View List of Benefactors/Funders/Partners

Housing Opportunities of Northern KY (HONK) & Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission's YouthBuild of Northern Kentucky Program (NKCAC/YB) celebrated the completion of the gut-renovation of the home located at 1230 Wheeler Street on Friday, July 16. Covington Mayor Denny Bowman spoke to kick off the event. John Lomax of Channel 12 news served as Master of Ceremonies. Jack Westwood, KY State Senator, as well as representatives from Congressman Geoff Davis' and Senator Mitch McConnell's office were in attendance.
The two local non-profits combined resources in the re-habilitation of the 1230 Wheeler St. home, creating affordable housing for a low-income family in need. Housing Opportunities of NKY purchased the house, provided the building materials and oversight of reconstruction and NKCAC's YouthBuild of Northern Kentucky program provided the labor force through Program participants, who are known as “Hired Hands.” The HONK home was a chance for YouthBuild Hired Hands to practice carpentry skills in the deconstruction and re-build of the interior (walls, framing, cabinetry, and tiling) and improving the exterior (landscaping, painting).
This project was dynamic as it is more than just affordable housing and an improved neighborhood but a united partnership to improve our community and the lives of its residents.
“The completion of this house is symbolic in the lives of our Hired Hands. Young people who have so few successes in their history are living better lives because they participated in the improvement of this house, this neighborhood and their community” says Melissa Eames, YouthBuild Program Manager.
“We know that construction was only a part of the YouthBuilds program, but a part that could be used to the benefit of HONK and YouthBuild,” said Steve Lutkenhoff, HONK Construction Manager. We are also very hopeful that a successful working partnership here would lead to more opportunities down the road, and that is about to happen also.” Stay tuned for more HONK / YouthBuild collaborations.

THANK YOU!

Benefactors/Funders

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
Benedictine Sisters of Saint Walburg Monastery, Social Needs Fund
Robert M. Butler Memorial Foundation
Community Block Service Grant
Gannett Foundations Inc.
The Gap Foundation
Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky
Northern Kentucky Area Development District
The Daniel and Susan Pfau Family Foundation
USBank Foundation
US Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention
United States Department of Labor
webFEAT, Inc.
YouthBuild USA

Community Partners

City of Covington Covington Housing Authority
Covington Code Enforcement
Parks and Recreation
Covington Re-Use Center
Gateway Community and Technical College
Home Builders Association of Northern Kentucky
Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky
Kentucky Commission on Community Volunteerism & Service
Life Learning Center
Newport Adult Education
Newport Independent Schools
Northern Kentucky Area Development District
Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries
JD Patton Vocational School
TRIO Educational Opportunity Centers of Northern Kentucky
Tri-State Habitat for Humanity
US Bank
Women's Crisis Center
YouthBuild USA

Special Thanks to:

Dana Skulan of Sugar Bay Daylilies donated landscaping time and materials