Living and Giving Photo Gallery - Feb. 16

YMCA campaign volunteers thanked

What: The YMCA kicked off its 2014 Community Support Campaign with an appreciation dinner for campaign volunteers catered by 1885 Grill. The dinner was held at the North River YMCA. Pat Neuhoff is chairing the campaign to raise $518,500.

Campaign benefits: Tripp McCallie, director of development and mission advancement for the YMCA of Metropolitan Chattanooga, says money raised through the campaign benefits the Mobile Y program; Y-CAP, a mentoring program for at-risk youth; afterschool programs; academic enrichment programs; LiveStrong at the YMCA; Diabetes Prevention Program; SPLASH; Camp Ocoee; and Youth Leadership Chattanooga.


St. Paul's Episcopal and Habitat partner for church member's new home

What: More than 30 members of St. Paul's Episcopal Church partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Chattanooga to help build a new home for a member of the St. Paul's congregation. The home is also sponsored by contributions to the Help Build It-Southside Campaign and the George R. Johnson Family Foundation. It's the 249th home built by Habitat.

Benefits: Kual and Adut Ayai, who moved to Chattanooga from South Sudan in 2010 and joined St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

About Habitat: "Families who enroll in Habitat's homeownership program are required to complete a minimum of 350 sweat equity hours before they can purchase a Habitat home," said Cheryl Marsh, Habitat's director of family services. "Traditionally, it takes up to 12 months for most working families to complete their hours. But in Mr. Ayai's case, he secured more than 200 hours in two months." To expedite the process, Mr. Ayai denied himself rest to work two eight-hour shifts at his job at Pilgrim Pride and log 30 weekly volunteer hours at Habitat over two months, Marsh said.

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