n an era when people are hungry to celebrate good news, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity will do just that during an evening of hope, fundraising and festivities at their second annual gala, “Soaring to New Heights,” Nov. 4 at the Pensacola Naval Aviation Museum.
“The evening will include an exquisite three-course meal by Classic City Catering, silent and live auctions, live entertainment and a cash bar,” said Quinn Luehring, communications manager for Pensacola Habitat for Humanity.
Likely the most inspiring aspect of the evening will be testimonies from homeowners of a few of the 1,450 homes constructed and renovated by Pensacola Habitat since the organization launched 41 years ago.
“Attendees will be inspired by life-altering stories from families impacted by Pensacola Habitat’s mission,” said Luehring, adding that eventgoers can mingle with like-minded community members during a cocktail hour while viewing historic aircraft to the tunes of a live jazz band.
Of course, the goal of the evening is raising support for affordable home ownership for deserving area residents. Home ownership offers long-term benefits, including building generational wealth, higher civic engagement, stability and property improvements for neighborhoods.
Yet knowing how to navigate what is likely someone’s largest lifetime purchase is challenging and fraught with potential mistakes. So, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity services include education on managing this monumental step.
“The organization provides educational components, so the homeowners are set up for success in their homeownership journeys,” Luehring noted.
In addition, the organization offers Community Development services to assist homeowners in maintaining deteriorating properties, another way the organization is preserving and promoting home ownership.
The service Habitat provides is particularly crucial in 2022, Luehring said.
“The need for affordable housing has never been greater. As interest rates and land costs skyrocket, while wages stay relatively the same, it creates a gap in which more and more families are unable to afford an owned home and ultimately get stuck in the cycle of renting,” she said. “Pensacola Habitat for Humanity’s programs are designed to reach those audiences who are often forgotten about and left behind to fend for themselves. Each home buyer that goes through Pensacola Habitat’s Home Buyer Program receives their own customized plan and mortgage that is determined by their individual situation.”
Pensacola's Habitat for Humanity's Soaring to New Heights
When: 6-9 p.m., Nov. 4
Where: National Naval Aviation Museum, 1750 Radford Boulevard, Pensacola
Tickets & more information: Tickets can be purchased through the Pensacola Habitat for Humanity website: pensacolahabitat.org/phfhgala. All ticket holders must complete a security form in order to gain access to NAS Pensacola, as it is currently closed to the general public. If you are a Military ID card holder or are carpooling to the event with a Military ID card holder, you do not need to complete the security form. You will receive the security form in your confirmation email after purchasing a ticket.
