Chapter Success Stories

HOMEAID ATLANTA
In 2007, HomeAid Atlanta completed renovations on five townhomes and duplexes operated by HomeStretch, supporting homeless families with young children. Construction was also completed on a new home for My House, serving 12 medically fragile infants who are homeless.

HomeAid Atlanta's fourth annual Project Playhouse^TM was a great success, as was HomeAid Atlanta's Fairway to Haven® Golf Classic, which raised more than $150,000. In addition, the sixth annual Essentials for Young Lives Drive collected more than 48,000 items for homeless babies and toddlers, such as diapers, baby wipes and formula. Corporate sponsorships also grew in 2007, providing much needed support to further the mission of HomeAid Atlanta.

HOMEAID CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS
In 2006, HomeAid Central Massachusetts provided minor renovations to its first project for care provider, Massachusetts Veteran's Inc. (MVI). MVI was preparing to move residents into the recently renovated building, which serves as transitional housing for homeless female veterans, when a fire caused some damage. HomeAid Central Massachusetts, as a continuation of the original project, was able to assist MVI in getting repairs performed with only a few weeks delay in moving residents into the building. Planning and design work was completed in 2006 for the Baby's Breath Home, and the preliminary phase of construction is underway. The renovated facility will provide a safe, caring, stable environment for displaced infants.

HOMEAID CHARLOTTE
On February 6, 2007, HomeAid announced the opening of 19th nationwide chapter, called HomeAid Charlotte. Through the generosity of the Home Builders Association of Charlotte and its members, the new chapter will build housing facilities for the community's temporarily homeless population, serving those individuals and families who want to get back on their feet after a life circumstance has rendered them without a home.

The homeless population in Mecklenburg County has grown by 60 percent since 2002, with approximately 8,000 people in need of housing on any given night. Since the temporarily homeless are rarely included in standard community homeless counts, the number of actual homeless people in the Charlotte area may be many thousands more.

 

HOMEAID CHICAGO
2007 marked HomeAid Chicago's most successful project year to date. The organization was involved in a record seven different projects throughout the city and suburbs that - once all are completed - will provide more than 139 beds for needy individuals in the form of new shelters and residential facilities. HomeAid Chicago's rate for in-kind donations (labor, products and materials) was up more than 50%. The organization completed three key projects that have been in the works: MorningStar Mission Ministries' new 72-bed family and women's facility in Joliet; a five-bedroom, two-bath Trinity Services home for the disabled in Joliet; and the remodeling of a Villa Park home for six developmentally disabled adults on behalf of the Ray Graham Association for People with Disabilities. And, two new projects were launched: Family Shelter Service's new community counseling center and shelter for battered women in the western suburbs; and a ranch home in Hanover Park, newly purchased by The Little City Foundation, that is home for six developmentally disabled adults.

Even the organization's past highlights continue to pay dividends for the people they serve. For example, the 15,000-square-foot safe house HomeAid Chicago built for WINGS (Women in Need Growing Stronger) in the Northwest suburbs has, since its opening in 2005, provided over 16,000 nights of emergency shelter for more than 220 women and 244 children seeking to escape the shadow of domestic abuse.

HomeAid Chicago broke its own records for dollars raised, volunteers involved and awareness garnered last year with its third annual Project Playhouse event. The non-profit was involved in the national launch of HomeAid's Project Playhouse featuring an American Girl themed-playhouse built by Pardee Homes.

HOMEAID COLORADO
HomeAid Colorado started 2007 with the dedication of Third Way Center's Hope Place in Denver for eight mentally ill youth, led by builder captain John Laing Homes. In the fall, HomeAid Colorado broke ground on two new projects. Safe Shelter of St Vrain Valley is an emergency shelter that serves victims of domestic violence and their children in Longmont, led by builder captain Five-Star Construction. Interfaith Hospitality Network is a transitional duplex for homeless families in Loveland, and is a built-green project led by Village Homes. Two new projects were adopted: Girls Hope, serving at-risk youth in Centennial and Colorado Homeless Families, serving families in Arvada.

