Hope Initiative gives five Mayfield families new homes

On Friday, The Hope Initiative  gave five Mayfield families new homes as the community recovers from December 2021 tornadoes and recent historic flooding.

The Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund provided $500,000 to help build those homes and supported The Hope Initiative's building projects with $5.4 million. Kroger provided each family a "Welcome Home" kit of food and cleaning supplies.

"The Hope Initiative continues to serve the needs of our community throughout the recovery process because of the kindness and generosity of so many partners," said His House Ministries lead pastor Stephen Boyken. He also serves as president of The Hope Initiative. "The biggest need continues to be housing solutions for renters, whose homes were lost or destroyed by the tornado," he said. 

Boyken noted that still more recovery work remains.

The Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund has raised more than $52 million with donations from more than 150,000 individuals and businesses. 

The money raised helped pay funeral expenses for families of the deceased and provided survivors and local farmers assistance. The remaining funds will build houses. Learn more at TeamWKYReliefFund.ky.gov. 

In April 2022, nonpartisan work between Kentucky's executive and legislative branches of government established the $120 million Western Kentucky State Aid Funding for Emergencies to assist with tornado recovery.