(Deni Sullivan Tomsic and her husband, Walt | Graphic courtesy of Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity)
Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity announced that it has received its largest gift ever from a single donor. The donation of $521,000, from the estate of Denise Sullivan, comes as Bend-Redmond Habitat is planning to build over 100 sustainable, affordable homes in the next five years.
A truly remarkable woman, Deni Sullivan was an artist at heart, specializing in graphic design and the printed word. She lived and loved it here in Central Oregon for more than twenty years, and sadly passed away after a long fight with Parkinsons and Alzheimer’s in 2021. Prior to passing, she left a large portion of her estate to Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity.
“Deni had a huge heart for children, education, and giving people a hand up. She knew that it is more difficult than ever for working class families to find a pathway to homeownership in Central Oregon and we are honored to be part of her estate plan. Her incredible generosity will impact generations of future Habitat homeowners with the pride, safety, educational attainment, and wealth building opportunities that go along with homeownership,” said Carly Colgan, CEO of Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity.
Since 2020, Bend-Redmond Habitat has focused on sustainability, building efficient homes with solar power and to achieve either partial or full net-zero certification. Working with the executor of her estate, Habitat created the Deni Sullivan Sustainability Fund to ensure these sustainable building practices continue.
“We have over 225 homeowners in Central Oregon, and over 50 of those homes have solar power. We can now confidently say that thanks to the generosity of Deni Sullivan, we will be building sustainable, goal net zero homes far into the future,” Colgan said.
About Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity:
Bend-Redmond Habitat builds strength, stability, and self-reliance through affordable homeownership for families and individuals in Bend and Redmond. We are dedicated to changing lives by bringing people together to help make a difference in our communities. Since 1989, Bend-Redmond Habitat has served over 225 families with affordable homeownership and repaired 145 homes, providing more than 1100 children and adults with a safe, secure, and healthy home.
bendredmondhabitat.org/sustainability • bendredmondhabitat.org • 541-385-5387
