Building Freedom Day

Now in its 12th year, our largest event, Building Freedom Day, was born out of the tragedy of September 11, 2001. A Habitat homeowner suggested that we raise the walls on multiple homes for hardworking families as a way to heal the community.

With your help, on Wednesday, September 11, 2013, we will continue this legacy of building hope from the ashes of tragedy and honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This year, we will raise the walls of four new homes in our Copper Vista neighborhood. Additionally, we are introducing Preserve-A-Home to Building Freedom Day. Through this program, we will repair several existing houses in the neighborhood ensuring that our neighbors get the same opportunity for a hand up as our homeowners and that the communities in which we build, thrive.

“Building Freedom Day began as a way to heal the community,” said Michael McDonald, Executive Director.  “By focusing on others and providing an activity that answers a pressing community need, people are not only called to action, but it is also a way for us to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.”

Since our first Building Freedom Day in 2002, more than 7,000 volunteers have come together to construct a total of 84 Habitat homes at Building Freedom Day.  Each volunteer has had a hand in changing the lives of those 84 families forever.

“… the volunteers seemed to have a good time while staying productive. They went home with a sense of accomplishment. The future homeowners were on site, and their sense of quiet gratitude was coming through…It seems almost like magic, to take a large number of unskilled people, a few more knowledgeable ones, and mostly frame someone’s home in a day. I have done it many times with a pro crew, but this was special.”

Bruce Hallowell
Long Cares Foundation Board Member & Habitat Building Freedom Day Volunteer .

This year we are building at our new neighborhood, Copper Vista, which is located about a quarter of a mile south east of the intersection of Park Avenue and Drexel Road.

If you are interested in sponsoring a home or a Preserve-A-Home project for Building Freedom Day 2013, please click here and/or contact Danny Knee at dannyk@habitattucson.org or (520) 326-1217 ext. 208.

Thank you to our Building Freedom Day 2012 sponsors!

Check out some of the photos from Building Freedom Day 2012 here!