2007 was another successful fundraising year for HomeAid Colorado. The 7th annual Fashion Show boasted 400 guests and net revenues of $90,000. The Gold Key Campaign continues to attract corporate contributors who make a five-year commitment to the Colorado chapter's program, and we raised $103,000 in grants from private foundations, with an additional $113,000 of pledges received for 2008.

HOMEAID/HOME BUILDERS CARE (DALLAS)
HomeAid/Home Builders Care started off 2007 by breaking ground on the first phase of construction for Denton County Friends of the Family, creating a 1,503 square-foot Residential Help Center that includes offices, laundry facilities and space allocated for counseling and play therapy. A Builder Captain also began assessing the second phase of the project, which will add two bedrooms and one bathroom to the domestic violence facility. CITY House, "My Friend's House" broke ground as well in 2007, building a 9,587 square-foot, 20 bed emergency shelter for abused, neglected and abandoned children ages newborn to nine years in Collin County. HomeAid/Home Builders Care received an application from The Family Place to build additional transitional housing for victims of family violence and helping another domestic violence shelter, New Beginning Center, with basic numbers to present to the city to increase their number of transitional apartments. This would be the second project with them.

HOMEAID HOUSTON
HomeAid Houston, a charity sponsored by the Greater Houston Builder's Association (GHBA), wound up 2006 with resounding success as two major projects were completed. The Mission of Yahweh and Wellsprings Village, both provide temporary housing for Hurricane Katrina and Rita survivors. The two projects were constructed with donated materials and services by GHBA members and funds donated by Ameriquest Mortgage through HomeAid's Gulf Coast Rebuilding Fund. The Mission of Yahweh's Mercy House, completed in a nine-month period, will provide an additional 16 units of transitional housing for survivors from both hurricanes. Wellsprings Village provided six new homes that will house 48 women. The shelters recently marked their completion with ribbon-cutting ceremonies.

HOMEAID INLAND EMPIRE
HomeAid Inland Empire completed the Hillview Acres' Boy's Cottage project for service provider Hillview Acres' Children's Home to care for and educate orphaned, dependent, destitute, and neglected children. The builder captains were Lennar Homes and Lewis Operating Company. Also, the chapter accomplished two small but important care projects: a remodeling of existing facilities at Mary's Mercy Center in San Bernardino to more than double its capacity to serve homeless mothers and their children; and painting an existing residential facility for St. John of God in Victorville, which provides transitional housing for people in recovery.

HomeAid Inland Empire is currently in development with four projects: Mary's Mercy Center in San Bernardino for homeless pregnant women with children (builder captains: Crestwood Communities and Corman Leigh Homes); Mercy Center in Ontario, an intake center / emergency shelter with homeless-continuum-of-care services (builder captain: John Laing Homes); Olive Crest Children's Center in Coachella for abused and abandoned children (builder captains: Lennar [lead], Ehlineco, Family Development, and Standard Pacific Homes); and the Bounding Mothers with Babies housing facility at California Institution for Women in Corona for incarcerated pregnant women and their newborns (co-builder captains: Fred Agudelo Construction and Young Homes).

HOMEAID LOS ANGELES/VENTURA
HomeAid Los Angeles/Ventura dedicated Miracle House in June 2006 for service provider Miracle Recovery Centers. The 2,400-square-foot, 10-bed facility is located in Ventura and serves chemically dependent women. The builder captains for this renovation were California Solar and Eriksson Tile. The chapter is currently renovating 10 apartment units for Haven Hills, a safe facility for homeless women and children as a result of domestic violence. The new construction of an 11,000-square-foot transitional home for young women served by Girls and Boys Town will be completed in Spring of 2007. The chapter's 6th annual Project Playhouse, which took place at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks, was a huge success, raising more than $260,000.

HOMEAID MICHIGAN
In 2007, the Michigan Association of Home Builders partnered with MASCO Corporation and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to create HomeAid Michigan to expand its efforts in housing development for Michigan's homeless.

