Sophisticated Giving: Habitat for Humanity

Driven by the vision that everyone deserves a decent place to live, Lexington Habitat for Humanity has built more than 465 homes and repaired over 100 homes in Lexington. One of the homeowners we’ve partnered with is Angela, a retired teacher who has lived in her home for nearly 30 years. Angela loves her home and neighborhood – but her electrical issues, broken hot water heater, and inaccessible bathroom were making it impossible for her to stay there, “I live alone and I’m no handyman. I couldn’t possibly afford repairs on my retirement. I thought I had no options and that I would have to leave my home.” Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we were able to stabilize Angela’s house and provide the repairs that will allow her to safely and comfortably stay in her own home. “The Lexington Habitat staff are a part of my family now. They fix things like my dad used to…” Angela says, “If you can invest in a program, invest in this one. It changes lives.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 1 in every 8 Kentucky households were paying half or more of their income on a place to live. This leaves no margin for furloughs, layoffs, or unexpected costs. As the economic shocks from COVID-19 continue to unfold, these families will continue to be hit the hardest.

We are fighting issues related to housing affordability and the economic impacts of COVID-19 by building affordable housing, preserving Lexington’s existing housing stock with repairs, and calling on policymakers to ensure housing stability for low-income families.

Though the need for a stable, affordable place to live is clearer than ever, it has become much more difficult to achieve. There’s a lot of work to be done and we rely on community support to do it. You can help by shopping at or donating goods to the Lexington Habitat ReStore. The ReStore is a home improvement store where we sell new and used furniture, appliances, building materials, and more to support our mission.

We hope you’ll join us and show your support by visiting the Restore, signing on to our advocacy efforts and by making a donation to support our mission at www. lexhabitat.org. Every dollar makes a difference - and we can’t do it without your help.