Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County is proud to announce that it has hired Kyle Meleski as its new Director of Development. Meleski has over 15 years of experience in public relations, communications, issue advocacy, fundraising and political strategy.
He spent five years as a full time stay-at-home-dad for his two young boys and is writing a book entitled Just Don’t Call Me “Mr. Mom.” During that time he did consultant work for Southside Christian School, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Miracle Hill Ministries, IMI Living, Hill-Mullikin, OOBE and Associated Builders and Contractors. He has also done some work for Chip Felkel, CEO and Senior Strategist for The Felkel Group, a political affairs and issue advocacy firm in Greenville, SC. Prior to coming on board at Habitat Greenville, Meleski served as Account Supervisor at Jeff Dezen Public Relations, a PR firm based in Greenville, SC.
From February 2004-January 2005, Meleski served as Public Relations Coordinator for VantagePoint, Inc., a marketing and communications company in downtown Greenville. It was there that he was responsible for crafting and implementing public relations strategies for the firm’s business-to-business clients.
Before moving to Greenville, Meleski served as Director of Public Affairs at the Massachusetts Chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors in Boston, MA from 1998-2003. From 1996-1998, Meleski was Campaign Manager and then Legislative Director for Massachusetts State Representative Tim Clark (R-Hamilton).
Prior to that, Meleski served as a Legislative Assistant to Congressman James T. Walsh (NY-25th) in Washington, DC from January 1992- May 1996, with a leave of absence in the fall of 1994 to work in the district as Assistant Campaign Manager.
“Kyle comes to us with an impressive resume,” stated Monroe Free, President of Habitat for Humanity Greenville County. “We are extremely excited to see him put his extensive knowledge and background to work for the Habitat mission as we seek new ways to build more houses here in our community.”
As Director of Development, Meleski will be responsible for maintaining and cultivating current partner and major donor relationships while developing new prospects in those categories. In addition, he will also be tasked with daily public relations and communications needs for the organization.
Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County will dedicate a completed home at 321 Gray Street in Travelers Rest on Saturday afternoon, May 22, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. The new home is for the Moise family and was built in honor and memory of Derek Ledford who died in a car accident in 2007 prior to his senior year at Southside Christian School. It had been his intention to devote his volunteer time that year to working with Habitat on a build team.
Yolette Moise, a single mother with two young daughters, is a phlebotomist at Hillcrest Memorial Hospital. She became involved in Habitat Greenville in July 2008 after making an acquaintance who moved into a Habitat house. Moise has completed the many required classes for owning a Habitat home, including the budget class, and has fulfilled the necessary 250 “sweat equity” hours, working construction on other Habitat homes and at The United Way and Habitat ReStore.
“This particular home got our 2010 build season off to a wonderful start,” said Monroe Free, President of Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County. “Because of Derek’s legacy and the profound impact this young man had on so many people around him, the blood, sweat and tears that went into this project were especially meaningful. And to be able to see the Moise family achieve their lifelong goal of homeownership is really what it’s all about,” said Free.
Moise immigrated to the United States from Haiti 13 years ago. She still has a brother, sister and nephews in Haiti. Their home was completely destroyed in the recent earthquake, requiring them to live off of humanitarian services. Thankfully, no one was injured.
In addition to being supported by Friends and Family of Derek Ledford, “Derek’s House” is also being funded and built by Buncombe Street United Methodist Church; First Presbyterian Church, Greenville; the Furman University Campus Chapter of Habitat for Humanity and John Knox Presbyterian Church.
From the Greenville News:
GREENVILLE — When Clarissa Williams and her family became the feature family for the 2008 United Way of Greenville County campaign, they had only just begun a journey that would eventually take them from homelessness to homeownership.
This Saturday, Habitat for Humanity will host a dedication ceremony for Williams’ home.
The family put in hundreds of hours at the site in Travelers Rest, working alongside Habitat for Humanity volunteers, partners and staff to help build their new home. Habitat will officially present Williams with a house key, a toolbox and a special quilt made by the Greenville Foothills Piecemakers Quilting Guild.
Williams’ story is significant because of the local Greenville community and corporate groups who came together on her behalf. Under Habitat for Humanity’s guidance, AMEC, an engineering and project management services firm, teamed up with Baldor, an electrical product distributor, to spearhead the house-building project.
The companies worked side-by-side with Greenville Interfaith Hospitality Network, First Baptist Church of Greenville, Trinity Lutheran Church of Greenville, the Williams family and other volunteers, completing what the United Way started several years earlier on the family’s behalf.
“By uniting and working together, local community and business partners literally have the power to pull a family out of homelessness altogether and take them to homeownership,” said Monroe Free, President of Habitat for Humanity of Greenville County. “What these groups have done sets a remarkable example for Greenville and the Upstate, especially as we move into the holiday season of giving and sharing.”
The Williams home dedication will take place Dec. 5 at 3 p.m. at 311 West Road in Travelers Rest.
