FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 6, 2023) – Just over two months after dedicating the 100th home built for tornado survivors in Western Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear announced today that 153 homes are now completed or under construction with partial funding from the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund.
Today’s announcement marks the halfway point of the administration’s goal to build or significantly repair 300 homes as part of recovery efforts from the 2021 tornadoes.
Beshear thanked donors as well as the local leaders and housing partners who helped make this milestone possible, saying their generosity has helped families get a fresh start after losing so much during the devastating tornadoes.
The building projects received the support of more than $11.5 million from the fund. In total, $21.6 million has been committed from the fund to build or significantly repair 300 homes. Building continues with projects currently in nine Western Kentucky counties – Caldwell, Christian, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Hopkins, Marshall, Ohio and Warren.
Nonprofit building partners include The Hope Initiative, Habitat for Humanity, Homes & Hope for Kentucky, Fuller Center Disaster Rebuilders, The Mayfield/Graves Fuller Center for Housing and The Mayfield/Graves Long-Term Recovery Group.
Launched just days after the tornadoes in December 2021, 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 the families of the deceased and aided survivors as well as local farmers impacted by the storms. The remaining funds are being used to build houses.