National Recognition for Home Builders Foundation
Portland Home Builder’s Foundation efforts to provide job training for people who’ve experienced homelessness, and a project to build a shelter for sex trafficking survivors are now recognized on a national level. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) awarded two Association Excellence Awards to the Portland Home Builders Foundation at its annual meeting in June.
Workforce Development Lauded:
The HBF won the Best Workforce Development Program award for its HomeAid WORKS program. Through HomeAId WORKS, HBF partnered with Portland’s Constructing Hope to create a pathway for people who have experienced homelessness to access construction job training. Participants enter pre-apprenticeship construction training to help them find quality, meaningful work with livable wages. HBF also partnered with Constructing Hope to conduct a job fair to help place the program participants.
Community Service:
The award for Best Community Service Project was given for HBF’s work on Anisa’s Place, a therapeutic home in Clackamas County. The nonprofit Village for One operates Anisa’s Place to care for girls ages 12-17 who are recovering from commercial sexual exploitation. The Home Builders Foundation members donated nearly half of the construction costs in materials and labor to build the shelter, as well as financial contributions to help complete the home. Nearly 50 trade partners donated to the project. With help from HBF, Anisa’s Place residents now have a home where they can live in for up to a year as they receive therapy to overcome their trauma.
HBF’s Executive Director Brenda Katah remarks “Home Builders Foundation is dedicated to the belief that every individual has worth and human dignity. We are grateful for our generous supporters who have helped us weather this challenging year, and continue to make a difference in the lives of those who need it. “
17 NAHB’s annual Association of Excellence Awards are given annually in the category of large market Home Builders Associations, which includes more than 40 of the largest Home Builder’s Associations in the country. During the past eight years, HBA and HBF of Metro Portland have won 35 AEA awards, more than double the number received by any other HBA in the same size category. HBF projects have been honored with 10 of those awards.