The Newnan-Coweta Habitat for Humanity is focusing the inaugural efforts of its new HANDS-UP program on the veteran community.
HANDS-UP is an acronym for Housing And Neighborhood Development Strategies. The program – which launches this summer – is designed to serve low-income homeowners with home repairs.
While the need is great across the county, initially, because of extremely limited funds, the local Habitat for Humanity chapter will concentrate its efforts in three areas: Domineck Street, Corn Crib and Beverly Park – with veteran applicants from those areas receiving priority. Through HANDS-UP, Habitat for Humanity hopes to help revitalize the appearance of neighborhoods, strengthen connections within the community and preserve Coweta County’s housing stock, according to Leslie Merriman, executive director of the local Habitat affiliate.
“We encourage veterans in need of home repair to apply for HANDS-UP. We welcome other members in the community to also apply, but the program has limited funds and will give veterans priority,” said Lora Wills, family services manager with Habitat.
“We are grateful for the service local veterans have performed for our country. HANDS-UP is Habitat’s way of giving back to those who have given us so much,” Wills stated.
“Habitat’s HANDS- UP initiative broadens the population Habitat serves to include existing homeowners. The program fits nicely with our mission to provide safe, decent and affordable housing while also helping us create more stable communities in Coweta County,” Wills said.
Expanding the non-profit’s services “does put a strain on our limited resources,” Wills said. “We are actively seeking sponsorships and partners to assist in serving more Cowetans.
HANDS-UP will address home repair in three categories:
• A Brush with Kindness addresses exterior home preservation/beautification issues.
• Weatherization focuses on repairs to reduce energy consumption.
• Critical Home Repairs will address interior and exterior issues which may affect the health and safety of the occupants.
In keeping with Habitat’s philosophy of giving “a hand up not a handout,” every homeowner will be required to complete sweat equity hours on their home or on someone else’s home in the program – a minimum of eight hours. The number of hours will be determined “by the size of the project,” Wills said.
Each approved applicant’s financial situation will be carefully reviewed and a combination of required monetary and/or volunteer contributions will be determined. The repayment amount is based on each homeowner’s financial situation and may be waived or reduced.
“Those not qualifying for free or reduced repairs will be offered a no-interest loan with easy repayment terms,” Wills said.
For specifics on eligibility, contact Wills by email at lora@nchfh.org or by phone at 770-252-9049, extension 16.
