BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - The Butte Strong Fund has approved a nearly seven-figure grant that will help Habitat for Humanity of Butte County build 10 homes a year for 10 years to address the local housing shortage after the Camp Fire.

The grant for up to $903,511 over four years will help Habitat for Humanity hire staff to increase their home-building output in Butte County from six homes a year to 10 homes a year.

In April, Habitat for Humanity was the recipient of a $500,000 Butte Strong Fund grant that will allow the organization to purchase lots for homes in the Camp Fire footprint.

“Habitat for Humanity of Butte County is humbled and grateful for the significant capacity-building support from the Butte Strong Fund,” said Nicole Bateman, executive director for Habitat for Humanity of Butte County. “With this foundational support, our goal is to increase house building, reaching 10 houses per year by 2024. This is double our current capacity, and this grant will help us strategically make this transition. We know that affordable housing is the No. 1 need in our community, and we are committed to doing our part to get families back on the ridge. In partnership with NVCF and Butte Strong, we are honored to be helping rebuild after the Camp Fire.”

Learn more about Habitat for Humanity projects in Paradise, how to apply to become a Habitat homeowner and volunteer opportunities by visiting https://www.buttehabitat.org/current-projects.

With the latest grants, NVCF has now awarded more than $45 million for community recovery via Camp Fire funds since the devastating fire on Nov. 8, 2018.

The Butte Strong Fund is a partnership of fundraising efforts led by NVCF, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Other Butte Strong Fund grants awarded in the past month include:

$50,000 for Paradise Adventist Church’s Love Delivers project. Love Delivers provides food, furniture and other household items to residents in need in the Camp Fire footprint; $40,000 for Paradise Stronger, a nonprofit public charity with a focus on fitness, wellness education and recovery. The grant will allow Paradise Stronger to offer scholarships for memberships and continue to offer programs such as classes in the park, garden workshops and larger community events. The organization strives to provide a healthy and productive approach to the mental, emotional and physical strain they encounter in the process of rebuilding; $5,000 for the Basket Brigade Support Fund to expand the annual Azad’s Thanksgiving Basket Brigade into the Camp Fire footprint. The Basket Brigade’s goal this year is to assemble and distribute 1,000 Thanksgiving meals, including 250 to 300 in the burn area.

Organizations interested in applying for Butte Strong Fund grants can visit nvcf.org/buttestrongfund to determine if they qualify for funding. Donations to the fund can also be made on the web page.