After nearly 30 years of serving Owensboro’s community, Habitat for Humanity is preparing to build their 150th house.
Virginia Braswell has been the executive director of the local Habitat for Humanity since 1993 and has overseen the production of nearly each of the houses in Owensboro.
As the only person to serve in her position, she has seen the community come together to support the homeowners in the most rewarding ways.
“People will be a sponsor because of the rewarding feeling,” Braswell said. “Meeting the family, working on site with your hands, watching one dimension go up to three dimensions.”
Braswell cites several companies and organizations throughout the city that have helped them along the way with grants to help with the funding.
They plan to break ground on the 150th house in November with partner Building Young Professionals, and they are currently seeking donations for the monumental house.
The 4-bedroom house is slated to have solar panels donated — a first for the local Habitat. In addition, they expect the house to be energy efficient from the insulation in the walls to the windows.
Bonnie Jimenez knows the importance of Habitat’s mission.
She was the recipient of the 138th house in 2019. She first started helping in 2017. She arrived in Owensboro from Philadelphia in 2012 and was a security guard without much construction experience.
She was a single mother to her daughter and was renting a home in town when she learned about Habitat. Jimenez began volunteering and entered the application process in 2017.
After she served nearly 300 hours, she received the keys to the house she helped build, and she considers Habitat a blessing.
“Oh my God, I was so happy because every stud, every window, got nailed by me,” Jimenez said.
Since joining she has enjoyed her time with the organization as a member of their AmeriCorp team, and handles all things in the building process and specializes in applying the siding.
Both Braswell and Jimenez enjoy working with the team and building the community that they have. Braswell said the relationships she’s built with homeowners and the community is something she holds close.
“I have four kids and eight grandkids, and all this good stuff too, but this is another community,” Braswell said. “This is helping people.”
While she is 82, Braswell said she does not see herself retiring until after the house is built.
“This has been very satisfying,” Braswell said. “They asked me if I was going to retire at the end of this year and I said I don’t think so. I want to see this 150th house and might possibly retire sometime next year, but it’s up in the air.”
