Fairview Community Engagement: Supporting the Community Center

June 18, 2024

Habitat for Humanity is best known for building and repairing homes, but our work goes deeper into supporting the communities in which we build. Our community engagement work is currently most active in Fairview, a Hillsborough neighborhood. Since 2008, Orange Habitat has built over 50 homes in Fairview, with the most recent completion of 22 homes on Odie Street last fall.

In 2021, the Town of Hillsborough approved repurposing the police substation. This came after a successful advocacy effort by the Fairview Community Watch. This Center is now known as the Dorothy Johnson Community Center, named after a prominent community leader. Orange Habitat has partnered with the Community Watch since the beginning, working together to develop and support the Center. This includes a $15,000 Home Depot Foundation Grant.

The funding has helped turn goals into reality. Initial goals included renovating the space and hosting community events. In partnership with UNC-Chapel Hill’s Community Practice Lab, the Community Watch also developed its five-year strategic plan. The most recent programming included a series of trainings for Community Watch leaders—the training aimed to build skills and competencies around nonprofit board governance and leadership, pictured here. Orange Habitat is proud to be able to support the work of community leaders like those in Fairview.

We look forward to continuing to work with the Fairview Community Watch!