A home-building project that local Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Rodney Goodman calls “a little overwhelming” may be a little less so today.

Goodman, who announced in April the “BG Strong Build Blitz” that is expected to stand up 10 townhome residences in 10 weeks, on Wednesday received both financial help and some sweat equity to help him meet that goal.

Assured Partners, a multi-state insurance brokerage firm with an office in Bowling Green, teamed with United Way of Southern Kentucky to announce a $100,000 donation to the Habitat project on the same day that volunteers from a church in Indiana were working on the townhome foundations.

“When we heard about it, we knew we had to participate,” said Corey Freeman, Midwest Region president for Assured Partners. “It’s the right thing to do.”

Freeman explained that Assured Partners has an “AP Cares” fund that is used to assist in natural disasters around the country. After the December tornadoes tore through Bowling Green, the company’s leaders looked for a way to help.

Some employees in the insurance broker’s Bowling Green office had connections with United Way of Southern Kentucky, which in turn had a connection with Habitat.

“We reached out to United Way,” Freeman said. “We wanted to make sure the money would be used for the right cause.”

Goodman believes Assured Partners found such a cause in the “build blitz,” which will not only help tornado victims but also address an affordable housing shortage that was evident before the tornadoes struck.

Using $50,000 from the AP Cares fund and other possible resources, Assured Partners announced the $100,000 donation Wednesday at the build site.

“This is a very expensive project,” Goodman said. “To have partners step up and give cash to keep it going is huge.”

The project’s goal is to construct six three-bedroom townhome units and four four-bedroom units in a Habitat subdivision along Regis O’Connor Boulevard during a 10-week period from late July through the end of September.

It’s part of a broader Habitat goal of building 100 housing units statewide, with 30 of those being in Bowling Green.

Thanks to infrastructure investments by the city of Bowling Green and cash infusions from the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund and the Kentucky Housing Corp., the homes can be purchased by low-income families at bargain prices.

The city has pumped more than $600,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds into the project, and Team Kentucky and KHC are putting $400,000 each into it.

Already affordable at an estimated $160,000, the townhomes will have their price tags essentially cut in half by the KHC and Team Kentucky contributions.

The cost to build the townhomes is being further cut by volunteer labor of the type that was on scene Wednesday on a sweltering day.

A team of 18 people from Liberty (Ind.) Church of Christ was on hand, helping with the concrete-block foundation and subfloor assembly.

“Jesus tells us that we’re supposed to help others,” said 71-year-old Danny Vangen, one of the volunteers. “I’m glad we can help.”

Freeman said more volunteer help is on its way when the 10-week “build blitz” kicks off in earnest next month.

“On July 27 we’ll have 75 to 100 employees on site for our volunteer day,” Freeman said.

Such help is needed, Goodman said, to complete what he estimates to be a $1.5 million project that has already drawn a lot of interest from local residents seeking housing.

“We’ve taken almost 200 applications,” he said. “The need is great. Some were displaced by the tornado and others are people who can’t afford this type of housing without some sort of subsidy or assistance.”

– Follow business reporter Don Sergent on Twitter @BGDNbusiness or visit bgdailynews.com.