Hometown Missions holds annual fundraiser

Hometown Missions held its third annual Strong Foundations Fundraiser on Oct. 2 at Hog Heaven. The event was well attended and raised monetary funds for the non-profit’s 2026 housing projects.

Hometown Missions is a faith-based non-profit that is dedicated to ensuring that all residents of Dripping Springs have access to safe and healthy housing. It was founded in 2010 by local home builder Chuck Lemmond to help area residents whose housing conditions were in desperate need of upgrade for both safety and health reasons.

In its 15-year existence, Hometown Missions has completed 64 major projects impacting 200-plus neighbors, Hometown Missions Operations Manager Chris Kelker-Newlan said.

“We’ve also done many smaller projects like replacing appliances, yard work, and home-repairs,” Kelker-Newlan said.

Kelker-Newlan said this year’s fundraiser was particularly noteworthy for him.

“This year’s fundraiser was special because it celebrated Hometown Missions 15th year of service to our Dripping Springs community and our guest speaker was Alan Graham, founder of Mobile Loaves & Fishes,” Kelker-Newlan said. “Alan helped us obtain a donated FEMA trailer 15 years ago, which we used to help the first family we assisted.”

Hometown Missions President Dave Edwards said they were deeply moved by Graham’s message.

“Alan challenged us to redefine what it truly means to be ‘home,’” Edwards said. “It reminded us that a home isn’t just walls and a roof, but also dignity, and love. Seeing so many past Hometown Missions homeowners and volunteers in one space was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do: together, we’re building more than houses — we’re building hope.”

As the organization enters its 16th year of helping neighbors, Kelker-Newlan said it continues to seek not just money, but volunteer help for its projects.

“We continually seek volunteers of all skill levels to join us in our mission. Whether you’re part of a church group, a local organization or business, or an individual looking to make a difference, there are numerous opportunities to get involved,” Kelker-Newlan said. “Together, we can continue to build hope and transform lives within our community.”

For more information on Hometown Missions, visit Hometownmissions.org.