Habitat for Humanity volunteer helps local families with housing needs

Michelle Pavliv, of Cary, has been working with the organization for 10 years.

"She has a can-do spirit," said Nancy Bromhal, Habitat Wake communications director. "She is so optimistic, and she is so encouraging to her other volunteers and to the staff that works with her."

Pavliv helps with building homes, strategic planning, fundraising and recruiting.

"It touches my heart," she said. "One of the great things when you come out and work on one of the home sites is that you get to work side-by-side with the family that is going to live in the home that you are working on."

Pavliv is leading the charge for Habitat Wake to double the number of homes built annually by 2018.

"This year we are going to finish 42 homes in Wake County," she said. "And this year we are going to build our 500th home in Wake County. So in over 30 years of Habitat's existence here we have made a difference."

With 28,000 local families with affordable housing needs, Pavliv plans to work as hard as she can to make their dreams comes true.

"When you come out and do it, there is a real sense of satisfaction when you're done," she said. "When you're done you can look down and say 'I did this.’"