Sweeter than Sugar: Nick and Terry Saban's charity dedicates 20th Habitat Home

Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa officially dedicated its 20th house in Tuscaloosa funded by the Nick's Kids Foundation in honor of the Crimson Tide's 2022 Sugar Bowl victory.

Nick and Terry Saban, Habitat officials and others gathered Friday morning on Elm Street to dedicate a new home for Richelle Harris. The home has been named the "Sugar House" in recognition of UA's 45-20 win over the Kansas State Wildcats on Dec. 31, 2022, in New Orleans.

"We certainly appreciate Habitat and their partnership and our ability to be able to build our 20th house in the community," said UA football coach Nick Saban said during the dedication.

More: Terry Saban leads coaches' wives in Habitat landscaping project

The tradition began after the April 27, 2011, tornado, when the Sabans' charity, the Nick's Kids Foundation, built a Habitat home for each of UA's 13 national championships in football. A new Habitat home was subsequently built every year that UA added another title ― 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2020.

But in 2021, the foundation decided to build a Habitat home after UA's SEC championship and this year's Sugar Bowl championship, a change Nick Saban good-naturedly attributed to his wife "breaking the rules."

"Even though Miss Terry changed the rules from winning national championships, to winning anything to build a house. I'm really pleased with that, I just hope we can continue to win enough to be able to build the next house. And that's what we're certainly focused on and want to do to help people in the community in the future," he said.

Terry Saban and the UA football coaches’ wives worked hard to landscape the yard with plants, mulch, and topsoil from Treehouse Farm and Nursery in Northport. UA players helped with paintings and other finishing touches.

Terry Saban said she was thankful for everyone who volunteered and participated in building the home.

“It is an honor to experience the teamwork necessary to build a house for a worthy local family. Every single person working on the house did so with a happy heart and a joyful spirit, knowing that they helped to provide a bed, a roof, and a place of safety and comfort for a family. Our football players and the coaches' wives were happy to put the finishing touches on the Sugar House and hope that we can build more in the future,” said Terry Saban in a news release.

Harris, who will be sharing the home with her granddaughter Tailar Jones, said she was excited and overwhelmed with joy to move into her new home.

"I would like to thank God who made all this possible. I would like to thank Habitat, all the workers, the volunteers, coach Saban, Mrs. Terry, my family, friends, everybody that made this possible," Harris said.

Harris said she most looks forward to “cooking in her new home, relaxing and having peace of mind.”

Both Harris and Jones said they look forward to enjoying their new home.

"I feel personally this is (a) new beginning ... I'm so happy to be in my own space and the house is beautiful," Jones said.

Harris, who was chosen to receive the home last fall, contributed 250 hours of volunteer labor on her house and other Habitat homes. She will purchase the home at the appraised value through a 30-year mortgage with 0% interest, according to Habitat.

The house is part of Habitat Tuscaloosa’s Operation Transformation, which will include 75 homes to be built in West Tuscaloosa. All the homes are within a mile of the Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy, and many will be used for construction trade job training for TCTA students.

Additionally, Hillcrest High School students served by United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama have begun volunteering on these construction sites, which will give them valuable experience and life skills.

According to a news release from Habitat for Humanity Tuscaloosa, the Harris home will be furnished by High Socks for Hope, a non-profit founded after the tornado by Major League Baseball pitcher and Tuscaloosa native David Robertson and wife Erin. High Socks for Hope has furnished all 20 Nick’s Kids houses and many other Habitat Tuscaloosa homes since the 2011 storm.

Ellen Potts, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa, the spirit of generosity fuels the entire endeavor.

"We're grateful for the generosity of Nick's Kids Foundation and the vision of the Sabans that formed this organization that has done so much good in our community and specifically for the Harris family, and 19 other Habitat families (who) live now in beautiful homes because of their generosity," Potts said.

Reach Jasmine Hollie at JHollie@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Nick and Terry Saban's charity dedicates 20th Habitat for Humanity home