HomeAid Michigan will work with service providers to identify housing needs for more than 80,000 homeless men, women and children in Michigan. It will leverage in-kind donations of building materials and labor from professional builders to build or renovate transitional housing for families and individuals. Nearly all HomeAid Michigan housing projects will serve people who are temporarily homeless due to job loss, natural disasters, illness, medical problems, domestic violence and more.

In 2008, HomeAid Michigan plans to adopt its first project and begin activating partnerships around the state to maximize Michigan's efforts on behalf of the homeless.


HOMEAID NEW YORK CITY
On December 10, 2007, HomeAid's 22nd chapter, New York City, opened with the generous support of the Building Industry Association of New York City and its members, as well as HomeAid national partners Bank of America and Pro-Build. HomeAid New York City will build housing facilities across the five boroughs to cope with the city's rising homeless population as well as enable homeless individuals and families to get back on their feet after a life circumstance has rendered them without a home.

According to the Coalition for the Homeless, the number of homeless families in New York City increased by 17.6 percent between the years 2006 and 2007. Thousands of families with young children crowd the city's shelter system each month comprising 78.9 percent of the total shelter population in the city. In February 2007, there were an estimated 14,287 homeless children within New York City's urban limits. This number increased 18.1 percent from the previous year. In the face of these overwhelming numbers, the Building Industry Association of New York City decided to take a stand on the front line in New York's fight against homelessness.

 

HOMEAID NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
In its eight-year history, HomeAid Northern California has had the resources to build and furnish six facilities, totaling nearly 250 beds and changing more than 1,000 lives. In 2006, HomeAid Northern California supported an unprecedented $20 million in Bay Area residential projects for the transitionally homeless and developmentally disabled. In May 2006, HomeAid Northern California dedicated Aston Avenue Apartments in Santa Rosa. Built for the Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County, Aston Avenue features 10 multi-story apartment-style residences to house up to 70 individuals. Christopherson Homes and Cobblestone Homes were the builder captains on this project, as well as nearly 60 subcontractor trades.

HOMEAID NORTHERN VIRGINIA
With more than 18,000 homeless people in Northern Virginia, most of whom are children, HomeAid is committed to helping local individuals and families minimize the effects of homelessness on the health and well-being of all family members. During 2006, under the leadership of board president, Russ Rosenberger of Madison Homes, HomeAid Northern Virginia completed one housing facility and broke ground on what will be its largest facility to date. Shelter House was completed September 13, 2006 with the help of co-builder captains The Custom Builder Council and Miller and Smith. Located in Falls Church, Shelter House is an emergency family shelter. This two-phase construction featured an addition of office and meeting space to the facility and the transformation of former office space into two emergency intake apartments for families.

Doorways for Women and Families, located in Arlington, broke ground on May 16, 2006. Under the leadership of builder captain NV Homes, Doorways will be the largest HomeAid Northern Virginia project to date. A complete renovation, this facility will be completed in Fall 2007 and will serve 21 clients. Also, 2006 saw the completion of five shelter care projects. Projects included the renovation of a transitional home, repairs to a housing facility for single new mothers with children, renovation and repairs at two facilities for women and children, and renovation at a clinic that serves the homeless. HomeAid Northern Virginia's shelter care program gives builders and their trade partners the opportunity to perform smaller projects that typically include renovation, repair and short-term light construction.

 

HOMEAID NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
HomeAid Northwest Arkansas' first project, Restoration Village for The Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County in Fayetteville, was dedicated on August 12. The 60-by-23-foot house, with state-of-the-art panelized construction provided by Capital Structures, has two bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, and a large central living area. The Children's Advocacy Center of Benton County serves young victims of sexual abuse in a child friendly, supportive environment. Founded in 2000 by Beverly and David Engle, the Center assists victims in the successful prosecution of perpetrators, and provides advocacy for child abuse reports and compassionate support for child sexual abuse victims and their families. Brittain Custom Homes was the project's builder captain.

