“We weren’t sure if our repairs program would qualify for that through the Governor’s office, but we sent in our grant application anyway, and we were very fortunate to receive funding,” Director Bill Goggin said.
WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Sometimes taking a chance pays off. It did recently for Houston County Habitat for Humanity.
According to Director Bill Goggin, the organization applied for a grant through Governor Brian Kemp’s office aimed at helping homeless shelters.
“We weren’t sure if our repairs program would qualify for that through the Governor’s office, but we sent in our grant application anyway, and we were very fortunate to receive funding,” Goggin said.
The grant totaled $200,000. The organization also received a $40,000 grant from the Home Depot Foundation. Goggin says the money from the Governor’s office is expected to help five families a year for the next four years.
“Repairs could be wheelchair ramps, roofing, HVAC units, bathroom modifications and accessibility modifications,” Goggin said.
Tiffany Dupree, the Program Services Coordinator for Houston County Habitat for Humanity, explains how the selection process works.
“The applications come in, I process them,we do a financial qualifications and a whole checklist of qualifications,” Dupree said. “I go from there selecting and coordinating the repairs.”
According to Dupree, the repair program helped 22 people this year. She says that’s the most they’ve ever helped.
“I think it will be able to go up even more, because we’re going to start bringing in more people to help with repairs,” she said. “And of course now we have the funds to continue to help more people.”
Applications for the repairs program will open on the organization’s website in January.