Local Nonprofits Merge to Strengthen Home Repair Services in Swannanoa Valley

Hammer & Heart, a nonprofit organization that provides urgent repairs for Swannanoa Valley residents who are unable to maintain their homes, has merged with the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry. This partnership aims to strengthen efforts to address housing needs in the community.

Since its founding in 2021, Hammer & Heart has focused on providing urgent home repairs to neighbors in the Swannanoa Valley who are financially unable to maintain their homes in a safe or livable condition. The nonprofit immediately began addressing a steady flow of clients in need of its services.

The demand for assistance surged last September when Tropical Storm Helene battered homes across the region, leading to a torrent of requests for help. A new partnership with the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry will enhance the capacity of both organizations to meet these needs.

The idea to establish a collective of skilled volunteer labor capable of offering critical home repairs for local residents in need came to Mark and Kenda Mullert shortly after they opened Black Mountain Handyman in 2018. They launched the Black Mountain Love Project, which later became Hammer & Heart, three years later.

“They kept running into families who couldn’t afford these urgent repairs,” said Ben Fortson, executive director and one of the founders of the nonprofit. “Mark had an idea to form a nonprofit organization that could do this work, so he started inviting other contractors in to get something started.”

Mullert later established a board of directors, which discovered an adaptable model with a history of success in the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County. The organization has been leveraging volunteer efforts and donations to address an aging housing stock and low income level of many homeowners in the area for 22 years.

“They perfectly exhibited this model, and we connected with them early on,” Fortson said. “They were happy to meet with us, share their forms, process and ideas, and that really kickstarted our efforts.”

Hammer & Heart immediately began receiving applications and referrals to repair roofs, floors, plumbing, build wheelchair ramps, and install hand rails. The organization assists Swannanoa Valley residents without the financial means to cover costly repairs.

Hammer & Heart coordinates skilled volunteers to provide urgent home repairs to local residents in need. The nonprofit organization, established in 2021, has focused on addressing critical housing needs through community collaboration and volunteer support.

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