The quick lift of a wall started more than the construction of a home recently in the Nicholtown community in Greenville.
It ignited a change in one family’s future and brought together volunteers dedicated to a joint partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County and Juneteenth GVL.
HABITAT-Juneteenth
“Habitat’s mission always comes back to creating more affordable homeownership opportunities right here in our community,” said LaTonya Phillips, President and CEO of Habitat Greenville. “We do this by partnering with others.”
The partnership with Juneteenth GVL is part of Habitat Greenville’s Bridge Building Series. Other projects and partners have included the City of Greenville Police Department, local African American churches, the Abraham Builds and the Equity Build.
LaTonya Phillips, Habitat Greenville
The inaugural Juneteenth Community Build is an initiative that celebrates unity, resilience, and progress in honor of Juneteenth, the historic commemoration of emancipation in the United States, said Joseph Fields, Vice President of Equity for Habitat Greenville.
“As we celebrate Juneteenth, we recognize the importance of economic empowerment and equity in housing. We are not just constructing homes – we are strengthening communities and creating lasting opportunities for families,” he said.
Members of the Juneteenth Community Build steering community include Renee Floyd, Matt Rollins, Heather Montgomery, Steve Worrell, Bitsy Cazel, Jasmine Frater, April Evans, Noel Brooks, Jamie Johnson, Tiffany Santagati, Tina Belge, Rueben Hays, Torah Fields, Tiffanee Davis, Charles Davis, Gail Peay, Chris Edwards and Jennifer Faner.
Joseph Fields, Habitat Greenville
Other project partners include Carolina Handling, Crescent Surgical Society, Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and First Baptist Church.
For information about Juneteenth Community Build, go to habitatgreenville.org/juneteenthcommunitybuild.
Habitat Greenville is the first affiliate in the country to build a home in honor of Juneteenth.
Opal Lee, a civil rights leader known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” saw her childhood home burned down in 1939. Habitat for Humanity in Fort Worth, Texas, built a new home for her on the site in 2024. Juneteenth is commemorated June 19.
Rueben Hays Jr., Juneteenth GVL
The mission of Juneteenth GVL is to celebrate freedom, empower the community, and create sustainable opportunities for economic advancement through cultural programming, education and community engagement.
“This is a perfect alignment for what our organization is doing in Greenville. Juneteenth GVL is about empowerment and building for the future. There is no better partner to build with than Habitat Greenville,” said Rueben Hays, founder and Chair of Juneteenth GVL.
For information about Juneteenth GVL’s year-round events in the Upstate, go to juneteenthgvl.org.
Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County has completed construction of more than 420 homes. For information, go to habitatgreenville.org.
Habitat Greenville
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Building Homes and Unity: Habitat & Juneteenth GVL Team Up