HomeAid accomplishments set pace for 2017

HomeAid Houston is a 501(c)(3) charity of the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA) that builds transformational housing for Houston’s homeless. The agency recently reported they had achieved their 2016 goals.

“As of the end of last year we have completed 42 projects that have added and/or improved 178,400 square feet of real estate in the homeless community,” said Salty Thomason, president of HomeAid.

The retail value of these HomeAid projects is $12.6 million, with $5,219,635 having been donated by generous GHBA members. This resulted in a 52 percent average savings for the care providers.

Each year HomeAid’s projects serve 5,000 homeless people. Since 2005, when HomeAid’s first project was dedicated, the agency has served 20,900 people.

“We have added 437 beds to Houston’s homeless community,” said Thomason, “and our projects have impacted an additional 1051 beds.”

These numbers and HomeAid’s mission, “to build new lives for homeless families and individuals through housing and community outreach”, fuel the momentum HomeAid is bringing into 2017.

“This year we have the potential to work on three major construction projects,” said Bette Moser, executive director of HomeAid Houston. “On the calendar for 2017 we have an 8,100-square-foot cottage for the homeless children of Boys and Girls Country, with builder captain Lennar/Village Builders. We are also considering a 4,000-square-foot day center for homeless families in Humble for Family Promise of Lake Houston, and the construction of four duplexes for the homeless mothers and children of Gracewood, with Builder Captain David Weekley Homes.”

HomeAid also leads HomeAid Care projects that are smaller in scope. This year there are three Care projects planned: A Caring Safe Place, a housing center for men who are HIV positive, with substance abuse and/ or mental illness will be renovated; Agape Development will receive a renovation of two homes for youth who are homeless and/or in crisis, and Freedom Place will get a major renovation of their 1,700-square-foot home that provides longer-term housing for girls who have been rescued from sex trafficking.

For more information on HomeAid Houston visit www.homeaidhouston.org or call 281-970-8970.