As the summer sun began to fade and the back-to-school season approached, we launched two heartwarming initiatives that brought us all closer to our communities and supported important causes. Our recent school supply drives in Texas, carried out in partnership with Star of Hope in Houston and the other with Partnerships for Children in Austin, have left us inspired and grateful. Read on to learn more about how our team has succeeded in giving back to communities that have given us so much.

Spreading the Word and Sharing the Love

It takes a team to achieve a dream, and that couldn’t be truer in these cases. At the start of our initiatives, we reached out to our homeowners, vendors, prospects, and realtors, inviting them to be a part of something meaningful. Spreading the word within our model homes and across our Texas communities, we encouraged people to join hands with us in supporting students in need.

Turning Generosity Into a Friendly Competition

Who doesn’t love a little competition? To add some extra excitement to our initiatives, we turned our school drives into contests among our communities. The challenge was simple: who could gather the most supplies and create the most impact? The response was nothing short of phenomenal.

From Model Homes to Office Walls: A Ripple Effect of Kindness

Our initiatives weren’t just confined to our communities. The spirit of giving spread to our office spaces as well. Our team didn’t hesitate to add their own donations to our growing piles of supplies.

The Impact of Small Acts of Kindness

Through the collective efforts of our team in Houston, we were able to donate about 200 items to support students in need with our contributions in Austin being just as successful. Items like notebooks, folders and pencils are simple items but can make a substantial difference in a student’s school life.

Our Continued Efforts of Give Back

Our partnerships with Star of Hope and Partnerships for Children are more than just one-time endeavors. They’re commitments to our communities and uplifting those around us. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all who participated, donated, and spread the word. Your involvement has left an indelible mark on our communities and has shown that, when we come together with purpose, remarkable things happen.

Discover some of the other initiatives we’ve been a part of in support of our local communities, including our volunteer day at Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

While giving is often associated with the holidays, giving back to our community is something we prioritize and encourage all year long. With the help of our partners, employees, and volunteers, Empire Communities has been a proud sponsor of various charitable organizations in Atlanta that rely heavily on donations to not only survive, but thrive. Read on to learn more about our contributions to a community that gives us so much.

Austin, Texas Aug. 3, 2022: Representatives with Empire Communities, Mobile Loaves & Fishes and HomeAid Austin were on hand Tuesday to cut the ribbon on the Happy House, a new tiny home in Community First! Village.

Built and designed by Empire Communities, Happy House incorporates a dining room, living room, sleeping area and closet within 190 square feet. There is also an exterior closet and a screened-in porch. Residents of the 51-acre community have access to communal laundry, restroom and shower facilities, as well as outdoor kitchens, community gardens and more.

“Of course, every home we build is important to us, but Happy House and the other tiny homes being built in Community First! Village are truly life-changing,” said Terry Shuffler, Empire’s Central Texas Division President. “Many of the people living in the village have been homeless for years.”

The first phase of Community First! Village encompasses 230 tiny and RV/park homes and Phase 2 — now under development — will add an additional 200 tiny homes and 110 RV/park homes. Approximately 180 men and women found a home in the community’s first phase, with nearly 100 moved into Phase 2 of Community First! Village. Their average age is 58, and most have spent about 10 years living on the streets. Residents are expected to pay rent, and homes are fully furnished when they move in, including the stocked pantry and refrigerator.

HomeAid Austin brought in Empire Communities and others to build in the Community First! Village, a project of Mobile Loaves & Fishes. The builders work with trade partners to procure discounts and donations to help fund construction of the homes. Vendors helping with Empire’s Happy Home construction include: Builders FirstSource, Keith Barker Roofing, Wester Pacific, Kent Moore Cabinets, JSS Framing, JLJR Framing, 2A General Carpentry, Cool Insulation, Amptech Electric, Stans Heating & Cooling, AusTex Painting, Dan White’s Screens & Things, E&E Cleaning and Reliable Cleaning Services.

“We are so grateful for the generous support of our vendors,” Shuffler said. “We couldn’t have done this without them.”

Besides offering affordable, permanent housing, Community First! Village has communal areas such as an outdoor movie screen and community art house that encourage people to gather and build relationships. Residents also find employment opportunities in the village, and a Capital Metro bus stop there allows residents to venture into the surrounding area for work and other needs. Genesis Gardens sits on 2 acres, and Community First! Village neighbors and volunteers work side-by-side to cultivate produce given away at a free farmers market. An on-site clinic provides physical and mental health services. Also found on-site are a chapel, dog park, grill and hair salon.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes is a social outreach ministry that has served the homeless in Central Texas for more than two decades. HomeAid Austin is the local affiliate of HomeAid, which aims to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness to build new lives through construction, community engagement and education. Empire Communities builds in 11 Austin-area communities. Empire’s Central Texas Division President Shuffler is a HomeAid Austin board member.

Learn more about Empire Communities at www.empirecommunities.com. Information about Community First! Village can be found at www.mlf.org.

