HomeAid

by Joel Barkman, NVBIA Fauquier County Chapter President

What a wonderful time of year for reflecting on the many blessings we enjoy. As we settle back into our routines at work, at school, or at home this is also an opportune time to remember those who are in critical need of our special care.

As a proud member of the Northern Virginia Building Industry Association (NVBIA) I am especially proud of the charitable work of my fellow members from Habitat for Humanity, who most people are familiar with, and another organization that many are not so familiar with - HomeAid Northern Virginia.

Building hope in our community, HomeAid Northern Virginia - a chapter of HomeAid America - builds and renovates homeless shelters, transitional houses, food banks, medical clinics, counseling centers, and other facilities that help homeless people gain stability and a roof over their heads.

By utilizing the resources of the homebuilding community and its corporate partners to conduct major renovations to shelters and homes, the building community is providing safe, stable, and new living arrangements for previously homeless persons.

HomeAid's partners and resources help to significantly reduce the construction costs to care provider organizations; thereby allowing them to redirect those dollars back into programs and services for these homeless families and individuals.

HomeAid Northern Virginia was started in 2001 by the members of NVBIA. Since then we have completed over 45 projects valued at over $10 million to serve the needs of approximately 40,000 homeless persons living in Virginia, with close to 13 percent of those living in Northern Virginia - in their cars, on the street, in wooded areas, or abandoned buildings.

One-quarter of the homeless population are children. Children without a home are twice as likely to have health problems as children with stable homes. Homeless children are also twice as likely to experience hunger, and four times as likely to have delayed development. It is estimated that almost half of the children in shelters are under the age of five.

Whether it's a roof repair on a shelter in Bealton or a fundraiser in historic downtown Leesburg, HomeAid is committed to helping local organizations provide quality housing for these families and individuals to help minimize the effects of homelessness on their health and well being.

Please support those who support others - and if you're not sure how, "Just Ask a Builder."

For more information about local charitable organizations that support those in need of a safe place to live e-mail joel@goldenrulebuilders.com or write to "Ask a Builder" at P.O. box 294, Catlett, VA 20119

Barkman is president of the Fauquier Chapter of The Northern Virginia Building Industry Association.

Read Joel's column weekly in the