Built By Bama: Families Have Much to be Thankful for With Nick's Kids, Habitat for Humanity Partnership
Less than eight hours after the Alabama football team throttled Ohio State in the national championship game in Miami on Jan. 11, Ellen Potts got an email.
It was from Terry Saban.
She wanted Potts, the executive director for Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa, to get ready for the next Nick’s Kids house to be built.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Potts said. “The game was on a Monday night and on Tuesday morning at 6:57 a.m. I get an email from Miss Terry,” Potts said. “They were so excited to get to work on building the 18th house.”
The 18th house refers to the latest home built by the Nick’s Kids Foundation in partnership with Habitat for Humanity.
The foundation, started by Alabama football coach Nick Saban and wife Terry, does multiple charitable works throughout Tuscaloosa. One of the major projects, in conjuncture with Habitat of Tuscaloosa, is to build homes for deserving families.
“It happened after the tornado (April 27, 2011) in August,” Potts said. “The Sabans and Habitat announced a partnership with Nick’s Kids, whereby they would fund 13 houses – one for every (Alabama) national championship.
“Well, as we were building the 13 houses, we won another national championship (in 2011). So, we built the 14th house, and then we won it again in 2012, and then on and on after that.”
If more houses get built due to Alabama national titles, that’s just fine with Potts. But it puts the heat on Nick Saban.
“Miss Terry, she puts a lot of pressure on me to win them so she can build another house,” he said.
Joselyn Hamner, who works for the University in the environmental services department, and who has a 5-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter, was the recipient of the new home.
Her new home was dedicated on Sept. 2, a special date for Hamner. That’s her grandmother’s birthday. Delores Crawford passed away on Jan. 11, the day Alabama won its 18th national title.
“I talked with her the day after the national championship and it was strange because her excitement was kind of tempered,” Potts said. “She said, ‘I’m sorry if I don’t seem as excited as I should; my grandmother died. Her grandmother was the one who she would discuss the house and how they would decorate it.
“It breaks your heart for her but to also know that her grandmother’s wish that she become a homeowner is going to be fulfilled is very special.”
As is customary, the Sabans took part in helping build the house, and brought several Crimson Tide players to pitch in.
“We do this because this is the rent we pay on Earth to how we serve other people,” Nick Saban said. “A lot of people support the University of Alabama, a lot of people support the program. This is one way that we can give back to support the community. This is something we use for the players to learn the importance of giving back to the community and how to help and serve other people.”
Nick’s Kids has helped 18 families become new homeowners, but it’s also helped Habitat for Humanity. Before the Sabans partnered with it, the organization was a small affiliate of Habitat, and built one or two homes a year.
Once the Sabans got involved, Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa prospered and several more families benefited to the tune of 88 new homes since 2011, including the 18 from Nick’s Kids.
“We all know the horrible things that came out of the tornado and how awful it was, but some good came out of it,” Potts said. “The Nick’s Kids partnership transformed our donor base into a nice mix of local donors and outside donors. They gave us legitimacy.
“The Sabans have been wonderful partners. They have been on-site and working with the houses and putting in their own work and labor and not just writing a check.”
House No. 18 is the first house built on one of the 40 lots Habitat recently acquired. The lots are located in the West End area near the Maude L. Whatley Health Center. The other 17 Nick’s Kids houses are on Juanita Drive in the Alberta City area.
The new lots are also right across the street from the Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy, which has also benefited from the Nick’s Kids project.
“We are partnering with the Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy,” Potts said. “The students did all the wiring in the 18th national championship house and Carpentry students helped frame the house.
“This is how we are going to do business. We are not only going to build new homes, but we are going to provide training for young people studying the construction trade.”
With house No 18 complete, next up is plans for No. 19, although that kind of talk is premature for Potts.
“We can’t do that because that’s not part of ‘The Process,’” Potts said. “We don’t want to be distributing rat poison.”
