Plum Creek donates lumber to Habitat project

Plum Creek recently donated nearly 1,000 manufactured lumber studs to Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley.

The donation will kick off construction for the two new single family, three bedroom homes in Spring Creek Estates in Kalispell. The families for these homes have already been chosen, each four-member families that are anxiously awaiting the official groundbreaking so they can start their sweat equity in their year-long journey to becoming homeowners. 

“Plum Creek has been such an incredible supporter not just to Habitat for Humanity and affordable housing, but to several community organizations and we are very fortunate to have such a generous company right in our backyard,” Habitat for Humanity executive director Erin Falcon said. “Plum Creek is not just providing a lumber donation, they are making two families’ homeownership dreams possible by allowing Habitat to discount the cost of construction and lower mortgage payments for these families. Without companies like Plum Creek, Habitat’s affordable housing mission would be extremely difficult.”

Plum Creek has donated to several Habitat for Humanity homes over the years, as well as made an annual monetary donation, making Plum Creek’s lifetime donation to Habitat at a value just over $50,000.

The homes receiving the lumber donation at 255 and 265 Short Pine Drive are scheduled to be completed in summer 2016.

By using volunteer labor, homeowner “sweat equity,” and donations from local and national building material suppliers, Habitat for Humanity is able to keep the cost of construction low. Three thousand hours of volunteer “labor” are required to complete a Habitat home.

Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley was established in 1989 with the mission of eliminating substandard housing. Due to rapid population growth, an increase in property values and stagnant income levels, the need for affordable housing in Flathead County has increased over the last two decades. Based on U.S. Census data, it is estimated that more than 1,000 Flathead County families currently live in substandard housing. Habitat has built 44 homes to date in the Flathead Valley, allowing families to transition out of substandard housing and into safe, decent and affordable homes of their own.

 For those interested in volunteering, additional information can be found by calling the Habitat for Humanity administrative office at 257-8800.