Dec. 8, 2010
For Immediate Release

By Heather Hensley, KHO client advocate

Campbellsville, Ky. - The snow may have started falling and the winter chill may have already set in, but Kentucky Heartland Outreach (KHO), Campbellsville University (CU) and Scottsville Baptist Church have partnered together to make local residents' needs their top priority this upcoming week.

An Allen County family will be receiving a new roof and two wheelchair ramps with the help of a group of Campbellsville University students who are using part of their Christmas break to work in the winter weather to fulfill these homeowners' needs.

The family applied to KHO's Home Repair Program and were approved based on their income and level of need. Now that they have volunteers for the Scottsville area, the project can begin, said Melissa Green, Case Manager for KHO.

“Each year, CU takes students on mission trips during their break from classes and we thought this would be a perfect time to ask for their help to complete a much needed local project,” said Green.

Six students from CU will be attending the trip, along with the staff from KHO.

“Currently, the family we are assisting does not have adequate entrances to their home and their roof is in desperate need of repair,” said Heather Hensley, KHO Client Advocate. “In a matter of four days, we hope to make sure this family has a secure way to enter and exit their home, while also having a dry place to lay their head at night.”

However, the staff says this trip would never work without the help of Scottsville Baptist Church.

“Scottsville Baptist has opened their doors to our group in so many ways,” said Chuck Cassada, Chief of Operations for KHO. “They are providing us a place to stay and meals throughout the week.”

Cassada said Brian Gatlin, Scottsville Baptist's youth minister, really aided in the plans of this project. He contacted other churches in the Scottsville area to help provide meals for the mission team.

“It makes such a big difference in our ministry when we have the support of the local community,” Cassada said.

“We have worked with Scottsville Baptist for many years, “ said Todd Parish, Executive Director for KHO. “Any time we contact them, they go above and beyond to make sure we have the resources needed to minister to this community.”

Parish said Scottsville Baptist Church has not only participated in the KHO summer youth camps each year, but has also hosted those groups in the past. He said the church continue to be a huge asset as KHO ministers outside of their home area.

“It's difficult for us to always be in every community we serve, since we have a small staff and only one office,” said Parish. “But it makes me proud to know that we have churches and other organizations that see the reason for what we do and help us meet the needs of the families in every community we work in.

“Our goal is to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ by meeting the physical needs of people, in hopes of opening the door to share the Gospel,” he said. “Scottsville Baptist is helping us carry out that mission.”

Parish also said that their work in Allen County is made more possible through the generous donations of the Laura Goad Turner Charitable Foundation. They have provided grants for Allen County several times over the past 10 years.

KHO is a non-profit organization that specializes in providing minor home repairs at little to no cost for families who could not afford to complete them on their own. They are funded by Kentucky Housing Corporation and Campbellsville University, along with other various donors. Each year, they work with over 1,000 volunteers to complete numerous home repairs in the South Central Kentucky region.

KHO serves the following 13 counties: Adair, Allen, Barren, Casey, Green, Hart, Larue, Lincoln, Marion, Metcalfe, Pulaski, Taylor and Warren.