 

HOMEAID ORANGE COUNTY
With 40 completed projects, HomeAid Orange County began the year breaking ground on their first city initiated project. Hope Family Housing - Buena Park, a $5.4 million project that when completed will consist of a manager's apartment and 16 units of long-term transitional housing for homeless families. Serving as the property developer, HomeAid Orange County brought the key parties together: Orange County Rescue Mission (program operations manager), John Laing Homes (builder captain). Bassenian/Lagoni Architects, and the Children and Families Commission of Orange County (committed $1.3 million for construction funding).

In the spring, construction and renovation began on Orange County Catholic Worker - Isaiah House, an emergency shelter that feeds and provides a daily safe haven for 120 men, women and children. First-time builder captain, California Professional Association of Specialty Contractors, Orange County Inland Empire (CALPASC OCIE) with William Hezmalhalch Architects will add 571 square feet to the existing 100 year old Victorian Home. When completed the $350,000 project will include expanding the kitchen, building dry good storage, building handicapped accessible bathroom/shower and a laundry facility.

A new project was adopted in the fall - Precious Life Shelter IV with first time builder captain Empire Homes. The $1.2 million project is not the first Precious Life Shelter project for HomeAid Orange County and JZMK Partners. JZMK Partners were the architects on three previous and completed projects - Precious Life Shelter I, II and III. For the current project, JZMK will design two, two-story buildings providing five apartments including both one- and two-bedroom units. Layouts will include a meeting room, a new childcare facility and garages.

The chapter's ninth annual recognition gala - Rainbow of Hope - was recreated and became "LimeLight". Over 500 distinguished building industry and community guests attended the launching of the new event under the stars in the courtyard of the Village of Hope - HomeAid Orange County's $27 million project scheduled for completion in early 2008. The 16th Annual Project Playhouse^TM brought out over one million visitors to tour the 10 whimsical cottages and miniature mansions displayed at Fashion Island, Newport Beach. The five-week long event culminated with an exciting auction party. Over 600 people cheered as TradePartners^TM Hampton Harmony (built by Shea Homes and architect, Wesseln Construction) received the coveted 2007 Project Playhouse^TM People's Choice Award.


HOMEAID PORTLAND
In 2007, HomeAid Portland's 2nd annual shelter care program, Painting a Better Tomorrow was held in September. In partnership with 20 homeless housing facilities, over 300 volunteers (from 50+ companies), performed minor repairs and painted for a total of more than 2000 volunteer hours.

While HomeAid Portland helps local care providers expand their facilities through new construction or remodeling, this program helps meet the needs of numerous existing facilities that just need minor renovations and new paint to continue to serve the area's homeless population. Rodda Paint, Sherwin Williams, and Miller Paint donated all the paint and supplies needed. In addition, dozens of other companies had employees volunteer to work on Painting a Better Tomorrow projects.

HOMEAID SACRAMENTO
On November 21, 2006, just ten weeks from the start of construction, HomeAid Sacramento dedicated the Winter Shelter at Cal Expo, an emergency shelter run by Volunteers of America. With the generosity of Standard Pacific Homes, more than 25 trade partners, and hundreds of volunteers, a vacant building was transformed into a refuge for 154 homeless individuals and families in Sacramento
County.

 

HOMEAID SAN DIEGO
HomeAid San Diego had a breakout year in 2006, completing its two largest projects. In July 2006, builder captain Standard Pacific Homes and 38 of its subcontractors completed Victorian Heights, a 38-bed apartment for women with children who are victims of domestic violence. Builder captains Shamrock Development and Burger Construction, 39 subcontractors and two special individuals, Ron Brockhoff and Jerry Storvold, completed Merle's Place, a 44-bed facility for veterans in November 2006. These two projects garnered in-kind donations in excess of $1.2 million (more than 91 percent of their retail value). Pardee Homes built HomeAid San Diego's first-ever Project Playhouse, which, thanks to HomeAid Orange County, was displayed and auctioned during Orange County's 15th Annual Project Playhouse in Newport Beach, CA. Builder captains Barratt American, Lennar Homes, John Bailey of Lusardi Construction, Newland Communities, and Shea Homes are slated to participate in nine new projects in the coming year. The chapter feels humbled by and deeply grateful for the generosity of its builder captains and for the work of its service provider partners.

