HomeAid Atlanta announced its annual award winners on January 21 at the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s Annual Installation and Awards Program at the Hyatt Atlanta Perimeter at Villa Christina. The HomeAid Atlanta award winners gave selflessly of their time, resources, and expertise in 2020 in support of HomeAid’s mission.
2020 Volunteer of the Year: Taylor Morrison Atlanta
This award is presented for outstanding service in support of HomeAid. In fall 2020, Taylor Morrison volunteers completed a total bathroom renovation at North Georgia Angel House (NGAH), a home for teen girls in the foster care system. Volunteers kicked off the NGAH bathroom renovation project on August 26 with a HomeAid Care Day. In addition to working on the bathroom, volunteers also painted and repaired a deck. Additionally, Taylor Morrison provided $21,000 worth of furniture, accessories, kitchen and bath hardware and artwork for NGAH through HomeAid’s Stock the House Drive in 2020. 
Taylor Morrison also provided generous support for the 2020 Essentials Drive, holding a fundraising drive among employees. The efforts from Taylor Morrison employees resulted in over $6,000 in donations in support of HomeAid’s annual event to provide necessities for families with young children experiencing homelessness. Taylor Morrison also matched $2,000, and Atlanta Division President Rick Carruthers made a personal matching gift in support of the drive.
“Taylor Morrison is a company built upon community outreach, compassion for others and a commitment to be unwavering stewards to every corner of our market,” said Carruthers. “If we have the ability and the means to support families that are struggling, we do it as a team. That never gets old.”
2020 Trade Partner of the Year: Brand Vaughan Lumber
The Trade Partner of the Year award is presented to an extraordinary non-builder partner that is essential to HomeAid Atlanta’s mission. Brand Vaughan Lumber provided support in the form of labor and materials for HomeAid Atlanta’s projects and Care Days in 2020. On June 19, Brand Vaughan Lumber volunteers joined a HomeAid Care Day at Positive Growth Inc. which serves adolescent boys in the foster care system. Brand Vaughan generously provided materials and volunteers who went above and beyond, staying late to wrap up final details.
“The Brand Vaughan Lumber team had a great time partnering with HomeAid,” said Jon Vaughan, President of Brand Vaughan Lumber Company. “With the social distancing we have had to adhere to, we always want to make sure we aren’t socially disengaged, and this gave us a great opportunity to engage in our community to give back and make an impact.”
Additionally, Brand Vaughan provided materials for HomeAid’s complete renovation of two apartment buildings, buildings E and F, at Making A Way Housing. Making A Way Housing serves adults facing complex challenges associated with chronic homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, HIV and AIDS. Brand Vaughan donated approximately $10,000 in lumber and related materials to make possible this renovation that provided 16 new beds to help alleviate homelessness in Atlanta.
2020 Builder of the Year: Knight Homes
Knight Homes partnered with HomeAid Atlanta to build a new home at House of Dawn, a Jonesboro nonprofit organization that provides a stable, loving home, life skills programs and more for expectant and young mothers at risk for homelessness and abuse. The Second Chance Home, a 5,000 square-foot facility, provides ten new beds for young mothers in need of a safe place to rebuild their lives. 
Whitney Fitzgerald, Knight Homes Project Manager for the Second Chance Home remarked, “It’s been a pleasure to help build a house that’s going to be a safe place for these girls to call home and have a second chance at a wonderful life.”
Thanks to Knight Homes and their trade partners, HomeAid Atlanta provided a savings of over $150,000, 41% of the project value, for House of Dawn.
Presidential Award: Ashton Woods Homes
HomeAid Atlanta’s first-ever Presidential Award honors Ashton Woods Homes for its generous support in 2020. Ashton Woods volunteers got hands-on, completing three HomeAid Care Days at two service provider locations.
“As a proud partner of HomeAid, both in Atlanta as well as in many markets across the country, we are so very moved to see how Care Days like these have a real and immediate impact on people experiencing homelessness,” said Tony Albachiara, Ashton Woods Homes Senior Vice President of National Sales and Vice President of the HomeAid Atlanta Board. “We are deeply honored to be a part of their mission and look forward to the next opportunity to contribute our resources to such an important cause.”
Ashton Woods not only donated labor and materials for the Care Days, but they also donated nearly $12,000 in furniture and home accessories for Making A Way Housing through HomeAid’s Stock the House Drive.
The company was also instrumental in fundraising for HomeAid in 2020. Its team generated over $2,500 from employees and friends for HomeAid’s $20 for 20 Team Challenge. Although Ashton Woods’ Annual Trade Partner Charity Golf Event had to be canceled due to the pandemic, thanks to partner contributions, HomeAid Atlanta still received a substantial $26,000 donation. Finally, in December 2020, Ashton Woods generously provided a new van for HomeAid Atlanta.
“We are beyond thrilled for this incredibly generous gift from Ashton Woods,” said Karen McLane, HomeAid Atlanta Director of Community Outreach. “This van will help streamline our work and logistically make things much more efficient as we continue to expand our services to meet the growing needs in and around metro Atlanta.”
To see the full HomeAid Atlanta award presentation, see the video below.
Read more from HomeAid Atlanta on Atlanta Real Estate Forum here.