By Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer
RICHMOND —
It takes a community to build one, and that is the mission of Habitat For Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties.
But aside from lots of volunteers, this mission also needs money.
“We are wanting to close our fiscal year with a healthy budget,” said Judy Flavell, executive director of Habitat For Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties. “It’s been a rough year economically, and we’re really excited about some of the events coming up.”
The organization will be celebrating the completion of Berea’s Hope Estates in August.
“We’re also working on acquiring land in Winchester and Berea,” she said. “We have volunteers signing up every week and are ready to build a house for families who need it. We have families who are approved and ready to start providing the sweat equity. We also just got the news that we were selected as a neighborhood revitalization initiative site.”
Habitat for Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties has been selected as one of 163 affiliates nationwide to participate in Habitat for Humanity International’s initial phase of its Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative.
This effort focuses on improving housing conditions while partnering with other community organizations to provide services that enhance the overall quality of life across struggling neighborhoods.
“It gives us an opportunity to partner with other area non-profit organizations, the city and county governments and ultimately, we’ll be able to serve more families,” she said. “That solid foundation is so important for good health, jobs, education, and the economy as a whole.”
Flavell came four months ago to Habitat For Humanity of Madison and Clark Counties to serve as executive director, and has spent 26 years in broadcasting and community outreach.
“I want to start to revitalize the organization and work with community partners,” she said. “We have a terrific board of volunteers, so we need our budget to catch up to our strategic vision.”
The Madison County community always has been generous supporters, but Flavell also wants to strengthen relationships between the organization and area churches “... and give donors more opportunities to be a part of serving the families,” she said.
Anyone who would like to make a contribution to Habitat For Humanity of Madison and Clark counties should mail it to P.O. Box 186, Richmond, Ky., 40476.
“Our greatest need right now is land,” Flavell said. “We want to double the amount of homes we build in a year. We want to expand with the neighborhood revitalization, and in order to do that we really need donors involved.”
Since 1992, 160 homes have been built in Madison and Clark counties through Habitat For Humanity efforts.
“There is much more meaningful work to be done, and many more families in need of safe, affordable homes,” Flavell wrote in June’s Habitat For Humanity newsletter. “We’re working hard to secure land, we’re engaging churches, community partners and local governments in conversation about working together to build up our communities and we have volunteers buzzing, ready to build the next home, with new volunteers signing up every week.”
Habitat For Humanity’s budget stretched thin as the end of the fiscal year approached, Flavell said.
“We have big goals to meet in the coming year,” she said. “Together, we can do much more to provide simple, decent, affordable housing for God’s people in need in Madison and Clark counties. Your support is crucial to this mission, and your generosity is greatly appreciated.”
Visit www.habitat.chpl.net for more information about the non-profit organization, or send questions via e-mail to madisonhfh@bellsouth.net.
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
