Local churches raise another Habitat wall in 23-year partnership

Under a hot end-of-summer sun, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity celebrated new beginnings with Elisabeth Pallante and her husband Joshua London as they raised the first wall of their new home being built in Habitat’s Hudson Hills neighborhood in West Asheville.

Their house is sponsored by local Presbyterian and United Methodist churches, a cherished 23 year partnership between local churches and Habitat for Humanity that is still going strong. Renewing their commitment each year, the churches provide funds and volunteers to help build the house. This year, members of the various congregations along with the London-Pallante family (bio attached) and Habitat staffers socialized over lunch before raising the first wall. View pictures here.

The participating United Methodist Churches (UMC) and Presbyterian Churches (PC) are:

Abernethy UMC

Asbury Memorial UMC

Central UMC

Christ UMC

Francis Asbury UMC

Grace UMC

Groce UMC

Oak Hill UMC

Oakley UMC

Sardis UMC

Skyland UMC

Snow Hill UMC

St. Paul’s UMC

Trinity UMC

Black Mountain PC

Christ Community Church - Montreat

First Presbyterian Church of Asheville

Grace Covenant PC

New Hope PC

Reems Creek-Beech PC

Warren Wilson PC

West Asheville PC

About the London-Pallante Family:

Joshua London and his wife, Elisabeth Pallante, decided on Asheville as a great place to live, work, and eventually start a family. Josh landed a well-paying position at the airport and life looked promising – until, after a year on the job, the company changed hands and Josh was laid off. After a few lower paying and less rewarding jobs, Josh and Bess decided Josh could increase his career options by returning to school. A Navy veteran, Josh is able to use the GI Bill to advance his education while working part-time. Bess loves the work she does as a teaching assistant at Asheville City Schools Preschool.

The family currently lives in a third-floor apartment where the rent goes up every year and the heat, which works only marginally, is very expensive. “Having a Habitat home would be a blessing because not only are the homes energy efficient,” Josh explains, “but the mortgage would be significantly less than we pay for our apartment! The extra money would allow us to save for important things, like having children and paying bills without worrying about how to buy food.” 

The London-Pallante family’s 2 BR/1BA house will be a certified Green Built NC energy-efficient home. It will be the third home built in Asheville Area Habitat’s Hudson Hills

neighborhood off Johnston Boulevard in west Asheville, and is the 23^rd Habitat house sponsored by local Presbyterian and United Methodist churches.