RUSSELLVILLE — Lori Grace worked with Habitat for Humanity volunteers from another state in 2010 while on a mission trip to the Appalachian Mountains, and when she got back home to Russellville, she was fired up to start a Pope County affiliate.
Then she almost gave up.
“When I got back, I checked into Habitat International to see what it would take to get it started,” Grace said. She laughed at the memory of the time and resources it took.
“It’s funny, because when I started with just phase 1 of it, I think I worked a couple of months on it, and to be honest, I was kind of starting to give up,” she said. That was in September 2010.
“One day in church, my pastor was preaching about, ‘Don’t wait for somebody else to do something. If you see an injustice going on in the world, don’t wait for somebody else to fix it.’ It was like he was talking to me,” Grace said.
She said she talked to her husband and two sons about the commitment it would take to get the Habitat organization off the ground.
“I told them I really felt like this was God’s mission for me and that it was probably going to take a ton of my time, and if they wanted me to quit, I would,” she said.
Grace said her sons said, “We get it, mom. Go for it.”
She said 35 to 40 people showed up for a town meeting held in late 2010.
“We got 10 to 12 people [to volunteer] through emails and just touching base to serve on our steering committee, and the church was supportive,” she said.
The cost to apply to Habitat International is $2,000, she said, and the local group had to create bylaws, policies and procedures.
“It wasn’t a ‘You can go build one house, and you’re done,’” she said. Grace said the Russellville group was told it would take 18 to 24 months to complete the process, “and it took us right at 18 months,” she said.
In January 2012, Habitat for Humanity of Pope County officially became a nonprofit organization. Three lots were purchased at once at Sixth Street and Ithaca Avenue.
The first homeowner chosen was Nichole Ledford, now Nichole Bragg, who was a widow with four children when she was chosen. Becca Anderson, a single mother of two daughters, has been chosen for the second home, and a third house is under construction.
Cheryl McCormick, public-relations chairwoman for Habitat for Humanity of Pope County, said the third home will be completed in 2015, although a family for it has not been chosen.
McCormick said the Braggs have helped the latest recipient, and Anderson will be moving into the home next to the Braggs in a few weeks. McCormick said the Braggs have paid it forward.
“[Nichole] has been a wonderful help to Habitat — she and her husband, Dennis, both. They’ve joined a committee helping the new families. Her husband has helped build,” McCormick said.
The homes are not free, Grace emphasized.
“She buys the house; she helps build the house,” Grace said. “I think it’s so critical that people understand these families earn this house. They put in 300 sweat-equity hours over a year; that’s tough,” Grace said.
Homeowners get interest-free mortgages, however.
“We became a corporation in January 2012 and moved Nichole into her home in October 2012,” Grace said.
The outpouring of support for the program told Grace that she was right to follow her heart.
“It’s pretty amazing to buy three lots and have all these volunteers,” she said. “We had probably a total of 400 volunteers — committees, board members, building people, contractors. … It was all of us coming together to work as a team to make this happen. It was incredible.”
McCormick said there are plenty of applicants for each home, but many don’t qualify.
“There are a lot of things to be able to qualify. They look at so many different things — income-to-debt ratio is very, very important. They check their credit history. If they have a lot of debt, they need not apply,” she said. “They have to go to several different classes — classes to learn how to budget their money, the important of maintenance, insurance.”
To fund construction of a Habitat home, community businesses and individuals contribute, grants are received, and fundraisers are held, McCormick said.
Habitat for Humanity of Pope County has not only made a difference in the lives of families, Grace said, but has created a buzz in the community.
“If I wear my Habitat T-shirt in a grocery store, people come up and say, ‘Oh, I’ve heard about Habitat. Is there something I can do?’”
There sure is, Grace tells them. Plenty.
For more information or an application, go to the Pope County organization’s website, www.hfhpca.org, or call (479) 280-3728.
Senior writer Tammy Keith can be reached at (501) 327-0370 or tkeith@arkansasonline.com.