HYANNIS – The region’s largest housing agency held its 44th annual meeting and volunteer appreciation event Thursday night to recap their 2017 activities.
Agency officials said the organization is on strong footing as they continue to help people on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.
“Housing Assistance Corporation is truly a special place,” said HAC CEO Alisa Galazzi, “We make dreams come true and we see this in the tears of joy when a single mother with her 3 sons get the rental voucher after being on the wait list for 12 years.”
They run several programs that help homeless individuals and families to first-time homebuyers.
HAC helped more than 5,300 people last year in a wide variety of programs.
“When an employer is hiring for the summer season housing options are limited,” explained Galazzi, “So adding housing inventory has been an important initiative throughout our history, in fact we have built over 500 units to date.”
982 individuals and families were helped through HAC’s home ownership assistance and counseling.
More than 830 individuals and families were helped with homeless outreach, family shelters and homeless prevention.
More 1,100 households took part in leased housing, which paid out $10.5 million to landlords.
The agency also provided more than 1,000 energy audits, weatherization and energy efficiency improvements valued at $3.6 million.
Several awards to volunteers were also handed out Thursday night.
Richard and Bernadette Waystack of Harwich received the Volunteer of the Year Award for the longstanding work with the Bob Murray Housing with Love Walk.
The 99 Restaurants, Home Depot and Mashpee Boy Scout Troop 36 were all recognized for their volunteer efforts with the annual Big Fix.
Each year, HAC makes minor house and landscaping repairs to people in need in a specific town, focusing on the disabled and military. This year’s Big Fix will be in Harwich.
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