The newly formed Greenup County Habitat for Humanity is ready to begin building affordable homes for low-income residents. All it needs is a place to build.
R.J. “Bud” Matheny — a 1960 graduate of Raceland-Worthington High School who recently moved back to Greenup County after a 50-year absence — has been a driving force behind the creation of the Greenup County Habitat chapter. Habitat, which has chapters in neighboring Boyd and Carter counties, uses mostly volunteer labor to build modest homes that are sold to low-income workers through interest-free loans. In turn, money from the loan payments is used to build more houses.
“We would be better off if they wanted to donate (the building sites) because we’re starting out on a shoestring. We’re starting from scratch,” said Matheny.
Matheny said the local response to the Habitat for Humanity mission “has been overwhelming,” with individuals, homemakers and church groups immediately pledging their commitment to the effort.
A major reason why Habitat is so popular throughout the world is that it offers people a helping hand instead of a handout.
There already are dozens of families in northeastern Kentucky and in Ironton who are living in good homes that they would never have been able to afford without Habitat. The creation of the new chapter in Greenup County should increase their numbers.
