Habitat for Humanity of Hall County is approaching the completion of its Copper Glen subdivision with the help of a donation from its former executive director and his wife.
Don and Sandy Tieken pledged to donate $500,000 to the organization in 2022. The donation is being made in $100,000 installments over five years, and the most recent donation was made Tuesday.
Tieken says he hopes the donation will encourage the community to also give to Habitat for Humanity.
"As I was rounding out my career as the executive of a major company, I decided I really wanted to do something that would be meaningful after I'm gone," Tieken said. "This was one way to be able to do that."
The Tieken's previous donation is still being put to use, as Habitat for Humanity is about a month away from completing the nineteenth home of the Copper Glen subdivision with help from the funds donated in 2023. It was at that home construction site on Fawn Court that the Tieken's presented their 2024 donation.
The current executive director for Habitat for Humanity of Hall County, Lila Weaver, said donations like those of the Tieken's provide significant help to the organization.
"Because of this donation, we wanted to bring attention to the fact that there is gifting that you're able to do while you're still alive and able to see the good that that does and have relationships with these homeowners," Weaver said. "There's not been a time in my lifetime that we've seen a greater need for affordable housing...It's a goal of mine to see what we can accomplish here in the next decade."
Information on how to donate to Habitat for Humanity of Hall County can be found on the organization's website. According to the website, the organization's goal is "helping hard-working, low income families purchase their own home."
