App Build a Home
The App State Community is partnering with Watauga County Habitat on a project called App Builds A Home, where we are helping design, fund, and build a Habitat home for a local family in need! Affordable housing is a pressing issue in Watauga County. For a minimum wage worker to be able to afford Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Watauga County ($803), they must work 86 hours per week, 52 weeks per year. That is a little over 12 hours EVERY day. This partnership is a great way to help those in our community who work hard every day but can't keep up with the high cost of housing in Watauga County.
There are many ways the App State community is coming together to support App Builds A Home. The first is through fundraising; we, as a university, have committed to raising $60,000 dollars and have over $7,000 raised already. This semester we are asking clubs, organizations, offices, and departments to pledge at one of the following pledge levels:
- $250 Foundational Level
- $500 1st Floor
- $750 2nd Floor
- $1000+ Raise the Roof
To make your pledge or to stay up to date on who has pledged so far check out our website, appbuildsahome.appstate.edu.
The design of the home is being incorporated into curriculum in the Sustainable Technology and Built Environment department. Students in the Integrative Design Experience (IDEX) Lab have been working closely with Watauga County Habitat throughout the semester to design a 1300 square foot home for the App Builds A Home Project. A slightly different iteration of this two story design will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Energy for the 2019 Solar Decathlon as a Net-Zero Ready Home. Michelle Stanziola, a part-time IDEX student says “This is the type of project that lies at the core principle of the Sustainable Technology and Built Environment department. In partnership with Habitat, we bring everyone - the homeowners, Habitat volunteers, students and faculty, local businesses, and the efforts of Appalachian State to give back to the Watauga Community all on this one site. This is what building is: bringing people together.”
The build of this home will start over the summer with the foundation. Once the fall semester begins, students and organizations will be able to sign up to help build the home. Information on how to participate in the build will be available soon on our website, so make sure to check in frequently if you or your group would like to participate. No building experience is necessary! The building phase of this project is an exciting opportunity for the App State community to see their hard work brought to life. It's a rewarding experience to be able to be a part of this project from the very beginning all the way to the end. Other ways to get involved include participating in events that benefit App Builds A Home. For example on March 15th and 16th you can Round-up your purchase at Stick Boy Bakery and Stick Boy Kitchen and on March 22nd at 8pm NOUN Improv Comedy will be performing a benefit show in the Whitewater Lounge located in the PSU. If you want more information or have questions contact Megan Laws at lawsme@appstate.edu or visit our website at appbuildsahome.appstate.edu.