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BRIC plans October volunteer week in New Ellenton area; seeks host sites, referrals and volunteers
Summary
BRIC, a faith‑based 501(c)(3) led by Brian Henderson, told the council it will bring about 120 volunteers for a week in October to repair roughly a dozen owner‑occupied homes and asked local churches to host and feed crews and to submit referrals.
BRIC, a volunteer nonprofit that does home‑repair projects for people in extreme poverty, told the New Ellenton council it will focus projects in New Ellenton and nearby communities this October and asked for local referrals and hosting assistance.
The nonprofit’s weeklong build matters because it targets owner‑occupied homes with major needs, brings large volunteer crews and relies on local hosts and donations to operate.
Brian Henderson, BRIC founder and pastor at First Baptist in Jackson, said BRIC is a 501(c)(3) and typically brings about 120 volunteers for a week to complete roughly 12 houses. He said BRIC will accept applications online and will prioritize owner‑occupied homes or family properties, not rental units. Henderson said the project dates are in October, and he is considering October 7–11 as the working week; he also said he is discussing housing options with a middle school and several churches so volunteers can be housed and fed during the week.
Henderson described the organization’s selection criteria: a five‑person review team evaluates need, feasibility for completion in a week and whether the project can be safely completed with volunteers’ skill mix. He said BRIC asks volunteers to pay a $250 registration fee (which covers housing and meals) and that the organization’s material costs for a city project are typically $50,000–$60,000. He said BRIC brings shower trailers and kitchen equipment and prefers local churches to adopt crews to provide lunches and neighborhood follow‑up.
Council members and staff offered to share contacts and to help identify homeowner referrals; Henderson asked residents to register applicants online or to submit suggestions directly to BRIC.
Henderson said BRIC also seeks a local base of operations for the week (a church or school gym) with room to house about 100 people, feed two meals a day and gather for worship and logistics.
