Homes and Hope for Kentucky is officially on its way to realizing its goal of 100 new homes for stricken families
Kentucky Governor to Attend Groundbreaking Ceremony for Tornado Victims in Mayfield
Kentucky Governor to Attend Groundbreaking Ceremony for Tornado Victims in Mayfield
MAYFIELD, Ky., Jan. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just seven weeks after a devastating EF4 tornado leveled large parts of Mayfield, Kentucky, killing 22 people and decimating entire neighborhoods, Homes and Hope for Kentucky (HHK) is breaking ground on the first new homes to be built by donations and volunteer labor.
Groundbreaking will take place Friday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. (CST). Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and other state and local dignitaries are expected to attend. The location for the ceremony, 515 N. 6th St. in Mayfield, Kentucky, has a poignant significance as it was one of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the tornado.
"Just 49 days after the storm, we're already seeing so much progress. We could not have done it without a huge network of support. But we need donations to continue so we can get more folks back home."
"This process is moving quickly. It's so positive that, just 49 days after the storm, we're already seeing so much progress. Crews have been here for the last 30 days for demolition and are beginning repairs alongside the new builds next week," said Heather Nesler, co-chair of HHK. "We could not have made this much progress without a huge network of support, especially Mennonite Disaster Service as our partner. But we need donations to continue so we can get more folks back home."
Homes and Hope for Kentucky is a local non-profit operating under the umbrella of the Mayfield Rotary Foundation. The non-profit has been processing applications from homeowners with little or no insurance and no ability to rebuild on their own.
To date, five families have been approved and more than 60 are in the two-stage approval process. Friday's groundbreaking represents the first of five new homes that are ready to be rebuilt. HHK has set a goal of rebuilding 100 new homes at a cost of roughly $60,000 each; this low cost is made possible thanks to the all-volunteer labor being provided.
Tax-deductible donations have come in two broad categories so far:
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Direct monetary donations to the Homes and Hope for Kentucky website
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Institutional donations of building materials through lines of credit at Home Depot and Lowe's
Volunteers from Mennonite Disaster Service have been in Mayfield removing debris and doing site preparation since Dec. 28. In addition, crews from the nationwide Amish service ministry have arrived this week to identify their own targeted areas for repair and reconstruction in partnership with HHK.