Grant funding addresses storm damage and builds next generation of housing advocates

Chapel Hill, N.C. — Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC (Orange Habitat) has received two grants from State Farm as part of its longstanding partnership with Habitat for Humanity International: one supporting disaster recovery efforts in the wake of Tropical Depression Chantal, and another expanding opportunities for young people to engage with Habitat’s affordable housing mission.

Recovering from Tropical Storm Chantal
State Farm’s Disaster Services Grant supports local Habitat affiliates in engaging young leaders in assessment, cleanup, and home repair projects following a declared natural disaster. For Orange Habitat, this funding directly supported the organization’s disaster relief program in the aftermath of Tropical Depression Chantal, which caused significant damage to homes across Orange County in July 2025.

The storm, which deposited 10 inches of rain in a single day, impacted 448 homes in Orange County, 244 of which experienced “major damage.”

Orange Habitat was among the first organizations on the ground responding to homeowners with urgent structural damage, including flooding, electrical failure, HVAC replacement, and insulation loss.

State Farm grant funds were applied to five of these disaster repair projects, enabling Orange Habitat to rapidly scale services and address critical needs, preserving existing affordable housing at risk of permanent loss and ensuring that homeowners could remain safely in place.

Engaging Young Professionals
State Farm’s Youth Action Grant supports local Habitat affiliates in developing innovative strategies to engage young people outside of the traditional home-building volunteer experience.

This year, Orange Habitat partnered with Triangle Habitat Young Professionals to host a homeownership education panel, bringing together industry experts and young professionals from across the Triangle to explore the path to homeownership. Grant funds also supported a volunteer build day at Weavers Grove in Chapel Hill, where Triangle Habitat Young Professionals contributed labor toward a future Habitat home alongside site staff and homebuyers, and a holiday dinner that brought young community members together in celebration of the year’s work.

State Farm and Habitat for Humanity
State Farm has been proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity to support the building of efficient, resilient housing in disaster-prone communities across the U.S. Since 2004, State Farm has donated nearly $15 million to support Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.

About Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC partners with households to create healthier, more secure lives. Together with homeowners, Habitat makes homeownership a reality and builds brighter futures for families in the community. Habitat builds new homes for local families who already live or work in Orange County, with homes sold through low-interest mortgages and monthly payments set at 30% or less of a family’s income. In addition to new construction, Habitat also assists existing homeowners, including those in non-Habitat homes, with critical repairs.

Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, NC is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a global nonprofit housing organization.

To learn more or to support Habitat’s work, visit orangehabitat.org.

Contact
Emily Oglesby, Communications Manager
eoglesby@orangehabitat.org
919-278-7201