January 25, 2022
Funding will make low-income families’ homes safer and healthier
New Orleans, LA – New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity (NOAHH) has received nearly $1.7 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to protect children and families from home health hazards such as lead-based paint, mold, moisture, pests, poor indoor air quality and other safety hazards. NOAHH was one of 60 non-profit organizations in 29 states selected for this HUD grant.
“The $1.7 million HUD grant is the largest grant we’ve received in our 38-year history,” said NOAHH Executive Director Marguerite Oestreicher. “This grant is truly transformative, and will allow us to serve even more homeowners than ever before.” Normally, NOAHH undertakes about 50 A Brush With Kindness project per year. The HUD grant will allow NOAHH to help an additional 100 families over the next few years.
As part of the effort to protect families from home health hazards, NOAHH will replacedamaged sheetrock, build ramps to make homes more accessible, clean air conditioning and heating systems and undertake other efforts that make huge differences in the daily lives of New Orleanians.
Homeowners are encouraged to apply to NOAHH’s A Brush With Kindness program if their home is in need of repair or poses a threat to their health and safety. To qualify, applicants’ household income must fall within 30% – 80% of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA area median income level as outlined by HUD: www.hud.gov. Interested homeowners can call NOAHH’s A Brush With Kindness Program at 504.609.3328 or visit www.abwk.org to submit a preliminary application.
About NOAHH
New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity is an independent 501(c) 3 non-profit affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Our mission is to responsibly build communities where families can thrive, in homes they can afford. Founded in 1983, NOAHH has provided a path to homeownership for over 650 families. Habitat homebuyers pay a zero-interest mortgage and work 250 volunteer hours of sweat equity in lieu of a down payment. NOAHH has hosted more
than 200,000 volunteers who have built homes, cleared blighted properties and made urgently needed repairs for 255 elderly or disabled property owners in need through the A Brush With Kindness program. The affiliate also has two ReStore locations—on Elysian Fields in New Orleans and on Williams Boulevard in Kenner.