Board members of the Talladega affiliate of Habitat for Humanity met and are ready to accept applications. Board members in the photo are Charlie Gaines, Wendy Westerhouse, Barbara Dunn, Walter Burt, Beth Cheeks, Don Huddleston, Mary Green and Lester Rowls.
The board met Thursday in the conference room of First National Bank, and announced it was taking applications for affordable housing.
These applications can be found on the city of Talladega’s website (www.talladega.com/habitat_for_humanity.html) or can be requested by mail at P.O. Box 35, Talladega, Al. 35160. For more information, e-mail talladegahfh@yahoo.com or call 256-761-1400.
Applications should be in no later than the end of August so they can be considered at the next meeting Sept. 9.
According to recording secretary Beth Cheeks, the board is also seeking volunteers, especially those with building skills, for major construction work and supervision. Local businesses are also being asked to donate money and building supplies.
Habitat for Humanity began more than 10 years ago in Talladega, according to founding board member and original construction supervisor Pearino Gaither. “We started out getting five or six folks interested, we got prospects and recruited workers, and just started out that way and went from there. The first house we built was for a woman who was living in a rental house with a washer and drier on the front porch because her landlord wouldn’t let her hook them up. So we made sure she got a house where she could hook them up.”
Gaither said he “helped build seven houses in Talladega, and had a really good time doing it. The main thing now is to recruit someone who can be in charge. I was that person at one time, but now I think they could do better than me. I supervised the work, hired the workers and bought the materials. We averaged about a house per year.”
During the Thursday’s meeting, the board also discussed several existing properties it already owns. The decision was made to see these properties were mowed monthly, and property at Point Aquarius, near Alpine Bay, would be put up for sale.
The board also agreed to send representatives to a meeting of the national Habitat for Humanity group at Shocco Springs in November.
Habitat for Humanity International was founded in 1976 and has since built more than 300,000 houses.
According to the link on the city’s website, “Habitat for Humanity of Talladega Inc. is a member of an International Christian organization which works to provide decent housing for people in need. Habitat is based on the premise that people need capital, not charity, to purchase or upgrade their housing. It is one of over 200 such programs in this country. There are over 50 national organizations worldwide. Families who qualify purchase their home at cost (interest free). They pay the purchase price back over a 20-year period. Since many materials and services are donated, the cost of a Habitat home is lower than conventional housing.”
Contact Chris Norwood at cnorwood@dailyhome.com
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