May 7, Hamilton, MA – On Tuesday, May 7, leaders from Ira Subaru of Danvers and Subaru New England joined Essex County Habitat for Humanity at their construction site in Hamilton to present a check for $40,000. The donation is a combined contribution from Ira Subaru of Danvers, their amazing customers and Subaru of America as part of the Subaru Share the Love Event Initiative.
“Every year in November and December, Subaru runs the Share the Love Event where Subaru’s retailers donate a portion of every vehicle sold during that time period. This is our 16th year running this event and nationwide we have accumulated $288 million during that time period!” explained Steve Hoogendoorn,District Sales Manager for Subaru of New England.
Meegan O’Neil, Executive Director of Essex County Habitat for Humanity accepted the donation saying, “It will help us build 10 homes here [in Hamilton] and for that we are very grateful,” adding “I’m a proud Subaru driver myself and it is donations like this that make me even happier to be driving a Subaru.”
After the presentation, 18 Subaru staff members donned hard hats and got to work helping to install deck stairs on one and sheathing on another of the homes being built in the development, which, when complete, will house 10 families in need of affordable housing.
Working alongside the Subaru employees were two of the future Habitat homeowners, Yaddira Lopez and Deanna Serino. Yaddira is a single mother of two and a marine veteran. Deanna recently also became a single mom of three children and works in the medical field. Families selected by lottery for Habitat homes invest their own time and labor into the homes as sweat equity, in addition to paying an affordable mortgage and receiving a first-time homeowner education.