Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Holston Habitat for Humanity is celebrating a major milestone: 40 years of helping families in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia build safe, affordable places to call home. Since 1985, Holston Habitat has partnered with more than 20,000 volunteers to build more than 265 new homes, complete over 110 critical home repairs and serve more than 375 families. Each number represents a family that now has a stronger foundation and a community that came together to make it possible.

Holston Habitat for Humanity serves residents in Carter, Washington, Sullivan and Unicoi counties in Tennessee, as well as residents in Bristol, Va. This year, the organization will surpass the milestone of serving 400 families in the region with housing solutions. To mark the occasion, Holston Habitat has released a commemorative 40th anniversary video celebrating the people, stories and community support behind four decades of impact.

The theme that the ministry is focused on this year is Framing the Future.

“For 40 years, this community has shown what’s possible when people come together with purpose and compassion. Every home built, every family served — it’s all thanks to the volunteers, donors and partners who believe in this mission. We’re celebrating this milestone by looking ahead — with gratitude for what’s been built and excitement for what’s still to come. We’ve still got a lot of work to do,” said Laura Kelly, executive director of Holston Habitat for Humanity.

A year of milestones and momentum
The anniversary comes during one of the most exciting seasons in the organization’s history, with several high-impact projects and events, including:

– Rally for Roofs Pickleball Tournament — May 29 to June 1, 2025: A multi-city pickleball tournament that unites community and cause, raising awareness and support for affordable housing.
– A Brand-New Habitat Neighborhood — Johnson City: Holston Habitat’s first dedicated neighborhood development, including a public park, will provide 12 families with long-term stability and a place to call home. The community will be invited to the groundbreaking this fall.
– Blueprints & Bubbly Gala — Nov. 8, 2025, at The Waterstone in Johnson City: An unforgettable evening of celebration, connection and purpose, honoring 40 years of impact while raising support for the future of affordable housing in our region.
– Women Build — August through October 2025, Kingsport: Holston Habitat’s annual event focused on empowering women in the community to help build a home for a local family, so they can achieve the American dream of becoming homeowners.

And so much more!

Join the movement
Forty years ago, we laid our first foundation. Holston Habitat for Humanity now is laying the groundwork for the future. You can join the movement by signing up, showing up and being an advocate. Every step taken helps strengthen the community by building stronger homes, communities and hope.