Habitat for Humanity organizers are planning a construction blitz to build 19 new houses for southern Indiana families who lost their homes in the tornadoes that struck in March.
The group hopes to recruit about 3,000 volunteers to help build the exteriors for 10 houses in Henryville and nine in the nearby Jefferson County community of Chelsea during a building blitz planned for Sept. 10-14, The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Ky., reported.
“We will go basically from foundation to roof in that one week,” said Lisa Curry, president of New Albany/Floyd County Habitat for Humanity.
The March 2 tornado outbreak caused widespread damage in Henryville and other communities in the area just north of Louisville, and killed 13 people in southern Indiana. Officials estimate the storm destroyed 200 homes and damaged 1,000 others.
Habitat leaders expect money for nearly half of the $1.7 million project will come from a federal disaster recovery grant, and the rest will be from donations.
The organization will accept applications June 30 through July 28 from families wanting to receive one of the homes.
“With the program moving so quickly, we need to get families quickly,” Curry said.
Gina Leckron, Indiana state director of Habitat for Humanity, said applicants can be renters or homeowners affected by the tornadoes and have a household income between 30 percent and 60 percent of area median income.
“We’re looking especially for those who lived in mobile homes to get them into stick-built homes,” Leckron said.
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