Another family on the road to home ownership thanks to Warren Haynes and his annual benefit concert

The media is invited to Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity’s Swannanoa neighborhood on Thursday, December 12 for a 3pm event with Warren Haynes. The event will officially kick-off the 2013 Xmas Jam House and celebrate the volunteers who are participating in “Before the Jam, Lend a Hand”. The event will include remarks from this year’s partner family (Christine Hayes), past year Xmas Jam House partner family (Elaine Sargent), Habitat and Merrell reps, and of course Warren Haynes. Following the speaking program, Haynes and volunteers will raise the first wall of the house.

Hayes Family

The financial picture

Warren Haynes Presents: The Annual Christmas Jam has raised more than $1.3 million to date and helped 24 families become homeowners. The Jam continues to be the organization’s single largest annual funding contributor and the awareness for Habitat’s work generated by the Xmas Jam is unmatched.

Fan involvement

"Before the Jam, Lend a Hand" has become a signature volunteer event for Asheville Area Habitat. Local fans as well as those from as far away as New England, and even British Columbia, enjoy the camaraderie of fellow fans while helping Habitat build homes with families in need of safe and decent housing. “Many volunteers come every year and now consider Before the Jam, Lend a Hand part of their total Christmas Jam experience,” said Stephanie Wallace, Construction Services Volunteer Coordinator. Merrell supports the event by providing the special volunteer t-shirts, Merrell give-aways for volunteers, and Merrell gifts for the homeowner family. Habitat is grateful to 12 Bones, Mellow Mushroom and Ole Guacamole for donating food for all the volunteers this year.

Other ways to help

Concert-goers can make their mark on the 2013 Christmas Jam house while they are at the Xmas Jam. There will be a few framed walls at the U.S. Cellular Center and fans are invited to make a $1 donation to sign a wall. The walls will later be transported back to the construction site where they will be used in a Habitat house.

Donations are always welcome on-line at ashevillehabitat.org. In the Area of Support menu, select Xmas Jam House if you’d like to designate your gift. And did you know that proceeds from the sales of Warren Haynes Presents: The Benefit Concert CDs also benefit Asheville Area Habitat? You can buy them in the Habitat ReStore (33 Meadow Rd.) or from numerous on-line retailers.

Since 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has welcomed 252 Buncombe County families to safe, decent and affordable houses. Habitat homes, which are Green Built NC certified, are sold at no-profit to partner families, who pay back a no-interest loan. The organization also offers an affordable home repair program for low-income homeowners. For information, visit ashevillehabitat.org.