FirstBank and Knoxville Habitat For Humanity create first sustaining partnership
February 9, 2022

Program means more families and veterans will own homes

(L to R) - Chris Parrott, Senior Vice President/Regional Marketing Coordinator with FirstBank, Tracy Flynn, Vice President/Relationship Manager with FirstBank Nicholas Blair, Assistant Vice President/Financial Center Manager with FirstBank Miles Hite, Commercial Banking/Portfolio Manager with FirstBank Keith Garrett, Vice President/Senior Portfolio Manager with FirstBank Brittany Heater-Dies, Development Manager with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, Brent C. Ball, Knoxville Market President with FirstBank; image by Habitat for Humanity

KNOXVILLE – A new first of its kind partnership between FirstBank and Knoxville Habitat for Humanity has been signed and will ultimately serve hardworking families through affordable homeownership.

Through a Sustaining Partnership with Knoxville Habitat for Humanity, FirstBank has committed to supporting future homebuyers through numerous events, including a Covenant Partnership to build safe and affordable homes with two local families.

The first event of 2022 will be the seventh annual FirstBank Sporting Clays Tournament benefitting Knoxville Habitat for Humanity. FirstBank has been named title sponsor of this popular sporting event which will take place at the newly opened Iron Mountain Sporting Clays in Kodak on Friday, March 4. Through sponsorship of this tournament, FirstBank will be supporting Habitat for Heroes, Knoxville Habitat’s program that helps veterans and veteran families in the local community through homeownership opportunities and critical home repair.

On Friday, March 18, FirstBank will raise the walls in the inaugural home of Knoxville Habitat’s newest neighborhood, Ellen’s Glen. Ellen’s Glen will be a family-friendly community in East Knox County that will include 35 single-story homes, sidewalks, and underground utilities. FirstBank will fully sponsor these future homes by providing financial support and volunteers.

Future FirstBank sponsored Knoxville Habitat events include two Playhouse Builds, where each year they will build and donate a playhouse to a local military family, and an annual Team Build opportunity where they will provide additional volunteerism.

In addition to the extensive support FirstBank will provide through this multi-year partnership, Knoxville Market President Brent Ball is also serving as board member and treasurer of the Knoxville Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors.

“This is one more way we can show that we truly are Knoxville’s premier community bank,” said Brent Ball, FirstBank Market President. “We are committed to helping all of Knoxville get ahead. The data on how home ownership positively impacts a family, literally for generations, is amazing. This is meaningful not just to FirstBank as an organization, but to everyone who works there.”

“FirstBank’s incredible commitment to the work of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity will be vital in building strength, stability and a better future with hardworking families who are committed to our community,” said Kelle Shultz, Knoxville Habitat President/CEO. “We are very excited about this partnership that will create more opportunities for affordable homeownership and that will change lives for generations to come."

About Knoxville Habitat for Humanity
Knoxville Habitat for Humanity is an independent, non-profit, Christian housing ministry that partners with people of all beliefs. Knoxville Habitat has been an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International since 1985 and builds homes in partnership with families and individuals in need of a safe and affordable place to live. Knoxville Habitat also serves low-income seniors through critical home repair so they can live independently, more comfortably and more safely in their homes.

Families are very much invested in the process of buying their new homes, and they pay mortgages like anyone with a traditional home loan. In addition to their affordable mortgage, each family contributes 500 hours of sweat equity as a down payment before they can move in, most of which are spent in classes learning how to budget and become a responsible homeowner. Volunteers and future homeowners provide the labor in building the homes, while individuals, organizations and corporations provide tax-deductible donations of money, land, and materials.

Knoxville Habitat is also a Veterans Build Affiliate with Habitat for Humanity International, part of a national effort to provide affordable homes for local men and women who have served our country, as well as a Cost of Home affiliate working toward policy solutions to address the need for home affordability in local communities, the state of Tennessee and nationwide.

Knoxville Habitat has worked with over 700 families in Knox County. For more information or to donate, visit knoxvillehabitat.com.

About FirstBank
FirstBank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nashville-based FB Financial Corporation (NYSE: FBK), is the third largest Tennessee-headquartered bank, with 82 full-service branches across Tennessee, South Central Kentucky, Alabama and North Georgia, and a national mortgage business with offices across the Southeast. The bank serves five of the major metropolitan markets in Tennessee and, with approximately $11.9 billion in total assets, has the resources to provide a comprehensive variety of financial services and products.