Habitat for Humanity of North Central Georgia’s Women Build group recently raised more than $10,000 from hosting a community dinner and event with celebrity chef Tracey Bloom.

The group, serving north Fulton, Cherokee, Forsyth and Dawson counties, held the event in Milton where the chef famous for her appearances on “Top Chef,” “Don’t Be Tardy,” CNN and other shows cooked a three-course meal for a sold-out crowd of 40 donors.

The nonprofit stated the $10,000 raised could be credited to the leaders of Women Build whose mission is to raise money and build homes from the ground up for qualified Habitat homeowners.

Every year, the group raises $140,000 to sponsor one home, which eventually goes to someone with financial or housing needs in one of the four communities they serve. Serlin Bakotic, Chair of Women Serve, said the dinner was the perfect way to kick off this project and the start to their fundraising season.

“Once we raise the funds, the qualified homeowner is matched with the home that we help build,” Bakotic said. “Building alongside the homeowner is purely our honor and brings us all joy. We firmly believe everyone deserves a decent place to live.”

Each Habitat homeowner must go through a qualification process and give hours to the organization, working to help volunteers build homes.

“They then obtain the keys to their home and acquire a zero-interest, 30-year mortgage held by Habitat,” Bakotic said. “We consider this a ‘hand up’ and not a ‘hand out.’ These homeowners pay the same as all of us — a mortgage, HOA dues, utilities, property taxes, and homeowners insurance.”

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of North Central Georgia or Women Build, visit www.habitat-ncg.org.