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About Empire Communities

Empire Communities is a residential builder/developer involved in all sectors of the new home building industry, including both low‐rise and high‐rise built forms. Celebrating over 28 years of building inspiring new places to live, Empire has an established tradition of creating prestigious award-winning new homes, communities and amenities and has earned a reputation for outstanding attention to detail and customer service. Since its inception in 1993, Empire has built over 28,000 new homes and condos. Today, Empire is one of the largest privately held homebuilders in North America with current communities in Toronto and Southwestern Ontario and the Southern United States. For more information, visit empirecommunities.com or connect on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.

For information contact:

Haunani Shipper @ 972.415.6002

Total PR

email hshipper@totalpr.com

The Happy House may not be Empire Communities’ largest home underway in the Austin area right now, but it just might be the one with the biggest heart.

With just 190-square-feet of living space, Empire’s tiny home is being built in Community First! Village — a 51-acre community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. Community First! Village is a development of Mobile Loaves & Fishes, a social outreach ministry that has been serving the homeless in Central Texas for more than two decades.  

The appropriately named Happy House floor plan features a dining room, living room and sleeping area, with interior and exterior closets and a screened-in porch. Residents have access to a communal laundry area, restrooms and shower facilities, as well as outdoor kitchens, community gardens and more.

At Empire, there’s an underlying feeling of care that runs intentionally throughout our entire organization, driving what we do and how we do it. It’s present in all facets of the business, and is even reflected in our core values — by caring for our customers, having a caring attitude, building caring relationships and caring for excellence. We embrace everything that has potential to make a positive impact and strive to inspire others to do the same. With that said, Empire is as proud of our 190-square-foot Community First! Village home as we are of the much larger homes we’ve built in the Greater Austin area, just knowing that it’ll help someone in need.

The first phase of Community First! Village comprises 230 tiny, RV and park homes with Phase 2 — now under development — adding an additional 200 tiny houses, as well as 110 RV and park homes. Approximately 180 men and women found a home in the community’s first phase, with nearly 100 now moved into Phase 2. The average age of the community’s residents is 58, the majority of whom have spent approximately 10 years on the streets.

Offering affordable, permanent housing, Community First! Village also boasts features that encourage people to gather and build relationships. From the community’s outdoor movie screen and art house to the front porches of homes, the community is designed to help residents connect. Employment opportunities can be found within the village, and Capital Metro’s nearby bus stop makes it easy for residents to venture into the surrounding area for work and other needs. Genesis Gardens has farmland on the community’s grounds spanning more than ten acres, providing Community First! Village residents with fresh and free produce. An on-site clinic provides physical and mental health services, while a chapel, dog park, outdoor grill and hair salon are also at residents’ disposal. All homes are fully furnished when residents move in, and come with a fully stocked pantry and refrigerator.

HomeAid Austin and its participating builders work with trade partners to procure discounts and donations to help fund construction of homes, while the overall development of the community is funded through a variety of grants. Recent donations have helped the organization acquire another 127 acres — enough for 1,900 permanent homes across all phases.

There are a number of ways the public can support the mission of Community First! Village. Donations are welcome, as are volunteers. You can also shop artwork, handmade crafts and other items.

Learn more about Community First! Village here.

There are many local charities and organizations that rely heavily on community support to not only survive, but thrive. This is especially true during the holiday season, when residents are reminded to give back to those in need. 

Most people have more stuff laying around in their homes than they will ever get to use, so it’s good to make a habit of regularly auditing your closets or pantries to see what can be given a new life and what can be donated. While this may seem like an overwhelming task to undertake, we promise it isn’t as daunting as you think. Check out our guide so that you can become a master at decluttering.

Images courtesy of; Chron (HomeAide Houston); Austin Monthly (Austin Free Fridge Project); The Guardian (San Antonio Food Bank).

It’s the holiday season (a.k.a. the giving season), so what better time to give? We don’t mean gifts for family and friends, or for yourself — we’re talking about giving back to our communities, to those in need, and to causes that were created to effect change. To help you take some of the guesswork out of how or what to donate, and which charities to support, we’ve rounded up a list with information that touches on just that.

Now that you’ve got your gifts in order, we want to give you a little tip. As your holiday festivities draw nearer, gathering with family and friends doesn’t have to be so complicated to plan. If you’re responsible for hosting this year, read this one trick that’ll make your celebrations easier than ever.

Photos and videos courtesy of: Operation Christmas Child (Operation Christmas Child); The Salvation Army (Boys & Girls Club); Axios Charlotte (Second Harvest); The Wildest (Humane Society). 

The holiday season is a special time for many — it’s when families gather together to exchange gifts, and create special memories with the ones they love. It’s also the time of year when many are reminded to give. While monetary donations are the most common ways people choose to give back, there are many ways you can support those in need without spending any money. Sometimes, it’s the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference. If you’d like to give back to your community this holiday season, here are a few charities across Ontario you can support:

Thinking about donating your old stuff but just don’t know where to start? It can be overwhelming to fish out items you probably haven’t seen in quite some time, so here’s a guide to help you conquer decluttering.

Images courtesy of; Daily Bread Food Bank (Daily Bread Food Bank); The Toronto Observer (Community Fridges TO); Furniture Bank (Furniture Bank); Brantford Expositor (Brantford Food Bank); Will Power (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara);