HAMMERS coordinator Zach Jakob (left) and Marcia Webster, executive director of the Davidson Housing Coalition (center) receive award from Donna Anderson, president of Charlotte Regional Realtor's Association.

Davidson Housing Coalition announcement

The Davidson Housing Coalition’s HAMMERS program to rehabilitate homes for needy homeowners recently received the Charlotte Regional Realtor’s Association (CRRA) annual Humanitarian Award.

Marcia Webster, executive director of the Davidson Housing Coalition; and Zach Jakob, project coordinator of HAMMERS, accepted the award at the 2009 CRRA awards gala Jan. 14.

CCRA established the Humanitarian Award in 2007 to recognize work for others that greatly enhances the quality of community life.

HAMMERS is an arm of Davidson Housing Coalition that makes low- to no-cost emergency repairs on owner-occupied homes in Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson and the Mooresville areas. The program utilizes volunteer labor and donated materials wherever possible, and is capable of meeting homeowner needs relating to accessibility, carpentry, plumbing, roofing, electricity, or heating and cooling. HAMMERS has completed work on 87 homes so far, and hopes to have fixed 200 by 2010.

CRRA presented HAMMERS with an engraved crystal award and a check for $1,925 to designate to a nonprofit of its choice.

Webster said, “Davidson Housing Coalition and HAMMERS are very honored to receive this award. Our lower-wealth homeowners are suffering during these very difficult economic conditions, and the need for HAMMERS to perform the health- and safety-related repairs is increasing dramatically. This award and recognition will enable us to provide more families with an increased quality of life by eliminating the hazards in their housing.”