In Ardsley Park, neighbors often find meaningful ways to give back—but few bring together creativity, strategy, and hands-on service quite like Kathleen “Kit” Trainor. Through her work with Coastal Empire Habitat for Humanity(CEHFH), Kit is helping transform not just houses, but lives.

Kit has been volunteering with CEHFH for nearly five years, stepping into a variety of roles that reflect both her professional background and her personal passion. After taking early retirement following COVID, she set out to find an organization where her decades of experience in merchandising, design, and strategy could truly make an impact. Just as important, she wanted to support a mission she deeply believed in: that everyone deserves a safe, decent place to live.

That belief, she says, was shaped years ago by the example of Jimmy Carter, whose dedication to Habitat for Humanity inspired her to one day contribute in her own way.

Kit first got involved at the Habitat ReStore on MLK Boulevard—what she calls a “hidden gem” in Savannah. There, she volunteers weekly, transforming donated items into thoughtfully arranged room vignettes. Her work helps customers visualize how pieces might fit into their own homes, bringing order and beauty to an ever-changing inventory.

But her efforts go far beyond aesthetics. “More sales mean more homes that we can build,” she explains. “There is a direct correlation of my work to the bottom line.” For Kit, that connection between creativity and impact is what makes the experience so rewarding.

Her involvement soon expanded into CEHFH’s annual Women Build initiative, held each March. The program brings together women of all ages and backgrounds to construct Habitat homes, often learning new skills along the way—from using power tools to installing windows and doors. For Kit, the experience is about more than construction. “We’re not only building a structure,” she says, “we’re also building friendships and community.”

Two years ago, Kit took her commitment even further by joining the CEHFH Board of Directors. In this role, she helps guide the organization’s long-term strategy, planning for the next three to five years. It’s a position she describes as both a significant responsibility and a deeply fulfilling opportunity. Through board service, she sees firsthand how Habitat’s work creates sustainable, hopeful futures for local families.

For those in the Ardsley Park community who want to get involved, Kit points to several simple but impactful ways to help: donate or shop at the ReStore, volunteer on a build site or in the store, or contribute financially or through land donations. Each action supports Habitat’s mission to expand affordable homeownership across the region.

Kit and her husband, Patrick, are relatively new to Savannah, having purchased their Ardsley Park home in 2019 and moving in full-time in 2021 after renovations. They relocated from Hong Kong in search of the perfect place to retire—and found it here.

What does she love most? The walkability, the vibrant restaurant scene, and beloved local events like the Savannah Music Festival and the SCAD Film Festival. But above all, it’s the sense of community—something she’s not only embraced, but actively helped to strengthen.

Through her dedication, creativity, and leadership, Kit Trainor exemplifies what it means to truly make a difference—one home, one project, and one connection at a time.