By Rebecca Barnes, Publisher, Prince William Living
On a Sunday afternoon in late April, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore parking lot in Manassas will be alive with music, children decorating hard hats, food trucks, and families gathering. It’s a true celebration.
On April 26, from 1 to 3 p.m., Habitat for Humanity of Prince William County will host a family-friendly Homeowner Celebration to highlight the organization’s regional impact.
At first glance, the event offers everything you would expect from a spring gathering: live music, food, hands-on activities, and chances to connect. However, the deeper and main purpose is to help the community understand Habitat for Humanity’s meaningful mission and the impact of its work.
Understanding the Work Behind the Mission
Habitat for Humanity is widely recognized yet often misunderstood. One of the most common assumptions is that homes are simply given away. The reality tells a different story, one rooted in partnership and commitment.
“Habitat for Humanity provides a hand-up, not a handout,” said Steve Liga, LMSW, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Prince William County. “All families must be able to pay a reasonable mortgage, typically one-third to one-half of fair market value. They must have a full-time job, meet credit requirements, complete education classes and financial counseling, and contribute at least 250 hours of sweat equity.”
Homeowners earn their sweat equity by working on their own homes, helping build homes for others, making repairs for Habitat clients, or volunteering in the ReStore. This process demands time, discipline, and long-term commitment.
This model is intentional. It creates accountability and pride while ensuring homeownership is sustainable. It is not about giving something away. It is about creating a pathway that families actively build for themselves.
A Day Designed to Show the Impact
The Homeowner Celebration is structured to help visitors see that impact in a tangible way.
Interactive displays will guide attendees through Habitat’s work over time, including an impact timeline highlighting homes built, families served, and volunteer hours contributed. A large map of Prince William County will illustrate where that work has taken place, with opportunities for attendees to add their own connection to the story.
Guests will also be invited to participate in a hands-on installation centered on a simple but meaningful question: What does home mean to you?
These experiences move explanation into understanding, allowing guests to connect with Habitat’s mission firsthand.
Stories That Bring Meaning to the Mission
Homeowners take center stage at the event, offering firsthand insight into Habitat’s impact.
Attendees will hear from families who have partnered with Habitat, including individuals who have recently completed their homes and others who have reached the milestone of paying off their mortgages. These stories reflect the program’s long-term impact and the commitment required to reach that point.
For Liga, those outcomes extend far beyond the moment a family receives their keys.
“Clients who purchase a Habitat home see the entire trajectory for their lives and the lives of their children change,” he said. “It is not simply a roof over their heads. It is financial security, because their mortgages are normally significantly less than they were paying in rent, and they are building long-term equity.”
He also emphasizes the wider benefits stable housing brings over time.
“It opens opportunities and contributes to family support, because they do not have to work as many jobs or hours just to survive. They have stability with fixed mortgage payments, tax benefits, and the ability to make their home their own,” Liga said. “Homeownership improves mental health by reducing stress, increasing self-esteem, and providing a more positive outlook for the future.”
For many families served by Habitat, Liga adds, such opportunities would not otherwise exist.
“Our homeowners would likely never have a home without our assistance, but they earn their homes and cherish them,” he said.
Hearing these experiences directly from both leadership and homeowners offers something that statistics alone cannot. It provides clarity and perspective, helping attendees understand not only how the program works but also why it matters.
A Community Effort, Led with Intention
The event is being brought to life by Katie Baynard, owner of Tilly and Tulle, who is providing her planning services pro bono.
Baynard sees supporting Habitat as an extension of her dedication to community-centered events.
“Habitat’s work is something people think they understand, but when you really look at it, it’s so much more meaningful,” Baynard said. “This event is about creating a space where people can see that impact for themselves, meet the families, and walk away with a completely different understanding of what homeownership can look like.”
Since launching Tilly and Tulle in 2016, Baynard has consistently created intentional, welcoming experiences—an approach mirrored in this event, where families, volunteers, and partners gather in an engaging, accessible setting.
Local vendors, entertainment, and community partners will all contribute to the day’s experience, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that defines Habitat’s work.
More Than a Moment
While the Homeowner Celebration will take place over the course of an afternoon, its core purpose is to raise awareness of Habitat’s work, deepen community understanding, and inspire ongoing involvement—extending the event’s impact well beyond a single day.
Habitat for Humanity’s work across Prince William County represents long-term investment in families and neighborhoods. Each home is part of a larger effort to create stability, strengthen communities, and open doors to opportunity.
For attendees, this event opens a window onto Habitat’s ongoing work, fostering new connections and bringing the impact into focus.
Supporting Habitat means supporting a model built on partnership, responsibility, and pride in homeownership. It is a model that continues to grow through the involvement of the community it serves.
On April 26, that story will be visible in a way that is both personal and lasting.
Event Details
Habitat for Humanity Homeowner Celebration
Sunday, April 26, 2026
1 to 3 p.m.
Habitat ReStore Parking Lot
10159 Hastings Drive, Manassas
Registration is free, but required.
Rebecca Barnes is the Publisher of Prince William Living and the CEO of Imagine, a marketing and communications agency. She is a long-time community advocate, a volunteer with the OWL Volunteer Fire Department, and a champion for stories that connect and strengthen the region.