Members of the home building industry continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic by helping their local communities. This is the latest in a series of posts highlighting those efforts and sharing positive news during this challenging time.
Financial Support to Community Efforts
84 Lumber, based in western Pennsylvania, and its sister company Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, donated $500,000 to the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. Its donation was combined with funds raised through a challenge by a local television station for a total donation of more than $1 million, or enough for more than 5 million meals.
Donations being distributed by the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.
“These are difficult times that we are facing as a nation. By giving this donation, we want to help lessen this burden for our neighbors,” said Maggie Hardy Knox, president of 84 Lumber and Nemacolin. The food bank has seen a significant spike in demand for food as a result of the current pandemic. Its volunteers provide drive-through pickups throughout the region to feed children, families and senior citizens facing hardship in this time of need.
In addition, many 84 Lumber stores throughout the country have donated items to local hospitals in need.
Members of the Southern Utah Home Builders Association (SUHBA) contributed $20,000 to support COVID-19 community response through its Home Builders Care Foundation. A $10,000 contribution was made to the Greater Together Small Business Resilience Fund to help small businesses with immediate financial assistance. In addition, $5,000 was donated to Switchpoint Community Resource Center and another $5,000 donation was made to the local Utah Food Bank.
“SUHBA members recognize that within our community there are people in need and will do what they can to help ease the burden. It is important to work together to problem solve and support people who are most impacted,” the group said in a statement. SUHBA’s Home Builders Care Foundation aids communities in Washington County. Its purpose is to provide education and charitable construction related services to individuals in need.
The Big Clean
Dallas Builders Association members, including Tim Jackson Custom Homes and StrucSure Home Warranty, are on track to distribute more than 1,000 gallons of hand sanitizer through a hand sanitizer drive to area job sites to help keep workers safe.
Tim Jackson and Brent Pillers of Tim Jackson Custom Homes, Dallas Builders Association members, distribute hand sanitizer.
The group, along with the Greater Fort Worth Builders Association and TEXO, also partnered with local North Texas County Medical Societies as part of the Building Hope Drive, collecting contractor respirator equipment, masks and protective wear to help area medical professionals on the front lines.
Feeding First Responders
Southwest Montana Building Industry Association member Ressler Motors bought and delivered lunch to hundreds of first responders at police and fire stations and at area health care facilities in Bozeman over a two-day period. The food also came from local restaurants.
“We wanted a chance to honor all the first responders that are out there fighting the good fight. We know it’s really long hours, really stressful days, and time away from their family as well,” said Jenny Walby, marketing director for Ressler Motors. “We wanted to feed them. We wanted to say thank you.”
Members from Ressler Motors and the Southwest Montana BIA deliver lunches to first responders.
Ressler also made a video shared on its social media, titled “A community that stays together, thrives together,” showing what it and its partners are doing to help the community.
Many Ways to Give Back
Greater Iowa City Area Home Builders Association member Bea Day Plumbers, Inc., replaced a hot water heater for an area home owner who had applied for the group’s Remodelers’ Council Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County grant. Grant money is used to rehabilitate housing for 65 and older or disabled home owners at or below 30% area median income. Bea Day Plumbers saw an immediate need to replace the leaking heater despite the owner’s still-pending application for a grant.
Members of the Home Builders Association of Greater Savannah answered a call-out on social media and donated more than 100 masks to Hospice Savannah.
Share Your Stories
These are just a few examples of the countless ways our members and HBAs are serving their communities. We’d like to continue highlighting these efforts around the country. If you or your HBA has been helping your community, please email your story to communications@nahb.org.