Habitat for Humanity chapter expanding to nearby KY counties

MADISONVILLE, Ky. (WFIE) - Habitat for Humanity of Hopkins County is expanding to serve more parts of western Kentucky through a newly formed entity called the “Pennyrile Region.”

The program has a home under construction, despite a delay because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Construction continued Thursday on the Morton’s Gap home, which will belong to Anthony and Kara Burrow and their five children.

“My biggest goal has been to have a safe, sound, quality house,” father Anthony Burrow said. “I haven’t cared too much for the finer details, but Habitat has gone above and beyond.”

Work was supposed to get underway in March, but was pushed back due to the pandemic.

“It was a lot of uncertainty,” Burrow recalled. “We were out of our home to be able to build this home.”

Ricky Wilson Construction along with Groves Construction is offering services for free to get the work started.

“As many know, the construction industry was still considered essential, so we built this house with no volunteers. but we’ve had a lot of professional support,” Pennyrile Region Executive Director Heath Duncan explained.

The home is being built more efficiently. which will help cut down on energy costs with features such as structural insulated panels.

“So their utility bills will be dramatically lower than what they would have typically been,” Duncan added.

Burrow, who is an Army veteran, says floors in their family’s former home were falling in.

“Because of it being beyond repair, and like dilapidated, he looked at it and said it was unsafe,” Burrow described.

Anthony and Kara, along with the couple’s young son, say they are looking forward to the safety and security this new home will provide.

“The other one wasn’t really good because it was falling apart,” the boy recalled.

The home is expected to be completed by the end of June.

Leaders at Habitat for Humanity of Hopkins County said they saw the need for affordable housing in other areas like Webster and Christian Counties, which will both be included in the “Pennyrile Region.”

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