The Imagine Build will house four Oneida families with accessible homes

A grassroots program to build accessible homes for families in need on the Oneida Nation of the Thames is more than halfway to achieving its goal.

So far, two of four homes by The Imagine Build campaign are nearly complete.

It started with a goal of tackling the community’s housing crisis, said Oneida Chief Todd Cornelius.

“I feel great right now for the accessible homes that are coming to Oneida Nation of the Thames as we’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” said Chief Cornelius. “To see the partnership and people come together, it’s a really awesome feeling,” he said.

 The Imagine Build campaign has so far raised more than $900,000 through community fundraising events and philanthropy.

According to Jade Doxtator, the campaign has exceeded expectations said Imagine Build committee.

 “Our original goal was only one,” he explained. “And when we started raising and getting the funds together we quickly blew past that original goal for the first home, which led us up to this final goal of four. Now if we can get some more community support and more people behind the project hopefully we can build that number up even higher for the community.”

Doxtator said Oneida provides a loan to selected families to cover infrastructure costs like driveway and utility hookups. Monthly payments on the loan go back into the program to pay for the next home’s infrastructure.

Later this month, St. Thomas-based builder Doug Tarry Homes will build the third home in the Imagine Build campaign in a three-day blitz, using a crew of dozens of skilled trades-people working around the clock.

It will be all hands on deck, said Cornelius. “Lot of people could imagine what could happen when we all come together in a good way.”