Bank of America gifts $200K to house families struggling since Hurricane Florence

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — It’s Giving Tuesday and Bank of America is writing a hefty check to Cape Fear Habitat for Humanity.

The non-profit’s executive director, Steve Spain, says the $200,000 comes at the right time.

Spain says this money will help jump start their new efficiency cottage program, which is geared towards helping families that lived in mobile homes severely damaged by Hurricane Florence. He adds this program is a smaller version of their energy efficient stick built homes.

“It really doesn’t make sense to repair that kind of housing and so this is a really great option for them to have a house that will last and increase in value,” Spain said.

He says each cottage costs about $40,000 to build, so this check will help five families who currently live in unsafe, tough situations.

“We’re hoping that the first five that we build we can use to inspire other donors including FEMA and the federal money that eventually will get here,” Spain said.

Spain says this gift should help get the ball rolling, but there are several hundreds of others still in need.

“On our list currently we have five people who are moving forward with this project, but there are another several hundred in almost identical circumstances,” Spain said. “They’re mostly elderly or disabled. They own their own land and own their housing so they didn’t have insurance because their wasn’t a bank making them have insurance.”

Spain says this project will also address the affordable housing issue.

“The affordable housing will be in the community for years unlike the trailer or mobile home they were in before,” Spain said.