Over the years, Johnny Stewart has accumulated guardian angels all over Fairhope.

Now, they have joined forces for the sole purpose of building Stewart and his wife, Krystal, a safe new home.

Stewart grew up in a small house at 306 Morphy Ave. He has been a constant presence at Panini Pete's in Fairhope's French Quarter since the doors opened in 2006. Over the years, Chef Pete Blohme has pulled Stewart into the Panini Pete family and took on the big brother role.

"I kid everybody, and Cheryl used to give him sodas, and I was like if you feed the stray dog, he is never going to leave, and he never did," Blohme laughed as he hugged Stewart. "I realized back then he was young and didn't have a lot of guidance in life and a lot of things were in disarray, so we started to help him out."

After meeting Stewart's parents and seeing his home life, Blohme decided he needed to get more engaged. From attending his Special Olympics events and hosting his prom dinner at the restaurant to adding him to the payroll once he graduated and hosting his wedding. They also got him a delivery bike. As Blohme said, the rest is history. Around the French Quarter, Stewart is known as the Sheriff and does whatever he wants according to Blohme. He buses tables, shags ice, makes deliveries and is Blohme's right hand man.

While Stewart is high functioning and close to being completely independent, he needs some help. After both of his parents died, his dad George in 2010 and mom Brenda in 2017, Blohme and a few of Stewart's guardian angels began to take notice of the condition of the Stewarts' home. It was in bad shape, and the group took the opportunity to come up with a plan.

"I remember it was pre-COVID, we sat down with Tina McGough (Stewart's former teacher), Christina Stankowski and Beverly Thomas (Stewart's former principal) and we said we need to build them a house," Blohme said. "We had our moments of doubt. There came a point when we were at one of those lows, and I said we are going to do this, and I kicked it into hyper drive."

Blohme tapped into his foundation, the PR Foundation, which was inspired by Stewart. Blohme and his culinary school pal Robert Kabakoff of Chicago formed the foundation to raise money and support military veterans, no kill animal shelters and people with special needs. Blohme began raising funds and getting the word out about the Johnny and Krystal Home Sweet Home Project. The fundraising ideas have been unique and included a beignets mix, collaboration with Ghost Train Beer's Community Blonde, and a book signing fundraising dinner with Top Chef winner and Alabama native Kelsey Barnard Clark. The early fundraising efforts raised around $50,000.

There came a point when Blohme began getting donations of building materials and labor and realized he needed guidance on how to build a home.

"Through the suggestion of the city, I called Marsha Jordan with the Baldwin County Home Builders Association. I said I have this wild thing we are doing to build a house for this wonderful couple and they said sounds good. It took a little time but once they committed this thing went into beast mode," Blohme said.

The Baldwin County Home Builders Association (BCHBA) started the BCHBA Foundation in 2015 with the purpose of giving scholarships to students studying the trades and building homes for those in need.

"We were looking for a project for a year and a half. Trying to find something for our charitable foundation to do but we couldn't find anything. Pete called the first of January 2022," Jordan said.
The BCHBA Foundation committee decided to take on the project and within three weeks raised over $175,000 of in-kind donation.

"Our Home Builders Association is a 900-member strong association here in Baldwin County," said Chris Farlow, BCHBA Foundation chairperson. "That is who we went to and said we have a special project we would like help with, and you know what they said? They said yes, what do you need? These are not large corporate sponsors. This is our community. This is our local cabinet shop, our local flooring store, these are the people that made this possible in such a timely manner."

An official groundbreaking ceremony took place May 25 and was attended by city officials, residents, family and friends. Farlow said he anticipated construction to start quickly. Permits and engineering was complete at the time of the groundbreaking, but they were still waiting for the survey.

"The estimated timeline is eight to nine months till completion. When you have donated labor it is a little bit harder to get people to go right into it," Farlow said. "As a builder right now when I pay for work it is hard to get people to show up so when they are donating it you have to give them a little leeway. They may come in the evening when their crews finish up early somewhere."

The estimated cost of the project is $254,000. Through the BCHBA Foundation's donation drive and Blohme's fundraisers the goal was close to being reached at the time of the groundbreaking. Farlow said he felt the project would be 100% funded soon and he was right.

One June 1, the PR Foundation and Sunset Pointe hosted a celebrity chef studded fundraising dinner and silent auction. Blohme planned to "fill bellies and empty pockets" and he was successful. The event brought in more than $40,000 but he isn't done emptying pockets yet.

"I am going to keep trying to shake you down," Blohme said to those gathered at the groundbreaking. "I am going to fill your bellies and empty your pockets every chance I get. We are going to do more great things in this community."

The BCHBA Foundation, Blohme and the PR Foundation hope to work together more in the future but they are hyper focused on the Stewart's Home Sweet Home Project.

"To change somebody's life by handing them a key to a house, mortgage free, changes that couple's life forever and the future of their family forever," Farlow said. "This is our community coming together. Do business with those folks that helped and gave back to the community."

Stewart isn't a man of many words but after the groundbreaking he said, "I just cannot wait for the house to get done. It will be wonderful to see it compared to the old one. Pete is like a brother to me and I can't do this without him. We are a good team."