How You Can Help
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Appalachian Energy Efficiency Conference in Berea
The Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises (Fahe) recently hosted a conference dealing with energy efficiency in home construction, entitled: Trials and Tribulations of Energy Efficient Residential Construction. Fahe described the event as a place to "provide the professionals in the industry the opportunity to speak openly about their encounters in planning, design and construction and to be given the platform to learn from peers and to improve energy performance."
We're all in this together, so the exchange of ideas and best practices is pivotal to our combined success. With this interest in mind, our construction and design team attended and our own Josh Trent presented his findings throughout the years. The Frontier team shared alongside other nonprofit residential builders the mistakes they've made in the past and how they've corrected them, and the pitfalls they've encountered along the way with the solutions they've developed.
Other attendees included many Fahe members, and there were other experienced professionals presenting, such as Collin Arnold from Community Housing Partners; Greg Miller, from People's Self-Help Housing; Tom Manning, from Beavin; and Darrell Kinnett from KY Highlands Investment Corporation / Southern Tier Housing.
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Community Collaborative Efforts Bring Attention to Trafficking
Modern day slavery-otherwise known as human trafficking-is a growing problem that affects us all, across the globe. Communities are weakened when families are in danger. Whether it is a child being sold or a mother being kidnapped, the negative effects that trafficking has on the integrity of our communities can be lessened through simple awareness. Knowing what a trafficking situation may look like or where your own children may be vulnerable can keep many people safe.
Many people gained that knowledge at a seminar created by AmeriCorps service members in our community (two of which are serving at Frontier!) and the Morehead State University Human Trafficking Student Task Force (MSU HTSTF). This collaborative effort educated a large number of people on the dangers of stereotyping trafficking situations by identifying many 'red flag' indicators.
The event coordinators partnered with Rescue and Restore KY to bring in Margeaux Gray, a survivor of a human trafficking situation that lasted almost fifteen years. Margeaux, who is now partially blind due to her circumstances in being trafficked, gave a passionate talk about the importance in awareness efforts, the need for psychological after care for survivors, and, most importantly, the illusion that victims' suffering ends the moment they become free from their chains, real or figurative.
The event was very successful with a full house in attendance, an eye-opening Q&A session, and a heavily-attended volunteer opportunity afterward. Once the seminar was finished, many stayed after to assist in the creation of chapsticks labeled with targeted messages for potential victims of trafficking. The labels contain information they can use to regain their freedom, such as the national hotline number where they can report their trafficker.
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| FRONTIER HOUSING'S BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER |
We are pleased to bring you our bi-monthly newsletter,
Innovative Voices. Please enjoy!
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A Family Foundation: The Bryants
Every family deserves a fair start. Unfortunately, that is not always the case in our area of Appalachia. Many families start their lives in unsustainable conditions, which leads to a seemingly never ending cycle of struggle. The worse a family's starting conditions, the harder it will be for them to break free and improve the quality of life for themselves and future generations. Frontier has worked for over 40 years to become part of the solution and break that cycle by providing affordable housing solutions that will positively affect our region for generations to come.
Home, to Summer and Benji Bryant, means a place where you can build a life together that will be comfortable for both you and your family. The Bryants, both graduates of Morehead State University and active members of our community, are a family that deserves a fair start, and they needed somewhere that would allow them to grow. A home that would give them a firm foundation while they build their life and begin their family together in Morehead.
Summer, who thoroughly enjoys helping children reach their potential and achieve their dreams, positively impacts the lives of many families through her work with the Trio program Educational Talent Search. The program encourages creative development in middle-school aged children through group activities, social networking, and a wealth of resources they can tap into if they later decide to pursue higher education.
Benji has chosen a similar path in life, opting to serve his community in a positive way. He has devoted many years to Upward Bound, an extracurricular educational program that empowers low-income high-school aged children through leadership opportunities, cultural exposure, and creatively developed educational content.
After knowing each other for many years, they began dating and soon decided they were right for each other. Since Benji and Summer had been living separately for many years, they were well-aware of the absurdly high costs of renting and the downsides to not owning their own home. Once they were sure they wanted to build their life together, they looked to home ownership as a way to figuratively and literally combine their lives-and costs.
After deciding to commit to each other, the happy couple was exploring homes for sale in the area. They explored the Lakes at Hickory Pointe subdivision in Rowan County. Benji and Summer viewed several houses and lots, but had yet to find one that pleased them. As they were leaving the Lakes, a contractor employed by Frontier Housing flagged them down. He chatted with them for a few minutes about their dissatisfaction with the homes they had been shown and then pointed to another house for sale that they had not seen.
Curious, they decided to look at the Frontier home. It was close to being finished. They loved the open floor plan, the lot size and location. They knew it was the place for them, as they could easily imagine beginning a family here. They wanted peace of mind from a solid home where they would not have to worry about increasing energy bills or a lack of space. With the advantage of their home being constructed by Frontier to meet ENERGYSTAR standards, they would never have to worry about unsustainable living costs-giving them the freedom to plan for a family!
Since the house was not yet complete, they had the chance to customize many features. Through deciding paint colors, cabinet styles, and more, they were able to create the home they envisioned when they first saw the house. During the last stretches of construction, they grew to love the home and each other more and more. So much so that Benji proposed in the house just before it was finished!
Months later, the happy couple is putting the finishing touches on the decorations and has settled into their home rather nicely. They still love the home layout and location, citing the view of the lakes and the natural light as their two favorite features. The reduction in rental costs and the massive improvement in energy sustainability are near the top of their list, though. With plenty of room to grow, the Bryants are looking forward to many happy years together.
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Knowledgeable Staff Can Better Serve Our Community
National Training Institutes (NTIs) are a benefit that NeighborWorks America (NWA) network members receive through NWA membership. They are a place where homeownership opportunity providers, financial literacy organizations, lenders, builders, and other human service providers, come together to exchange ideas and innovations. By attending, our staff members can share best practices and engage in critical conversations about what has worked and what hasn't.
It is important for the staff of any organization to continue learning and growing to reach their full potential, so that we may better serve our community. The knowledge and ideas that we gain through experiences like these are those that allow us to have a larger positive impact on the area around us, so staff members regularly attend NTIs and other similar events. We are always thankful for the wealth of information we can bring back home, where we can more effectively build better communities.
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