Check out this great coverage of Grace and Mercy Foundation by local Richmond CBS News affiliate WTVR Channel 6!
WTVR: Ken Barney Heroes Among Us
Three years ago, Barney visited Pignon, Haiti, with fellow members of Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Glen Allen.
Fourteen-hundreds miles away from Richmond, abject poverty runs rampant and basic necessities are hard to come by in the mountain town.
“You could already sense there was a different way people lived,” Barney said. “It’s a pretty serious situation.”
Barney called the conditions “eye-opening” and said it was really something to “see” and “experience.”
In fact, that trip made a deep impression on Barney
“I guess I cried all the way from Port-au-Prince all the way back to Florida,” Barney recalled.
Barney knew he had to act when he returned to Richmond, so last fall the 66-year-old established the Grace and Mercy Foundation.
Barney’s non-profit replaces crude, leaky homes with sturdy ones, which cost about $4,000 to build.
“We try to build a house for the one that is most needed,” Barney said.
Barney’s group has built four homes so far and construction on a fifth is underway.
“It really makes you feel good that you can touch someone’s life and make a difference,” Barney said.
WTVR.com
“How trip prompted ‘faith journey’ for Richmond barber: ‘I know I can help someone’”