Help Build Hope has a long history of sending homes to disaster-affected areas. Our network of partners serve in a variety of capacities throughout the country. This year, we have added Appalachia Service Project to that network, helping those impacted by Hurricane Helene and several other disasters around Central Appalachia.  

ASP has been working for decades in a five-hour radius around their home base in Johnson City, TN. Covering five states in the Appalachian Mountains, their focus has been on relationships. “We are primarily a relationship ministry with a little construction on the side,” explains Chris Schroeder, Vice President of New Build & Disaster Recovery for ASP.  

CrossRoads shares that outlook on ministry and reached out to ASP about partnering with Help Build Hope for Helene recovery. “It was one of those serendipitous sort of phone calls amidst so many others,” remembers Schroeder. “Help Build Hope said, ‘We’d love to send you this frame to get a family in a home sooner,’ and my response was ‘Really?!’” 

Since starting their disaster recovery efforts in 2012, ASP has developed a Rapid Rebuild initiative combining their experiences across several types of disasters across Appalachia: tornadoes, fires, floods, and now a hurricane. “We wanted to share what we’ve learned from other disasters, so we came up with Rapid Rebuild. The goal is to bring hope to the community, show other partners it is possible, and set up a sustainable model to jumpstart the system, setting up families for long-term sustainable success.” 

“Thankfully ASP is only one organization working in the area. We are just glad to be part of the solution,” continued Schroeder. “Help Build Hope is the sort of partnership that is needed in these circumstances. The panelized walls work perfectly into Rapid Rebuild – fast, effective, and safe.” But the walls themselves are not the most impactful aspect of these builds.  

“It’s not just lumber – it’s messages written in sharpie of hope and love. Families move their schedules to invite everyone to be there when the walls go up so they can read every message on the walls. Because they need that encouragement. This is a 180 from what has been a terrible disaster to a new day: a brighter future, a new opportunity to build memories, and go out into the future.” 

“I have had a few families who received these walls say ‘we just gained a new set of neighbors. Even if we never meet them, we’ll always be thinking about them.’ They call the volunteers their ‘Angels in blue jeans.’ There is a ripple effect with organizations like Help Build Hope. Every single house represents hope that ripples out beyond the four walls into the whole community.” 

Schroeder concluded, “Partnerships like this allow ministries like us all to stretch our resources even further and reach more people. And it is an opportunity for you to send tangible, visible, physical hope to a family, a community that has been through a trauma. The worst day of their lives. To show that you care and are thinking about them. Regardless of where you send the walls, we celebrate with you to wherever the home is built. Because Help Build Hope allows you to make that impact.” 

Are you ready to make a lasting impact? Contact andy@crossroadsmissions.com to find out how to host a Help Build Hope event in partnership with ASP 

SCHEDULE A BUILD – We will bring the mission trip to you! 

DONATE – Support our staff and help us update our vehicles so they can travel safely 

PRAYER – Join us in praying for the recipients, volunteers, and staff 

JOIN OUR STAFF – Go on the road with HBH to lead build events! 

We are also looking for CAD programmers to help draw floorplans