Denise Robillard

More than 500 volunteers from area organization joined Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity in July for its annual build-a-thon event, “Hammering in Hartford.” The volunteers worked together to help six families build homes for themselves on Capen Street, located in Hartford’s Northeast neighborhood. An area corporation sponsors each of the six homes, and the $90,000 raised through the event will go directly to support a future building project.

The Connecticut Association of Realtors participated as a Platinum Hammer Sponsor by donating $5,000 and recruiting Realtors to volunteer in the build.

CAR President Denise Robillard said, “Realtors wanted to give something back to the community. It’s especially important that we continue to help people attain homeownership. Putting families in homes is the cornerstone of our profession. What better way than to help Habitat build a home for a family in need of a place to live and raise their children. The members of the Connecticut Association of Realtors are honored and proud to be participants in the build-a-thon.”

Habitat for Humanity helps families who do not qualify for conventional mortgages to become homeowners. Volunteers build houses with donated materials and homeowners help build their own homes, which Habitat sells at no profit with an interest-free mortgage. By the end of 2003, Hartford Area Habitat for Humanity will have built more than 100 homes in its first 14 years.

Other build-a-thon sponsors besides CAR include Jensen’s Residential Communities, Sagemark Consulting, Murtha Cullina LLP, U. S. Trust, ING, Caterpillar, Chubb Specialty Insurance, Pratt & Whitney, First Union National Bank, First Church of Christ Congregational in West Hartford, Konica Business Technologies USA, UPS, Webster Bank, Imperial Oil & Plumbing, Cabrera Services, F.A. Hesketh & Assoc., Carmon Funeral Homes, People’s Bank, The Hartford Courant and Fox 61 WTIC-TV.