Room for Family
When Brooke Shannon and her husband moved to Gatlinburg to open an artist shop, they first lived in a small attached apartment in the bustling downtown without a full kitchen. Soon after starting their search to buy a house, they had a firm deadline they wanted to meet: Brooke was pregnant and they were determined to welcome their son into a new home.
TENNESSEE MAN MOVES INTO 125TH HOUSE BUILT BY LOUDOUN COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
James McClain came to Tennessee’s Loudoun County Habitat for Humanity in January 2023, hoping to move from a poorly maintained one-bedroom apartment to a new home — one that he would own after providing 250 hours of sweat equity helping Habitat staff and volunteers with construction.
New Foundations
Bill Sizemore’s 100-year-old house filled with 18 feet of water in the July 2022 Eastern Kentucky floods. The foundation completely washed away and the structure was demolished just days later. Finding a rental took months. Bill wrestled with his next steps, not knowing what he would be able to afford. HOMES, Inc., made owning a new home possible.
More Than an Apartment
Mary Smith and her family had an on-going housing challenge because of a lack of affordable options and her seven years in active addiction. With the help of Garrett County Community Action Committee, she now has an apartment and is turning her life around.
Scott McReynolds, Executive Director, Housing Development Alliance (KY)
Housing Development Alliance (HDA), led by Executive Director Scott McReynolds, has been addressing housing challenges in Eastern Kentucky for over 30 years. Serving Perry, Breathitt, Knott, and Leslie counties, HDA confronts issues like substandard housing with “bad water, suspect heat systems, and rotting floors,” McReynolds describes.
Rising Above
Farmer Baker has felt lost since the devastating 2022 floods in Eastern Kentucky. That July night, a wall of water swept through his holler in Lower River Caney, tragically killing his wife and washing away their home. For two years after, he has lived nearby with his oldest son.
ON MLK JR. DAY OF SERVICE, ALABAMA RURAL MINISTRY HONORS THE LEGACY OF DR. KING BY IMPROVING HOUSING FOR THE ELDERLY AND DISABLED
Each year, Fahe Member Alabama Rural Ministry (ARM), an interdenominational faith-based organization with connections to the United Methodist Church, hosts volunteer opportunities in Tuskegee to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the MLK Jr. Day of Service.
UNIQUE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY-BASED REVITALIZATION TO SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA
Fahe Member Coalfield Development opened their doors in 2010 with the goal of building resilient rural communities in southern West Virginia with thriving social and financial economies.
Seth Long, Executive Director, HOMES, Inc. (KY)
HOMES, Inc. strengthens Eastern Kentucky communities by addressing housing challenges with innovative and sustainable solutions.,” says Seth Long, Executive Director.
Mary Ellen Judah, CEO & Executive Director, Neighborhood Concepts, Inc. (AL)
“Until you’re safely and affordably housed, you can’t begin to work on whatever challenge or opportunity you have for yourself,” says Mary Ellen Judah, CEO & Executive Director of Neighborhood Concepts, Inc (NCI), who creates lasting economic and housing opportunities for underserved communities in Alabama.
