Pella Cooperative Electric Association and Forward with Faith together have secured a $360,000 loan through the United States Department of Agriculture Revolving Loan Fund program to build a women’s home for adults living with disabilities.

Pella Cooperative Electric utilizes the USDA’s economic loan programs to provide long-term contribution to the economic vitality of the communities it serves. For this project, the cooperative is providing $60,000 from their revolving loan fund, in addition to the $300,000 grant through USDA, totaling $360,000 in funds for Forward with Faith.

Forward with Faith is a non-profit organization dedicated to building homes where adults with disabilities can lead lives of dignity as their specialized physical, emotional and social needs are met. Their initial home for male adults, which was completed in 2019, was also funded, in part, through a USDA RLF loan with PCEA and Southwest Iowa REC.

Forward with Faith was established by Judy and Jerry Fynaardt after their son, Caleb, was in an accident in 2016. They believed Caleb and others with special needs like him needed to experience more of an adult life and opportunities, a goal which could be aided by moving into a home of his own and tailored to meet his abilities.

Currently, the Forward with Faith home houses four men who receive 24/7 care and live in a home that is an extension of their childhood home which reflects a living environment that they have always known. The second home will be built in Pella and will have the same footprint and services. Forward with Faith hopes to start construction this fall and have the home completed by May 2022.

This is Pella Cooperative Electric’s fourteenth USDA economic development loan project and has spurred over $5 million dollars of additional investment and helped retain and create over 100 jobs in Pella and surrounding communities through the program. For more information on how to volunteer or donate to Forward with Faith, visit www.forwardwithfaith.org.