New Story Builds Shelter and Second Chances
When two of New Story’s four co-founders took a mission trip to Haiti in 2013, they were shocked to find how many families were still living in tents after the devastating 2010 earthquake. What was supposed to be a temporary shelter built to last six months had turned into the new standard of living for countless families.
The young entrepreneurs returned to the United States and thought, “What if we could fund a home for one family? What if we found a way to get just one family into a home?”
“They didn’t have the intent to start a charity but found it difficult to find a charity they could trust where they would actually see the impact of their donations,” explains Sarah Lee, New Story’s donor experience director. “They started asking for help in identifying a family and were connected with their two other co-founders.”
In 2015, Brett Hagler, Mike Arrieta, Alexandria Lafci and Matthew Marshall launched New Story, a non-profit “working to create a world where no human being lives in survival mode.” Since its inception, the organization has funded the building of more than 1,300 homes for more than 5,000 people in Haiti, El Salvador and Bolivia.
The New Story concept has struck a chord with many—desirous to help those in need but confused about where to donate and unsure about where their contributions would actually go. New Story changes all of that, as donations go to one very tangible result: a home for a family who has no shelter. The charity’s “100% promise” means that 100 percent of donations go directly to hire local workers and buy local materials.
“At Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate, we believe that a safe and sustainable home is the very foundation of a person’s health and happiness,” says Sherry Chris, president and CEO of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate LLC, a New Story partner. “Each day, our network of affiliated brokers and agents make the dream of homeownership possible. Through our strategic alliance with New Story, we are further evolving our mission of empowering homeownership and extending our brand’s service commitment well beyond the borders of the cities, states and countries we already serve.”
“A safe home provides the foundation for health, education and opportunity,” agrees Sotheby’s Intl. Realty Affiliates President and CEO Philip White. “When I met Brett Hagler and the New Story team, I felt inspired by their mission to build sustainable homes for those in need. Teaming up with New Story as a charitable partner allowed us to extend the services we provide daily: to help people discover homes that allow them to live their best life. I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the Sotheby’s Intl. Realty network in support of this mission.”
Building Homes…and Beyond
According to Lee, New Story’s 100-percent model has been a driving factor in attracting corporate sponsors. “There’s not any question about where the money is really going,” says Lee. “That’s been a huge catalyst of our success.”
What also makes New …read more
From:: Real Estate News