Habitat for Humanity of Pulaski Co.

Since 1989, Habitat for Humanity of Pulaski County has provided decent and affordable homes to more than 125 families in the county.

“We are able to provide homes for qualifying applicants with mortgages, some of them less than $400 a month, and these are brand new three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes,” said Andrea Newton, the nonprofit’s neighborhood and revitalization coordinator.

About 3,000 volunteers donate their time and energy annually to help build homes or work at the organization’s two home-improvement stores, Restores, in Little Rock and North Little Rock. Between five and 10 homes are built in most years for those in need, Newton said. Thanks to the donation of several old houses, 25 homes were restored or built in 2014.

A neighborhood revitalization program, in which exteriors of homes are repaired, wheelchair ramps are built and homes are weatherized, also was launched last year. “We’re able to reach a larger demographic that way and it doesn’t take as long to do those things,” Newton said.

The goal for 2018 is to build 18 homes and conduct 30 neighborhood revitalization projects, she said. A third Restore also is scheduled to open in 2018. And in the past few years, the nonprofit has added Lonoke County to its service area, and volunteers have started building a home in Cabot.

It typically takes about three months to build a new house, Newton said.

“Over 50 children got to sleep in their very own room or bed for the first time last year in Pulaski County” because of Habitat for Humanity, Newton said.

The nonprofit’s operating and administrative expenses for 2014 were $2.9 million. Of the $5 million in revenue in 2014, 50 percent was from product sales, 25 percent from fees or services and 24 percent from gifts.