Platteville area group traveling to Jamaica to build houses for people in need

Courtesy: Lee Eggers

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. (WISC) -- A group of Wisconsinites will be heading to Jamaica this winter, but not for the warm weather.

Creators of Hope, a non-profit organization based in Cuba City, will be traveling to the rural central Jamaican village of Porus to build homes for local residents.

The volunteers from the nonprofit will bring their own tools in suitcases and buy local materials in order to build and fix 12-by-14-foot houses. Creators of Hope raised money to buy supplies through various fundraisers.

The organization is set to make two weeklong trips to Jamaica in January.

Joe Biba founded Creators of Hope four years ago. He said trips such as these have been really rewarding.

"It's just a great feeling to go and help someone that's in that dire of a need, and be able to come home with that feeling," Biba said.

This winter, the trip has become a family event for one Platteville family. Volunteer Tim Budden has been traveling with Creators of Hope for four years, and this year will be bringing his two daughters. After taking a mission trip through their church, Ashley and Lexi Budden decided to head to Jamaica with their father.

Share this article: