Habitat Tuscaloosa Dedicates 2 Homes Built to Honor Nick & Terry Saban

Tuesday was a rare and rapturous day for Habitat for Humanity of Tuscaloosa as they dedicated two homes built to honor Nick & Terry Saban in the same morning.

As the Thread first reported in May, Habitat Tuscaloosa's executive director Ellen Potts wanted to do something for the Sabans to recognize their generosity to the nonprofit, especially following the catastrophic EF-4 tornado of April 2011.

In the 13 years since then, the Sabans and their Nick's Kids Foundation have sponsored the construction of 21 separate Habitat homes in the city - one for each of Alabama Football's national championships, then a few more to recognize major feats from Saban's last years as head coach.

At the dedication of the LANK House honoring the 2023 team - the last Saban would coach before he retired early this year - Potts announced Habitat would build homes to honor both of the philanthropic Sabans -  a Legacy House for Nick and a Women's Build for Mrs. Terry.

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On Tuesday, the former king and queen of Alabama Football were on-site at both finished homes to dedicate them and welcome the families who will live there.

Samantha Hamner, who will purchase and live in the Nick Saban Legacy house, also holds a special place in his heart - she works in The University of Alabama football cafeteria and personally prepared the famously unchanging salad Coach Saban ate for lunch every day.

"The first thing I would like everybody to know is Samantha here made my salad for 17 years - with love!" Saban said. "And we so happy to be honored here today for, really, for what Mrs. Terry has done for the community and what we've been able to do in terms of, hopefully, helping people have a better quality of life, helping young people especially have a home they can grow up in and be proud of, and hopefully we can do more in the future."

Saban said he and his wife often don't greet each other with hellos or how-are-yous. Instead, they ask, "Who did you help today?"

"So this makes us feel good," Saban said. "It makes me proud of the 21 houses that we did build in the community, and that our players all contributed to them - and quite a few of those players, because of that great feeling and the opportunity that this gave them to give back to the community, they now have foundations of their own helping people in their communities, wherever they are."

A few steps up the road on Milestone Circle - an entire community of Habitat houses being built one house at a time - Habitat also dedicated the home of LaPorchia Mitchell.

Mitchell, an interventionist with the Tuscaloosa County School System, has a son who will turn 2 on Thanksgiving.

The home, sponsored by the Coley Agency, was Habitat's first Women's Build - all 175 volunteers who donated to and helped build the home were women.

"This is such a great way to honor Mrs. Terry and Coach and what they have done for this community, and I'm just so glad to have the opportunity to be a part of it," said Michele Coley.

Mrs. Terry has been the driving force behind the Sabans' philanthropic efforts for decades and said she was proud to see two more families move into Habitat homes, which they purchase from the nonprofit via zero-interest loans.

"You know this is very reminiscent of what the Amish do - a barn-raising - where everyone in the community comes and participates," Terry Saban said. "And you don't just work, you socialize - you have fun, you talk and meet people, you're cooking and helping each other and really, that's what Habitat is all about. The whole community is participating to do something beautiful for a family who needs it and appreciates it."

With construction finished and the dedications done, the Hamners and the Mitchells will be able to move into their new homes before Christmas, thanks to help from a whole slew of Habitat sponsors including High Socks for Hope, who will furnish the homes.

For more coverage from the west Alabama community, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.