Mayfield Ky- The Mayfield Community Foundation donated $250,000 to Mayfield Graves County LTRG’s Home for the Holidays housing project. The funds are designated to purchase the first four or five properties that the Long Term Recovery Group’s plans to purchase and renovate for tornado survivors. The newly launched Home for the Holidays project intends to provide housing for the sizeable renter population among the community’s tornado survivors.  By purchasing twenty-five vacant homes, making needed repairs and improvements to the homes, the LTRG hopes to have these twenty-five families in their homes by Christmas Day, December 25th, 2022.

“We are excited to partner with the LTRG on this much needed recovery plan specifically designed to help the renter population,” Mayfield Community Foundation Board of Directors member Denise Thompson said. 

According to Al Chandler, Chair of the Long Term Recovery Group for Mayfield and Graves County, 70% of the people impacted in the Dec 10th tornado were renters. “The plan to purchase 25 vacant homes and renovate them by Dec. 25th is an aggressive plan,” he said, “and we know that big ideas need big support. We are very grateful to the Mayfield Community Foundation for their faith in this initiative!” 

Thompson added, “We are proud to help kickstart this opportunity for our renters to have a place to call home and work toward future home ownership.” Mayfield Community Foundation board of directors Mel Doughty, Steven Elder, Denise Thompson, and Jessica Gong were also on hand for the presentation of the funds.

Mayfield Graves County Long Term Recovery Group will utilize their partner network to make repairs to the homes and allow approved survivors to lease the property at a significantly discounted rate. After one year of leasing the home, the survivor will be allowed to purchase the home.

The Mayfield Graves County Long Term Recovery Group will also partner with the Energy and Environment Cabinet and Post-Disaster Architectural and Engineering professionals to repair homes with the same resiliency measures used in current new home builds. These measures include high impact windows and doors, installation of hurricane clips and foundation straps, and storm shelters installed at each residence. The homes will also include energy efficient appliances and heating/cooling units to lower the overall cost of home ownership.

Interested building partners or donors can contact LTRG Executive Director Ryan Drane at 270-227-0841