Gabby Partners with Habitat for Humanity

February 24, 2012 – Birmingham, Ala- Gabby, a home furnishings manufacturer, has chosen Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham as their charitable partner of the year. To begin this partnership, Gabby is launching a Facebook campaign to donate $1 for every new like the company’s page receives until the end of High Point Market in April. The company also recently donated several thousand dollars in home furnishings to Habitat for Humanity’s Restore program.

Habitat’s Restore shop is located in Irondale, Ala. and sells donated furnishings, building materials, gardening tools, and appliances. The funds generated by the store helps sponsor several homes for Habitat and partner families. Many of the items in the store are also used in the homes built by Habitat. The store promotes conservation by diverting materials away from landfills, and helping those in need.

“A lot of people don’t know that Restore exists,” said Beth Jerome Vice President of Marketing and Development for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham.

“It’s there, and it’s a great way to get supplies for remodeling your home while helping others in the community,” Jerome said.

The Facebook campaign began on February 14, and already the fan base has grown from 731 Likes to 769. Visit the page at www.facebook.com/GabbyDecor

This year, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham has 50 homes scheduled to be built, and the group is also working on repairs and rebuilds in the area from damage caused by the April 2011 and January 2012 tornadoes. Construction on an average three bedroom, two bath house takes eight weeks and costs $78,000. Each home requires approximately 400 volunteers to build.

“Making a tangible difference in the lives of the families we serve is one of the greatest parts of working with Habitat,” said Jerome.

“A common misconception about Habitat is that the homes are given away, but that isn’t true,” Jerome said. “Habitat offers a mortgage on the home, and the families pay the mortgage off with no interest. Being able to help people achieve their dream of home ownership is probably the most rewarding aspect of my job”
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Birmingham was founded in 1987, and serves Jefferson, Shelby and Walker Counties. After the April 2011 tornadoes, the group is now building three homes and helping with repairs in Saint Clair County. Last year the group along with over 13,000 volunteers served 153 families, built 41 homes, and helped with disaster repairs and rebuilds.

Each year Gabby chooses a different charitable organization to partner with to fulfill the company’s mission to give back to the community. Last year the company partnered with Plant-It 2020, and donated funds to help the organization plant over 800 trees in unharvested areas of the world.

“Part of our mission at Gabby is to serve the community and give back to organizations that we are passionate about. We appreciate what Habitat for Humanity stands for and we are proud to help support the good they do in our community.” said William White, Vice President at Gabby. The company, founded in 2010, strives to enrich the community by giving back, and aims to be an innovator in the home furnishings industry by creating furniture that changes the way people think about home décor.

SOURCE: Gabby