 

HOMEAID SEATTLE METRO (HOMEAID MASTER BUILDERS CARE)
HomeAid Seattle Metro channeled more resources of the home-building industry than ever during 2006. With an unprecedented four housing facilities dedicated in 2006, more than 100 companies contributed in-kind donations in excess of $2,200,000. Their efforts resulted in more than 16,000 new annual bed nights for homeless families and individuals in King and Snohomish Counties. Projects in 2006 included: Cocoon House (Arlington, WA), builder captain Barclays North; Compassion House (Issaquah, WA), builder captains John Day Homes, Allen Construction, Revisioneers and Shirey Contracting; Winters Creek Village for Housing Hope (Sultan, WA), builder captain Kirtley Cole; and Kingston House (Kingston, WA), builder captain Centex Homes. Projects in development at year-end included: Housing at the Crossroads (builder captain Shea Homes); Vision House Children's Village, Building C (builder captain CamWest Development); and Vision House Children's Village, Building B (builder captain Centex Homes). The chapter's shelter care program, Painting a Better Tomorrow, completed its third year with 225 home building industry volunteers gathering for a day-long painting and fix-up spree. Eight teams completed projects for six homeless housing facilities. With HomeAid committee chair Dan Lungren (DR Horton) leading the way, a fourth straight Gold Nugget Award for Community Spirit in the home building industry was presented to the chapter at PCBC® The Premier Building Show in San Francisco.

HOMEAID SOUTHERN NEVADA
The number of homeless in Southern Nevada has risen to nearly 15,000, making the commitment to working with service providers and the building industry even more critical. In its second year of operation, HomeAid Southern Nevada adopted three projects: St. Jude's Ranch for Children, Boys Hope Girls Hope, and Women's Development Center. St. Jude's Ranch for Children, a 40-acre campus, is dedicated to strengthening the lives of abused, abandoned and neglected children. Scheduled for completion in March 2007, Pardee Homes volunteered as builder captain. More than 250 vendors and subcontractors committed to fulfilling St. Jude's needs of new plumbing, landscaping, painting, and much more. Boys Hope Girls Hope is dedicated to academically capable, at-risk children. A home for eight girls will be completed in late 2007. Women's Development Center is dedicated to helping homeless families end the cycle of poverty. The refurbishment of five apartment buildings, equal to 74 beds, will also be completed in late 2007.
 

HOMEAID TAMPA BAY
Founded in 2006 with the generous support of the Tampa Bay Builders Association (TBBA) and its members, HomeAid Tampa Bay will build housing facilities for the community's temporarily homeless population. According to Jeffry R. Ewing of Ladera Construction Group, president of the TBBA, a rising homelessness problem in the Tampa Bay area is reaching a crisis level. "With the rate of homelessness in Hillsborough County climbing 70 percent since 2002 to give it the sixth highest homeless population in the U.S., our members want to give back to our community by doing what we do best: build housing," said Ewing. Contributions from national partners played an important role in the founding of HomeAid Tampa Bay. The local division of Lennar Corporation already has agreed to be the builder captain managing all elements of construction on the chapter's first building project, which is currently in the planning stages.

HOMEAID WASHINGTON, D.C.
On March 19, 2007, HomeAid opened its 20th nationwide chapter - HomeAid Washington, D.C. The new chapter was created through a partnership with the Home Builders Care Foundation (HBCF), the charitable affiliate of the Maryland-National Capital Building Industry Association (MNCBIA). With the generous support of the local home building industry, HomeAid Washington, D.C. will build housing facilities to cope with the city's rising homeless population as well as enable homeless individuals and families to get back on their feet after a life circumstance has rendered them without a home.

Donations from the organization's partners were instrumental in the founding of HomeAid Washington, D.C. HomeAid's national office will pass $25,000 in seed funding from Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC), America's #1 home loan lender, to HomeAid Washington, D.C. for operational expenses.

According to the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments 2006 Homeless Enumeration Report, more than 12,000 people in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area are homeless, including people who are living on the streets, staying in shelters or living in transitional (or temporary) housing. More than 40 percent are members of families, with about one-third of them being children.