Having a vehicle to support operations is critical to helping Habitat for Humanity affiliates serve their communities. Vehicles are used to transport tools and materials to a build site, pick up donated furniture to sell in a Habitat ReStore and provide safe travel while staff take stock of long-term recovery needs after a disaster.
After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans Area Habitat used 10 donated Nissan trucks to aid their disaster response, working alongside local residents to recover and rebuild.
“Because of Nissan’s donation of pickup trucks post Katrina, we were able to assemble a fleet of work vehicles to respond to the direct and profound need for housing,” says Bradley Holland, New Orleans Area Habitat’s director of construction.
The affiliate balanced 20 ongoing projects at a time with up to 50 volunteers per build site during the initial push to rebuild after the storm. Having vehicles that could be outfitted with tools, haul building materials and navigate work sites and rougher roads enabled the affiliate to more effectively serve the greater New Orleans community.
Nissan also donated four vans to New Orleans Area Habitat in 2015, supporting long-term Hurricane Katrina-related recovery work and responses to other weather-related events like Hurricane Ida in 2021.
“The cost of buying new vehicles would have been prohibitive to the budget of our construction fleet,” Bradley says. “Nissan’s generous donations helped us save costs and allocate more funding toward building more affordable homes.”
Chip plays the guitar on the steps of his home in Musicians’ Village after Hurricane Ida in 2021. In the wake of the storm, New Orleans Area Habitat used donated Nissan vehicles to help with disaster recovery.
St. Croix Valley Habitat’s Nissan Frontier transports donated furniture to their Habitat ReStore where it will be sold to help support local home affordability efforts.
Strong communities start with resilient homes
Following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Nissan donated 50 trucks to Habitat to help with rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast, including the 10-truck donation to New Orleans Area Habitat. That watershed donation marked the start of 20 years of partnership with Habitat.
Following hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Nissan donated 50 trucks to Habitat to help with rebuilding efforts along the Gulf Coast, including the 10-truck donation to New Orleans Area Habitat. That watershed donation marked the start of 20 years of partnership with Habitat.
In those years, Nissan has contributed more than US$21 million in funding and resources to support our work globally; they’ve donated an additional 163 vehicles; and their employees dedicated more than 180,000 volunteer hours to work alongside Habitat homeowners as they built their own homes.
“We’re proud of the meaningful impact our longstanding partnership with Habitat has made in local communities,” says Ali Tonn, Senior Manager at Nissan Philanthropy. “We love to see Nissan trucks taking on a valued and integral role in building resilient, affordable homes, and we are honored to be part of Habitat’s life-changing work.”
“We are on more of a trajectory to raise funds through the Habitat Restore because of the Nissan Frontier donation. Then we’re able to put those funds back into the houses that we’re building.”
Building capacity with in-kind gifts
In Wisconsin, a donated Nissan Frontier truck is helping St. Croix Valley Habitat grow their Habitat ReStore’s bottom line.
“Our Nissan Frontier enabled us to start doing donation pickups,” says Kristie Smith, St. Croix Valley Habitat executive director. “It’s changed our business – how many donations we get and how much inventory we’re able to bring in.”
In the past, St. Croix Valley Habitat had to rent a truck to pick up large donations like cabinetry. Now they can save costs while better serving their community.
“We are on more of a trajectory to raise funds through the Habitat Restore because of the Nissan Frontier donation,” Kristie says. “Then we’re able to put those funds back into the houses that we’re building.”
We are grateful for Nissan’s continued partnership and in-kind gifts that make a critical difference in communities across the U.S., as we work together to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
In Wisconsin, a donated Nissan Frontier truck is helping St. Croix Valley Habitat grow their Habitat ReStore’s bottom line.
“Our Nissan Frontier enabled us to start doing donation pickups,” says Kristie Smith, St. Croix Valley Habitat executive director. “It’s changed our business – how many donations we get and how much inventory we’re able to bring in.”
In the past, St. Croix Valley Habitat had to rent a truck to pick up large donations like cabinetry. Now they can save costs while better serving their community.
“We are on more of a trajectory to raise funds through the Habitat Restore because of the Nissan Frontier donation,” Kristie says. “Then we’re able to put those funds back into the houses that we’re building.”
We are grateful for Nissan’s continued partnership and in-kind gifts that make a critical difference in communities across the U.S., as we work together to build a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
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Habitat for Humanity International announces the continuation of its long-standing global partnership with Nissan Americas. Nissan’s donation will support vehicle purchases, house sponsorships and broader initiatives to help further Habitat’s mission.
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Looking to donate a car, truck, boat, RV or other vehicle? Your vehicle donation to Habitat supports families in your local community. With our quick and easy donation form, you can make a difference today.
