Stories - Housing Can't Wait

Impact Stories

Everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to call home. The stories of the people we serve prove what’s possible when communities come together to create opportunity. From first-time homebuyers overcoming financial barriers to seniors gaining the security to age in place, these real-life experiences highlight the transformational power of housing. Each impact story is a testament to resilience. To hope. Click below to explore how lives are being changed every day.

This image shows an older couple standing proudly in front of their home, smiling and arm-in-arm. They’re posed on the front porch, framed by white railings and a clean, well-maintained house exterior. Their expressions radiate warmth, stability, and a sense of belonging—capturing a moment of pride and comfort in their place of residence.

From Rescue to Respite

There was no time to think. The walls buckled, and the trailer split like kindling, water rushing through the gaps. It swallowed their furniture, their photographs, the life they’d built together. Clinging to each other, George and Sherry tried to stay upright in the torrent, their feet scraping for anything solid beneath the rising current.

A healthcare provider in blue scrubs smiles while using a stethoscope to listen to a patient's heartbeat. The patient, seated and also smiling, appears relaxed in a clean and modern medical exam room.

Dayspring Health Turns Vacated Superstore into Whitley County’s One-Stop Shop for Healthcare

With support from Fahe CDFI via the Uplift America Fund and New Markets Tax Credit Program, Dayspring Health transformed an abandoned building that once housed Walmart into a state-of-the-art healthcare facility, and established a comprehensive source for healthcare in Whitley County, Kentucky.

A smiling couple sits closely together on a cozy, textured couch with patterned pillows. Their relaxed posture and joyful expressions reflect warmth, comfort, and a sense of home.

First-Time Homebuyers Save Time and Money by Eliminating Long Commute

Newlyweds Bobbi McSwine and Tyran Price didn’t think they would qualify for a home loan because of student loans and lack of a down payment. Both traveled over an hour each way from their home in Shelbyville, Kentucky to Lexington for work, and they dreamed of saving both money and time by living closer to their jobs.

A smiling woman stands beside a young person in a wheelchair outside a brick building, near a colorful chalkboard sign that reads "Cafe OPEN NOW." Red and blue balloons add a festive touch, suggesting a welcoming and inclusive community space.

Living the Golden Rule

For Nikki Price, finding a two-bedroom apartment with access for her son, Kale, and his wheelchair in Belington, West Virginia, population 1700, was challenging. In addition, she doesn’t own a vehicle and needed a place that was walkable.

A woman stands in a brightly lit kitchen with three children, all smiling warmly for the photo. Their close embrace and relaxed expressions reflect a sense of family, love, and togetherness in their home.

Investing in the Future

Elda Bowen was paying $1600 a month in rent out of her modest social security and retirement income. Purchasing a home significantly reduced her monthly payment. The move to Bath County also brought her and the three great grandchildren in her custody closer to relatives and the chance for a fresh start.

A smiling older woman and a man stand outside a house holding a weather alert radio box. The woman wears a beach-themed shirt, and the man wears a "Creative Passion, Inc." T-shirt.

Windows to the Future

Gloria Wright owns a 50-year-old three-bedroom cement block home that she maintains the best she can on a fixed social security income. But major improvements are beyond her means – like new energy efficient windows to replace the original single pane aluminum frame ones.

A man with a long white beard and a black cap smiles softly while standing inside a house under construction. Wooden framing surrounds him, and natural light filters through the unfinished walls.

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.

Three people, wearing work gloves and casual clothing, are lifting a wheelbarrow full of debris into a large blue dumpster. Dust rises from the contents of the wheelbarrow as they work together to unload it. The backdrop shows a red brick building with boarded-up windows.

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.

A group of volunteers, wearing aprons and masks, stand behind a serving table filled with trays of food. They are smiling as they prepare to serve meals, with a variety of dishes visible, such as casseroles and baked goods. The volunteers range in age and ethnicity, and they are all wearing gloves as they help with the meal service. The background shows additional people in line, and the setting appears to be a community meal or event at a large indoor space.

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.

A man and woman sit close together on a large rock in a wooded area, both wearing matching purple “Walk for Recovery” t-shirts and participant badges.

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.