One of my favorite groups is doing great things again and again and…… We help whenever possible, and are always pleased to pitch in.  What a spectacular group.  Good job Luke and Ken,   Much appreciation      John and Priscilla DeCosta

Ken Cowdery, Homebuilders Foundation

Home Builders Foundation raises funds for shelter work

Portland Business Journal by Wendy Culverwell , Business Journal staff writer

Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2012, 10:15am PDT

The Portland Home Builders Foundation, the low-profile philanthropic arm of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland, raised a record $29,000 for its shelter-building projects at its eighth annual Trap Shoot, held earlier this month at the Portland Gun Club.

The funds help fuel the foundation’s ambitious plans to partner with nonprofits serving low income and homeless Portlanders to improve existing shelters and develop new ones.

To date, it has completed $2.3 million in new construction and remodeling projects yielding 123 beds and 21,000 square feet for the city’s inventory of shelter space.

This month, the foundation launched its largest project to date, a complete rehabilitation of the Portland Rescue Mission’s Next Step transitional shelter for men in recovery in Northeast Portland.

The $1 million project is being run by Nathan D. Young Construction and will thoroughly modernize the 15,000-square-foot former nursing home.

Owner Nathan D. Young explained his motivation to donate time and resources in an article in the Corporate Philanthropy section of the Sept. 14 Portland Business Journal (available in print only).

Prior to the recession, Young said he relied on traditional advertising to publicize his high-end contracting and remodeling business. As the economy rebounded, he chose to tell the company’s story through charitable work.

“I realized I would rather donate time to philanthropy than being in a position of shelling out money for a picture in a magazine,” he said.

Ken Cowdery joined the foundation as executive director with a mission to raise its profile and increase its roster of projects.

He told the Business Journal it succeeds by screening its charitable partners carefully to ensure they have the resources to complete projects and manage them.

Past efforts include Haven House, a $260,000 project to provide housing for homeless mothers for Catholic Charities, and updates to Raphael House, a family shelter.

The foundation acts as the local chapter of HomeAid of America, a national homebuilder effort that has developed 5,000 beds nationwide. Portland is one of 18 chapters.