Habitat Helping Hands Awarded Best New Program

​Columbia County Habitat for Humanity was awarded Best New Program for its Habitat Helping Hands program at the New York State Affiliate Conference held in Binghamton last week. Habitat Helping Hands launched in March of 2022 and is designed to help senior citizens and low-income homeowners make critical safety and accessibility-related repairs and upgrades to their homes. To date, the program has assisted 10 families in Columbia County and currently has a waiting list for several more projects. 

Executive Director and CEO Al Bellenchia accepted the award from Habitat NYS CEO, Mary Robinson at the state-wide conference of Habitat affiliates. Robinson remarked, "We are proud to recognize Habitat Helping Hands as Best New Program in 2022. It’s exciting to see a program that brings together community partners to improve the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable homeowners and ensure families can remain independent and safe at home."

Columbia County Habitat’s Executive Director Al Bellenchia commented, “Habitat Helping Hands is all about neighbors helping neighbors and relies on volunteers in each community to work alongside our Construction Project Manager, Mike Tizekker. We help homeowners in need make minor repairs, make their houses safer and more accessible, and help keep seniors in their homes.”

Habitat Helping Hands is generously supported by Ed Herrington, Inc., Greylock Federal Credit Union, The Dyson Foundation, Columbia County Libraries Association, Columbia-Greene Community College, and the Hudson River Bank & Trust Foundation.