Burke County United Way presents Open Hearts Place with $25,000
On Thursday, March 30, Burke County United Way (BCUW) presented Open Hearts Place (OHP) with a gift of $25,000. These funds will be used for the construction of three homes, doubling the size of OHP’s housing program. OHP provides homes and purposeful opportunities to families working toward self-sufficiency. These homes allow families in the program to pay an affordable rent for up to three years while they work to attain financial stability. The $25,000 donation given to OHP is part of a grant awarded to BCUW from the Dogwood Health Trust, supporting BCUW’s focus on Housing Stability.
“Open Hearts Place continues to work towards providing solutions to the lack of affordable workforce housing in Burke County,” says Alan Wood, President and CEO of Burke Development Inc. and BCUW’s Board President. “We are excited to support them in their efforts and expect to see more positive results in the future.”
Phase 1 of Open Hearts Place (OHP)’s Pilot Program included building three homes on two lots located on Hudson Street, behind St. Matthews United Methodist Church in Morganton, a plot of land previously owned by the church. OHP built two 1100 square foot homes with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths each, and one 650 square foot home with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath. These homes are complete and are now occupied by families in the program. Planning for Phase 2 is currently underway, which includes another three houses located near Mull Elementary School, for which OHP plans to break ground in June.
Madelyn Russ is a member of the Strategic Action Team for OHP. “Open Hearts Place very much appreciates the donation from Burke United Way. For three years our families will be working to become more self- sufficient and prepared to move on to home ownership. Together, Burke United Way and Open Hearts Place are working to break the cycle of poverty two generations at a time.”
Learn more about Open Hearts Place and keep up with their progress at www.openheartsplace.org.