By Larry Felton Johnson

Thursday morning, the Unity North Atlanta Church on Sandy Plains Road presented an $8,000 financial gift to Habitat for Humanity NW Metro Atlanta to support affordable housing efforts in Cobb County.

The church has worked with Habitat for Humanity for more than two decades.

The donation was received by Habitat CEO and Executive Director Kyle Huhtanen and Executive Advancement Officer Elisha Johnson. The presentation on behalf of Unity North Atlanta Church was made by Senior Minister Rev. Richard Burdick and Executive Director Anthony Jayesingha.

A news release from the church stated that Unity North Atlanta Church is committed to investing in the local community and supporting initiatives that create lasting, meaningful impact. The church participates in a shared mission to help families achieve safe, stable and affordable housing.

For more than 20 years, Unity North Atlanta Church has partnered with the Cobb Interfaith Coalition to build a Habitat home each summer. Church leaders said the collaboration demonstrates the difference that partnership, compassion and community involvement can make.

Unity North Atlanta Church said it is honored to continue its ongoing work of hope, service and transformation in Cobb County through its support of Habitat for Humanity NW Atlanta Metro.

The Courier asked the officials from Unity church and Habitat to say a few words about their partnership in the affordable housing project.

Elisha Johnson, the Mission Advancement Officer for Habitat for Humanity NW Atlanta Metro said, “I am responsible for furthering habitat’s mission through our supporter contributions, volunteer services, event management and communications.”

“I love partnering with our local faith congregations and further in advancing affordable housing,” she said.

CEO and Executive Director Kyle Huhtanen said, “We serve Cobb, Paulding and Douglas Counties. My role is to push forth our mission as the board has envisioned it, and take our strategic plan forward to build as many homes and touch as many households as we can with affordable housing, moving towards an ownership model and achieving their dream to stabilize their family and build equity and family wealth,” Huhtanen said.

Senior Minister Rev. Richard Burdick of Unity North Atlanta Church said, “One of the things that we teach here is that if the truth that we know and the love that we feel inside our walls stays inside our walls, that it’s been a waste of time, that it must go out the doors.”

“And so we are very much a community that is about taking the love to the streets, to those that are in need and living the principles that we teach through the doctrines that we teach, and that is to be the change that we want to see on the planet.”

Church Executive Director Anthony Jayesingha said, “The biggest thing that I want to highlight here is this is a commitment to our immediate community, and that’s why we are investing in our immediate community.”