Local organizations build affordable homes in St. Joseph
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- Two local organizations joined forces Thursday to support affordable housing efforts in the St. Joseph area.
Crews from Evergy and Habitat for Humanity (HFH) worked side by side to drill, build and complete the framing for homes at 1520 Moss St. and 1517 Highland Ave.
"It's always a great feeling to contribute to the community and help create more affordable housing for people who might not otherwise be able to buy a home on their own," said Presley Joswick, construction supervisor for HFH.
Dan Hegeman, community business manager for Evergy, said the company has partnered with various local organizations throughout his 17 years with the utility provider.
"We've got a lot of Evergy volunteers giving back to their communities," Hegeman said. "Our communities are the foundation of what we do at Evergy. Taking care of our friends and neighbors is incredibly important to us."
Hegeman added that Evergy employees volunteer approximately 20,000 hours annually and donate more than $1 million of their own money to local causes.
On Thursday, their efforts were focused on the homes being built on Moss Street and Highland Avenue.
Joswick explained, receiving a HFH home requires about 300 hours of service from the future homeowner. HFH also provides a zero-percent interest rate on the home loan.
"They contribute their hours by working alongside us to build the house, and it's a big commitment for them," he said.
A total of seven homes are planned for construction in the Moss and Highland subdivision with HFH. Evergy volunteers will continue their community efforts next week by supporting Second Harvest Food Bank.
"Today we were volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, providing our skills and labor," Hegeman said. "Next week, we’ll partner with Second Harvest, another organization committed to community improvement."
