Brazos Valley Affordable Housing Corporation
2008 General Cycle Awardee

Brazos Valley Affordable Housing Corporation received a $50,000 grant under the 2008 general funding cycle of the Texas Foundations Fund. They provided the following testimony regarding their award.

Thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation (TSAHC), our organization was able to provide eighteen low-income senior citizens in the Brazos Valley region with minor home repair.  The provided repairs will allow many of these valued members of our society the opportunity to stay in their homes longer, affording them a more comfortable life and lowering the demand on nursing homes.  In recent years the funding that usually comes to the region for minor home repairs has been cut by more than 80%.  The generosity of and opportunity provided by TSAHC through this program has made a positive and timely impact to the seniors who were served.   The need for home repair in the Brazos Valley region is greater than the available resources and these important funds have offered hope to the families and social workers who have been able to participate.  Typical repairs include items such as floor repairs, plumbing, ramps and occasional roof repair.

Brazos Valley also shared the with us the story of Mrs. Finnie of Navasota, an individual they were able to assist with the funds awarded.

One particular repair stood out this year due to the overwhelming involvement of the community of Navasota, Texas. The subject home, owned and occupied by Mrs. Finnie of Navasota, was no longer functional and was deteriorating fast.  Her kitchen sink barely hung to the wall, the bathroom floor was completely rotted, and she could no longer get into her tub.  The wood siding was also rotting and the home literally breathed with the wind.

The Navasota community responded en mass to the needs of Mrs. Finnie.  A local church had prepared a long list of repairs and materials that would be needed to make Mrs. Finnie’s home sustainable.  In the ensuing month the community volunteered over 1500 hours refurbishing her home and donated materials worth well over $3,000 above the grant assistance from TSAHC.  The list of Navasota volunteers and donors was made up of a broad spectrum and included contractors, lumber yards, City, licensed trades and even the hospital.  Today Mrs. Finnie’s home is functional with a kitchen she can safely prepare food in and a roll-in shower she can access.  Though Mrs. Finnie may be the obvious benefactor, the community and citizens who came together to provide for their neighbor’s welfare gained the lion’s share.

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