HDA to Hold Community House-Raising

by Mindy Miller, Director of Development & Communications

HAZARD, Ky. (October 3, 2019) — A timeless tradition in the mountains will be on full display this month in Perry County.

The Housing Development Alliance (HDA), a nonprofit affordable housing provider located in Hazard, will host its annual Community House-Raising event Oct. 19-26. During that week, hundreds of volunteers are expected to join HDA’s carpenter crews as they build a new, forever home for a local family.

“The tradition of house and barn raisings goes back hundreds of years in Eastern Kentucky,” said Jane Rose Britton, HDA’s volunteer and community coordinator. “Mountain people have always believed in helping one another, especially if someone in our community is in need.”

From footers to finish, officials at HDA intend for the house to be built in six weeks or less, with the goal of moving the family into the home by Thanksgiving.

“Building a home requires a lot of resources,” said HDA Executive Director Scott McReynolds. “As a nonprofit, all of our work is accomplished through donors, sponsors, and grants. In order to build this home for this family, we need gifts of money, equipment, tools, and plenty of helping hands!”

This year, HDA has been selected to receive a matching grant from the Perry County Community Foundation as part of its “Supporting Success in Perry County” challenge. The Foundation will match all donations dollar for dollar up to $5,000. So, any gift given will have twice the impact. The match deadline is Oct. 31.

After the home is completed, HDA plans to hold an Open House in which they will invite folks to see the house the community built.

“The Open House is an opportunity to bring everyone together yet again, and show them what is possible when we care about our community and each other,” McReynolds said. “To see what the gift of a home means to a working class, mountain family is one of the most moving things you can ever witness.”

All are welcome to volunteer to help out with the house-raising. No construction experience is necessary, but those interested in participating – whether individuals or groups – will need to sign up. Volunteer slots are limited and can fill up quickly.

Official event sponsorships are also available. Donations can be made online or by regular mail to the Housing Development Alliance, P.O. Box 7284, Hazard, Ky. 41702.

For more information about the event, please contact Jane Rose Britton at 606-436-0497 or email her.

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Serving Breathitt, Knott, Leslie, and Perry counties, the Housing Development Alliance (HDA) is a 25-year-old nonprofit housing developer that serves as lender, counselor, developer, and contractor for low-income persons in need of housing assistance. We work with multiple organizations within the Federal, State, and Local governments and in the private sector to help individuals break down barriers to access the resources they need to build financial stability in regards to housing.