Sherwin-Williams CEO Chris Connor and Councilwoman Sabra Pierce Scott joined CHN and 30 Sherwin Williams associates as they painted and landscaped a Lease Purchase home on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 to celebrate Sherwin Williams first ever $50,000 grant. The Sherwin-Williams grant will support CHN’s new Lease Purchase Homeownership Group. This Group will help low-income residents – who have been renting successfully for 15 years – successfully transition to, and sustain, homeownership. The foundation will offer the $50,000 grant annually to maximize the company’s impact on the community and reaffirm the organization’s culture of excellence and guiding values that are integral to every facet of their business: Integrity, People, Service, Quality, Performance, Innovation and Growth.

During the check presentation, CHN Lease Purchase Homeowner, Arnetta Pryor (shown in photo; bottom row, third from the left), shared her inspiring story of realizing the dream of homeownership despite many physical and financial challenges. “It was through CHN’s Lease Purchase Program and Community Training Center, I realized I had the resources and support needed to become a homeowner,” Arnetta explains. She took advantage of all the computer classes, financial literacy and homeownership training programs offered at CHN’s Community Training Center. Arnetta purchased her Lease Purchase home earlier this year and has just graduated from Tri-C with an Associate Business Management degree. Currently, she is helping others realize their dream of economic prosperity and homeownership