Building entry-level homes in the metro area’s exurbs is the mission of Century Complete, a Norcross-based division of Century Communities. Beyond creating affordable houses, Division Manager Cliff Niederpruem gave his colleagues a challenge: come up with ways to give back to the community.
Division Purchasing Manager Maggi Harwood took the lead, reaching out to HomeAid, an organization that works with people facing homelessness. Century had paired with the nonprofit in the past on projects from pressure washing to painting.
“They told us about Angel House, an organization in Canton that works with adolescents, specifically young women, transitioning out of foster programs and in need of emergency housing,” said Niederpruem. “That’s an important mission as they’re getting jobs and places of their own.”
But Angel House was in need of more than a quick cosmetic fix.
“They wanted to do a big renovation, reconfiguring the bathrooms and the living areas,” said Niederpruem. “As builders, we were uniquely positioned to support that project. We could commit our industry expertise and trade partnerships to get that done for them.”
Century took the lead on the design and managed the project, organizing partners to provide materials and craftsmanship. The work include demolishing the interior, putting in new framing, sheetrock, trim, flooring, counter tops and toilets. Teams of eight to 10 worked for 60 days to complete the job in May.
Harwood said it was rewarding to take part in a community project that made a big difference.
“And it was a project where my team and I could showcase our talents,” said Harwood, who wielded a sledge hammer and got dramatically dusty as part of the demolition. “I think it was also a therapy project for a lot of us.”
Harwood also gave the renovated space a new name: Lotus House.
“The director said they needed a new name for the place, and I immediately thought of the lotus flower that blooms out of the mud and turns into a white, beautiful flower,” she said. “I connected that to the pathway a lot of the girls at Angel House take. I hope through being in this facility, they can come out on the other side as a beautiful bloom.”
Who’s doing good? Each week, we write about a deserving individual, charity events such as fun-runs, volunteer projects and other community gatherings that benefit a good cause. To suggest an event or person for us to cover, contact us at ajc.doinggood@gmail.com.
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