Applications Needed for Group WorkCamps. Home Rehab Repairs!

NeighborWorks  Dakota Home Resources Plans to Bring up to 400volunteers to Sturgis to Improve the Homes of Local Area Residents

Deadwood, SD- NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources is hosting the sixth annual Group WorkCamp in July 10^th-16^th through out the Black Hills. Over 400 adult and teenage volunteers will provide free home repairs to over 70 local residents. 

The repairs are being provided through the Group Cares (formerly Group Workcamps Foundation) program, sponsored locally by NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources. The Group Cares (formerly Group Workcamps Foundation) is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian volunteer home-repair organization headquartered in Loveland, Colorado.  This summer, an anticipated 25,000 young people and adults will participate in 43 Workcamps in communities across the United States and Canada. 

At each Workcamp, volunteers – all members of church youth groups – volunteer a week of their time to repair homes throughout the community.  “This represents about 12,000 hours of volunteer labor, worth over $110,000, to the community,” said Sharon Martinisko, Community Outreach Coordinator of NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources.

“These really are remarkable young people,” said Jeff Thompson, of Group Cares (formerly Group Workcamps Foundation).  “Each one is actually paying for the privilege of working in your community.  Workcamp registration fees are used to cover our costs for food, insurance, and building materials.”

This year’s Workcamp will be housed at Sturgis Brown High School in Sturgis,  “This incredible service to the area would be impossible without the wonderful cooperation of the Sturgis Brown High School,” remarked Ms. Martinisko of NeighborWorks.  Group Cares (formerly Group Workcamps Foundation) will reimburse all lodging costs to Sturgis Brown High School.

NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources is a non-profit whose mission is to assist in providing decent, safe and affordable housing and revitalizing neighborhoods to improve the quality of life in our communities.  NeighborWorks encourages anyone in need of assistance in doing home repairs to apply.   Repairs offered through the Workcamp include interior and exterior painting, weatherization, porch construction and repair, wheelchair ramp construction, and other work.  Residents in North Rapid City and the Northern Black Hills (within 40 minutes of Sturgis Brown High School) can

obtain an application online at www.nhsblackhills.org or by calling 578-1401 to have an application mailed.  The Workcamp repairs will take place July 10 – 16^th, 2011.  All applications are due to NeighborWorks by April 15^th.

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Tour of Lights Brings in Food Donations for the Lords Cupboard in Lead

NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources partnered with the Deadwood Trolley Department for the annual “Tour of Lights” to allow residents to see Christmas lights in the Lead and Deadwood areas while riding the Deadwood Trolley. Over 60 residents attended this years “Tour of Lights” and donated four boxes of nonperishable food. NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources collected the food for the Lords Cupboard in Lead. The Lords Cupboard accepts donations Monday from 9am-11:30am and Thursday from 3pm-5:30pm. For more information on Tour of Lights and NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources contact Sharon at 605-578-1401

Wells Fargo invests $250,000, donates $10,000 for Western South Dakota affordable housing initiatives

Wells Fargo invests $250,000, donates $10,000 for
Western South Dakota affordable housing initiatives

DEADWOOD, S.D., Dec. 30, 2010 – Wells Fargo has made a $250,000 equity equivalent investment (EQ2) to NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources (NWDHR). The Wells Fargo Housing Foundation has made an additional $10,000 donation to NWDHR. These funds will help increase access to affordable housing for South Dakota residents.

“We appreciate the support of Wells Fargo and are excited to have access to additional funds to assist families with the purchase of a home or the maintenance of their homes,” said Joy McCracken, Executive Director for NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources.

This is Wells Fargo’s second $250,000 EQ2 investment in NWDHR, which will pass the EQ2 loan proceeds to its subsidiary, Neighborhood Lending Services, LLC. (NLS), a certified Community Development Financial Institution. NLS makes down payment and closing cost assistance loans and housing rehabilitation loans to residents in the northern Black Hills counties of Butte, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Meade, and non-metro Pennington. By providing lending capital to NLS, Wells Fargo is supporting NWDHR’s efforts to promote affordable home ownership and strengthen communities in western South Dakota.

“The investment and the donation support NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources’ mission to help provide safe, decent and affordable housing,” said John Senden, community banking president for Wells Fargo in Spearfish. “It’s our hope that these funds will improve the quality of life in our Western South Dakota communities.”

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Equity equivalent investments, or EQ2s, provide capital in the form of below-market-rate loans. They are a limited resource reserved for Well Fargo non-profit community development partners that are working to expand affordable housing, job creation and economic development in the communities where Wells Fargo does business.

About NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources
NeighborWorks Dakota Home Resources (NWDHR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1992 that provides homeownership loan products, counseling, education and advocacy services to low- and moderate-income people in six western South Dakota counties. Previously known as Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills, NWDHR maintains an “exemplary” rating as a member of the national NeighborWorks network.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo’s Community Lending and Investment division provides debt and equity capital for economic development, job creation and affordable housing in areas of need nationwide. For more about Wells Fargo Community Lending and Investment: www.wellsfargo.com/communitylendingandinvestment

Wells Fargo provides financial services from 55 stores in 39 South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota communities and employs more than 4,000 team members throughout the region. Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.2 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 banking stores, 12,000 ATMs, the Internet (wellsfargo.com and wachovia.com), and other distribution channels across North America and internationally. With more than 278,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in America. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked #19 on Fortune’s 2009 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially.


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American Dream Put Back on Track

Belle Fourche, S.D., Dec. 30, 2010- Thanks to Wells Fargo and NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources (NWDHR) Kenneth Austin and Penny Wilson will finally get to live the American Dream.

Kenneth and Penny purchased their first home in 2008 with a Wells Fargo loan, and what they thought to be the American Dream shortly took a turn. At the time Belle Fourche was experiencing a seven-year drought, but once they moved in the rain started falling. Penny stated “I woke up one morning and the water was filling up our basement, and we have been dealing with it ever since”

The repairs needed for the home were too expensive for out of pocket cost. After several recommendations Kenneth and Penny contacted NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources.

With the assistance from NWDHR Home Rehab program, a $250,000 EQ2 Wells Fargo investment for affordable housing and forgivable Home Loans provided the family with funding to insert drain title around the house and remove and replace water damaged sheetrock in the basement.

NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources (NWDHR) is a non-profit corporation founded in 1992 that provides homeownership loan products, counseling, education and advocacy serves to low-and moderate-income people in six western South Dakota counties.

“The investment and the donation support NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources’ mission to help provide safe, decent and affordable housing,” said John Senden, community-banking president for Wells Fargo in Spearfish. “It’s our hope that these funds will improve the quality of life in our Western South Dakota Communities.

This is Wells Fargo’s second $250,000 EQ2 investment in NWDHR, which will pass the EQ2 loan proceeds to its subsidiary, Neighborhood Lending Services, LLC. (NLS), a certified Community Development Financial Institution. NLS makes down payment and closing cost assistance loans and housing rehabilitation loans to residents in the northern Black Hills counties of Butte, Custer, Fall River, Lawrence, Meade, and non-metro Pennington. By providing lending capital to NLS, Wells Fargo is supporting NWDHR’s efforts to promote affordable home ownership and strengthen communities in western South Dakota.

Kenneth and Penny stated that they are very excited for the rehab to be completed and said that it will get their American Dream back on track and make their home feel new again.

For more information on NeighborWorks® Dakota Home Resources and other programs that they offer please contact their office at 605-578-1401