Builder Hearthstone Winner Tom Gipson Shines on ABC’s “The View”
Amid all the tribulations in America’s home building landscape, here’s the opposite.
ABC’s “The View” is running The Ultimate Volunteer contest. From more than 1,000 applicants, Raleigh, N.C.-based custom home builder Tom Gipson — a 2008 Builder Hearthstone Award winner — was one of 10 on ABC’s short list. Here’s why:
Tom Gipson, 2008 Builder Hearthstone award winner
Early in 2002, homebuilder Tom Gipson had an idea. He wanted to give something back to the community for his success, so he recruited 11 other builders in Raleigh, North Carolina, to join him in a philanthropic undertaking: each would build a Habitat for Humanity house for free, engaging their subcontractors and suppliers to participate in the venture. Over the next eight months, the group met monthly to develop this Habitat Homebuilder Blitz program, and in one week in November they built a dozen homes, 100 percent complete, carpeted, landscaped, and move-in ready. The endeavor was so successful that the effort was doubled the following year, and 24 homes were built. Buoyed by the success of the program, Tom approached Habitat International to make this a national effort. Over the next two years, Tom traveled to more than 60 cities at his own expense recruiting homebuilders to participate. In June 2006, more than 1,000 homebuilders joined Tom and in a single week constructed 459 Habitat homes in their communities. Considering that approximately 50 subcontractors and suppliers worked on each house, the magnitude of the involvement of building industry professionals in this project can be appreciated. In 2008, despite the greatest crisis the building industry ever has faced, another 269 homes were built. The total value of the approximately 1,000 homes built so far as gifts from the homebuilders to their communities exceeds $50 million. Tom is now traveling the country for the 2011 Build.
Here’s how a peer-competitor brought our attention to the contest:
Have you seen the story that a local Raleigh builder is one of the finalists for the Ultimate Volunteer Contest on The View? I received a message urging me to vote and thought I’d pass it on to you. Incredibly homebuilders still built and donated $50,000,000 worth of Habitat homes in the midst of the worst time we’ve ever seen!
Here’s the link to vote for Gipson, (one vote per email address each day through Oct. 11).
The economy and individual fortunes may have upturns and downturns. What is extraordinary is that generosity and resilience seem to defy cyclical swings.
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Tom Gipson you have my vote. I am very proud off what you are doing to help peoples who need a safe home. Tom I wish you would come to Marks, Mississippi with your program.I need a house, it rain in my house, I have mold & mildew,my floors are falling out, I used duct-tape to cover that up.I am 52yrs. old and not able to work.I have been seeking help but had no luck.I am very ashame ot ask for help,but I have no choise. Thank you and God bless you.