Carrier has donated more than 500 ductless HVAC systems to Habitat for Humanity this year. To celebrate the gifts, the HVAC manufacturer has teamed up with pro football legend and longtime Habitat for Humanity support Warrick Dunn in Atlanta. 

For 20 years, Dunn has worked with the nonprofit through his Home for the Holidays program, which provides financial assistance to single mothers working toward buying their first home. He started the program in honor of his late mother, a Louisiana police officer killed in the line of duty.

“I’ve been working with Habitat for Humanity for many years and appreciate all they do across the country to help families achieve the dream of affordable home ownership,” Dunn said. “Working with Carrier feels like a natural extension of our efforts as they offer a product that brings comfort to families in homes everywhere and something our families often struggle to afford. Atlanta has been so good to me and my family, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity to highlight the work Habitat is doing here and in communities nationwide.”

Meredith Emmerich, managing director for Carrier’s ductless and variable refrigerant flow systems, led the campaign to donate the systems and is working with Dunn to spread the word.

“Carrier is excited about the donation. We understand the importance of being comfortable in your home and how good it can feel to turn on the cool air in the middle of the summer to relax and refresh,” Emmerich said. “To work with Habitat to provide this comfort to hundreds of homeowners is a great joy for Carrier and one of the highlights of our year. Through innovative relationships, like that with Habitat, and our relentless commitment to product innovation, Carrier is excited to provide ductless home comfort systems to these families.”

The celebration comes two decades after Carrier partnered with Greater Indianapolis’ Habitat for Humanity, where it has donated an HVAC system to every home the charity has built, company officials said. Since then, Carrier and parent company United Technologies Corp. have sponsored Habitat home building events across the country, with thousands of its employees volunteering their time to help with construction.

“The generosity of companies like Carrier helps families improve their lives and achieve strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter,” said Colleen Finn Ridenhour, senior vice president of development at Habitat for Humanity International. “We are grateful for the support of Carrier and its employees to help make a difference in the lives of families across the country.”

Carrier has also been working with local Habitat organizations and Carrier factory-authorized dealers nationwide throughout 2017 to install the donated HVAC systems in metropolitan areas such as Tucson, Arizona and Los Angeles.

“I’ve been doing this for years with Carrier here around Atlanta, and it’s always an amazing opportunity to see the joy and appreciation from the families and to know how much we’ve impacted their lives,” said Tom Deator, owner of Georgia Climate Control. “It’s an amazing opportunity to help make these homes as comfortable as possible for the families.”