Juneteenth Build starts!

A quick lift of a pre-framed wall did more than start the construction of a home Wednesday in Nicholtown.

It ignited a moment that will change one family’s future as well as bringing together a community of volunteers dedicated to a joint partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County Juneteenth GVL.

“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. That is why we are working with Juneteenth GVL as part of our Bridge Building Series. These are projects that bring together people from various backgrounds to help meet our mission.”

Since 2019, Habitat Greenville’s other Bridge Building projects and partners have included the City of Greenville Police Department, the local African American churches, the Abraham Builds and the Equity Build.

The inaugural Juneteenth Community Build is a groundbreaking 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,” Fields said. “Through this build, we are not just constructing homes—we are strengthening communities and creating lasting opportunities for families.”

Members of the Juneteenth Community Build’s 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. Other project partners include Carolina Handling, Crescent Surgical Society, Greater Greenville Association of Realtors and First Baptist Church. To learn how to support the Juneteenth Community Build, go to www.habitatgreenville.org/juneteenthcommunitybuild.

Habitat Greenville is the first affiliate in the country to do a build in honor of Juneteenth, which is significant because Opal Lee, the civil rights leader who is known as the “grandmother of Juneteenth,” saw her childhood home burned down in 1939. In 2024, Habitat for Humanity members in Fort Worth, Texas, built her a new home on the site.

Juneteenth GVL is the Bridge Builder Series partner on this project because its mission is to celebrate freedom, empower the community, and create sustainable opportunities for economic advancement aligns with what Habitat is trying to accomplish, said Rueben Hays, Founder and Chair of Juneteenth GVL.

“This is a perfect alignment for what our organization is doing in Greenville,” Hays said. “Juneteenth GVL is about empowerment and building for the future. There is no better partner to build with than Habitat Greenville.”