University’s App Builds a Home (ABAH) project. She is enrolled in App State’s Honors College and is majoring in exercise science with a general business minor. Millett began volunteering with ABAH during her first semester at App State, and said the experience has been “life changing.” Photo submitted

The fundraising goal for the third home, designated for partner homeowner Kim Paterno, is $50,000. Paterno, who raised her daughter as a single mother, is employed in Boone and has served as a volunteer for Watauga Habitat. As a Habitat for Humanity partner family, she will invest “sweat equity” by participating in the construction of her home and pay a monthly, no-interest mortgage.

Construction is nearing completion for ABAH’s second build — the home of App State Facilities Operations employee Sheila Potter. App State students, staff, faculty and alumni have been volunteering on weekends this semester to work on the Potter home, which has been underway since October 2020.

Volunteer work on-site was on hold during the early part of the Potter home construction due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then reinstated on a limited basis with proper safety precautions during the fall 2020 semester, said Alex Hooker, executive director of Watauga Habitat.

ABAH raised $70,000 toward the cost of the Potter home, with the remaining construction costs covered by Watauga Habitat.

ABAH — a campuswide initiative involving students, faculty, staff and alumni — works in partnership with App State’s student-run Habitat for Humanity Club in fundraising and construction efforts.

View larger image

Kim Paterno, center, examines plans for her two-bedroom Habitat home, which will be built by volunteer crews beginning in early 2022, after the site preparation is complete. Paterno is the partner family for the third App Builds a Home project with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity. Photo submitted

ABAH and the Habitat for Humanity Club received a matching grant of $20,000 from State Farm for the Paterno home. In order to receive the grant, App State students must first raise $20,000 on their own before the end of May 2022.

State Farm is a national corporate sponsor of Habitat for Humanity’s Youth Programs, providing funds to organizations such as ABAH with the goal of creating lifelong volunteers and helping young people learn about the need for decent, affordable shelter in local communities.

“We are proud to support young leaders at App State in advancing Habitat’s mission in Watauga County,” said Boone State Farm Agent Joy Whitlatch.

App State students have raised approximately $5,000 thus far toward the Paterno build and are holding a letter writing campaign through the month of November titled “Give thanks. Give back.” Learn more about fundraising efforts for App Builds a Home.

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

App Builds a Home is raising funds and building walls
App Builds a Home is raising funds and building walls
March 29, 2021

With the foundation and fundraising nearly complete for App State’s second App Builds a Home (ABAH) project, a “Walls-Up Build Week” event is scheduled on the App State campus in April to construct walls for a home built in partnership with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity.

Read the story
Welcome home — first App Builds a Home project is dedicated
Welcome home — first App Builds a Home project is dedicated
May 29, 2020

A virtual dedication ceremony is scheduled for the inaugural App Builds a Home project, built in partnership with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity, and fundraising begins for the next home.

Read the story
About App Builds a Home
About App Builds a Home

Learn more about the project — including how to become involved and how to organize a fundraiser.

Learn more
Support App Builds a Home
Support App Builds a Home

Set a fundraising goal as an individual, office, club, or organization or make a one-time donation or a monthly donation directly to App Builds a Home.

Learn more

About Appalachian State University

As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.

“It’s the moment we shovel some dirt and call it the start of a new house. But really, it marks the beginning of someone living in a safe and affordable home.”

App State senior Mackenzie Millett, an Honors College student majoring in exercise science

App Builds a Home is raising funds and building walls
App Builds a Home is raising funds and building walls
March 29, 2021

With the foundation and fundraising nearly complete for App State’s second App Builds a Home (ABAH) project, a “Walls-Up Build Week” event is scheduled on the App State campus in April to construct walls for a home built in partnership with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity.

Read the story
Welcome home — first App Builds a Home project is dedicated
Welcome home — first App Builds a Home project is dedicated
May 29, 2020

A virtual dedication ceremony is scheduled for the inaugural App Builds a Home project, built in partnership with Watauga County Habitat for Humanity, and fundraising begins for the next home.

Read the story
About App Builds a Home
About App Builds a Home

Learn more about the project — including how to become involved and how to organize a fundraiser.

Learn more
Support App Builds a Home
Support App Builds a Home

Set a fundraising goal as an individual, office, club, or organization or make a one-time donation or a monthly donation directly to App Builds a Home.

Learn more

Share

Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Students
  • Sustainability

What do you think?

Share your feedback on this story.

Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

Share

Topics

  • Community Engagement
  • Faculty and Staff
  • Gifts and Grants
  • Students
  • Sustainability

Other Recent Posts

  • App State Online bachelor’s, master’s programs named among 2023’s ‘Best Online Programs’
    App State Online bachelor’s, master’s programs named among 2023’s ‘Best Online Programs’
  • App State to conduct full test of its emergency notification system Feb. 1
    App State to conduct full test of its emergency notification system Feb. 1
  • 6 App State students observe world climate policymaking at UN climate conference
    6 App State students observe world climate policymaking at UN climate conference
  • Aspiring NASCAR reporter Noah Cornelius is on track for a career in broadcasting
    Aspiring NASCAR reporter Noah Cornelius is on track for a career in broadcasting
  • Professor Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand awarded 2022–23 Fulbright to teach, conduct research in Austria
    Professor Alexandra Sterling-Hellenbrand awarded 2022–23 Fulbright to teach, conduct research in Austria
  • How Loading Up On Almonds Makes Your Weekend Workout Go Smoothly [faculty featured]
    How Loading Up On Almonds Makes Your Weekend Workout Go Smoothly [faculty featured]
    Forbes
  • Campus emergency siren test to be conducted Jan. 4, 2023
    Campus emergency siren test to be conducted Jan. 4, 2023
  • App State student-athletes extend 3.0+ GPA streak to 21 semesters
    App State student-athletes extend 3.0+ GPA streak to 21 semesters
  • UNA’s Dr. Ken Kitts Included on AL.com’s Final Listing of Top 22 for 2022 [alumni featured]
    UNA’s Dr. Ken Kitts Included on AL.com’s Final Listing of Top 22 for 2022 [alumni featured]
    University of North Alabama
  • Caldwell UNC Health Care bids a fond farewell to marketing director [alumni featured]
    Caldwell UNC Health Care bids a fond farewell to marketing director [alumni featured]
    Yahoo! News
  • App State confers approximately 1,500 degrees at Fall 2022 Commencement
    App State confers approximately 1,500 degrees at Fall 2022 Commencement
  • 2022 marks milestone year in App State’s 123-year history
    2022 marks milestone year in App State’s 123-year history

Archives

Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

The migration of materials from other sites is still incomplete, so if you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Additional feature stories may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • Photo galleries and videos published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found at Appalachian Magazine
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Galleries
  • In the Media
  • Grants
  • Speakers
  • All Posts
  • Topics
  • For the media
  • COVID updates
  • Contact

App State

Copyright 2023 Appalachian State University. All rights reserved.

University Communications
ASU Box 32153
Boone, NC 28608
828-262-6156
ucomm@appstate.edu

Abouts

Disclaimer | EO Policy | Accessibility | Website manager: montaldipa (beltmr) .. | Website Feedback

Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram LinkedIn Snapchat