Our History

1981: David Morris, an artist, and his father Saul, a former grass-carpet industry executive, launch their own company in a small storefront in East Ridge, Tennessee.

1983:  Habitat moves its operations to a larger facility off Hwy. 153 in Chattanooga. The Morrises hire their first employees, several refugees from Cambodia and Laos.

1986:  The company moves to a former chicken hatchery in Rossville, Georgia. David and Saul Morris host their first enclave of disabled people from Orange Grove Center.

1993:  The first group of eight employees with disabilities is hired at Habitat.

1996:  David Morris is selected to carry the Olympic torch on its way to the Summer Games in Atlanta.

1997:  Habitat receives the Catoosa County (Georgia) Chamber of Commerce's O. Wayne Rollins Entrepreneur Award for its strong support of special-needs workers. The company is also named Employer of the Year by the Tri-County Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, a non-profit consortium in Catoosa, Walker and Dade counties in north Georgia.

1998:  Habitat begins employing the homeless and near-homeless. An article about the company in Nation's Business magazine results in an Easter Seals Equality, Dignity and Independence (EDI) Award presented at a gala ceremony in New York City.

1999:  Habitat receives a prestigious Blue Chip Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, MassMutual and Nation's Business magazine.