Help an Eastern Kentucky Family Achieve Homeownership Through Operation Finally Home!
Imagine looking at your children every day not knowing if you can pay the rent and keep a roof over their heads.
That’s what so many eastern Kentucky families, like the Halls (pictured above), face. But the Halls were lucky. They had you. Folks like you, who give to the Housing Development Alliance (HDA), helped the Halls move out of their double-wide trailer home, which was located in a community where, according to Mr. Hall, “people lived on top of one another,” and into their very own house – a home they own and helped build.
“We’ve always wanted a home, and it’s finally come true after a long, long time,” Mr. Hall said. “It took a lot of work, going almost daylight to dark, but it’s been good.”
The Halls have three rambunctious boys – all school-age children. Their youngest son is a child with special needs. Before getting an HDA house, the Halls’ former home was located next to a busy road, and the boys had almost nowhere to play. When they did play outside, Mr. and Mrs. Hall were often worried about their safety.
Now, the Halls live on almost an acre of land and are overjoyed with their new home in the Emmalena community of Knott County.
“We’ve got three happy boys,” Mr. Hall said. “They’ve got more room to do what they want to do. I guess that’s what it’s all about - everybody’s good, and we’re very happy with where we’re at.”
Perhaps even more importantly, the Halls said their new HDA home has cut their finances almost in half!
“I’m paying half of what I was paying before on energy costs. Plus, we were paying rent where we were and compared to what my house payment is now – there’s just no comparison!” Mr. Hall said. “It’s helped us tremendously. I wouldn’t take anything for it. We’re blessed!”
The Halls are the 300th eastern Kentucky family in need of affordable housing that you’ve helped achieve homeownership. According to the latest census data, over 40% of families in our service area live in inadequate housing. That includes people living in substandard housing, people residing in overcrowded housing, and people whose rent or house payment isn’t affordable. This means that over 28,000 people, including nearly 7,000 children, don’t have a safe, acceptable, and affordable home.
Despite all the odds (Mr. Hall helping build the home while juggling his grueling work schedule, Mrs. Hall helping while homeschooling their children, a destructive springtime windstorm during construction, and a worldwide pandemic), the Halls persevered because folks like you cared enough to help them.
“Without you all, we wouldn’t be where we are,” Mrs. Hall said.
And with you, many more families will be helped! Times ahead remain uncertain, but what does remain certain is the need for home; and without you, hundreds of eastern Kentucky families in need will be in danger of losing their homes, remaining in unfit homes, or in the worst circumstances, spending many nights under bridges, on family couches, in cars, or under a tarp on a riverbank.
Will you donate to help bring affordable housing to more eastern Kentucky families in need? Your donation is needed now more than ever. When you give, this is what your gift can do for an eastern Kentucky family:
$25 helps build social stability & security
$50 helps purchase building materials
$100 helps build the framework of a family’s hopes and dreams
$250 helps put siding on a home, keeping it warm in winter & cool in summer
$500 helps put windows in a home to fill it with light & hope
$750 helps give a family a clean, healthy environment to grow & thrive
$1,000 provides a family a future full of countless opportunities
Please send your gift by Nov. 30 so that we can be ready to let families in need know that they’ll have a new home next year – the best Christmas gift ever!
Respectfully,
R. Scott McReynolds
Executive Director
P.S. Your donation is needed now more than ever! Every gift is an open door to possibilities, opportunities, futures, and hope. Financial support from friends like you helps eastern Kentucky families gain strength, self-responsibility, and stability with the Housing Development Alliance (HDA) by building safe, high quality, affordable homes. Please help more mountain families by giving online or by mail by Nov. 30!
To give by mail, please send donations to:
Housing Development Alliance, Inc.
P.O. Box 7284
Hazard, KY 41702