Piedmont Lithium and Habitat for Humanity Form Partnership

Piedmont Lithium Inc., the company hoping to build a mine in northwest Gaston County, has formed a “full home partnership” with Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County.

The $150,000 financial commitment, along with volunteer hours donated by members of the Piedmont family, along with others from the community, are dedicated to building a new home in Dixon Village.

Dixon Village is a neighborhood that will provide much needed residences for Habitat families and entry-level buyers in a community built around an innovative approach to providing affordable housing, officials said.

Dixon Village is specifically designed to encourage interaction in a diverse, closely-knit community, creating what research shows are economic, social, and educational benefits for the Gaston County region, and especially for those who have the opportunity to live in a neighborhood like Dixon Village, officials said.

“As a company focused on making a product that will positively impact the quality of life of people across the county by addressing climate change and creating high-tech manufacturing jobs in the region, doing something that enhances the quality of life of others in our community in a different way is in complete alignment with our purpose and core values,” said Piedmont CEO Keith Phillips.

“Our team is excited to give their time and resources to help others, and serve the community we work and live in. We try to keep in mind, we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give,” added Phillips.

Located in North Belmont, Dixon Village is a 7.5-acre development that will contain 28 single-family homes.

Approximately one-third of these homes will be for Habitat homeowners, making it one of the few developments in the nation that is setting a new precedent for mixed-income living.

New research shows that communities like Dixon Village make a positive contribution to the area in a number of different ways, including a significant impact on success later in life for low-income children who grow up in a mixed income neighborhood, officials said.

Kay Peninger, Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County executive director, stated, “We are grateful to Piedmont Lithium for their leadership gift to help Habitat families purchase a home they can afford on their wages."

"Housing is not just about shelter," she continued. "It’s about homeownership and it represents a gateway and an opportunity to building a better future. With the strength, stability and self-reliance that owning an affordable home brings, Habitat families can focus on their lives, their health, their children, their dreams, and their path to a brighter future.”

Founded in 1988, Habitat for Humanity of Gaston County (Habitat Gaston) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a widely respected global brand.

Habitat Gaston works with qualified, deserving families to help them realize the dream of owning their own home.

The organization provides affordable homeownership opportunities for low-to-moderate income families and individuals in Gaston County, building more than 120 homes since 1988. Learn more at www.habitatgaston.org.

Piedmont Lithium is a diversified developer of lithium resources to help power the U.S. electric vehicle supply chain and based in Belmont.