Our History
It all began with a group of concerned citizens.
Rutherford Housing Partnership (RHP) came into existence in 1995 when a group of community leaders identified the pressing need for home repairs in Rutherford County. The leaders, representing Yokefellow Service Center and Pisgah Legal Services, formed a committee that helped create RHP as a non-profit organization in February of 1998. RHP's mission from the start was to raise funds for materials and rely on volunteers to provide labor for repairs. As the organization grew, it partnered with church groups, local companies, and civic organizations to tackle more repair jobs. Today, RHP is proud to have completed over 115 repair projects in 2022 alone, reducing substandard housing in Rutherford County. Despite these accomplishments, the need for safe and secure housing in the area continues to grow, and RHP remains dedicated to transforming lives through home repairs.
Prior to 2020, many of RHP's volunteer groups came from programs such as individual church repair blitz days, such as Operation Inasmuch projects, and Youth Missions Day for local youth groups in the spring and fall. RHP also collaborates with United Way for the Week of Caring each fall and participates in National Make a Difference Day. The organization provides summer mission trip opportunities through Mission Serve and Appalachia Service Project. However, with the onset of COVID-19, RHP has had to adapt its approach to recruiting volunteers. The organization has increased staff from one full-time construction staff to two and now engages with summer programs such as Youth Works, partners with colleges and universities participating in Alternative Spring breaks, and receives support from programs like AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC). Despite these changes, the need for home repairs in Rutherford County continues to grow, and RHP remains committed to transforming lives through safe and secure housing.