In Lynchburg, Virginia, families aren’t just building with LEGO bricks, they’re building hope.
This year, Lynchburg Covenant Fellowship (LCF) tried something brand new: a community-wide LEGO contest to raise money for affordable housing. “It is the first annual event,” said Connie Snavely, executive director of LCF. “We are celebrating our 75th anniversary of Lynchburg Covenant Fellowship, our nonprofit.”
And what better way to celebrate than with imagination and family fun?
At the Lynchburg community market, contestant Patrick Marchant proudly showed off the Fantastic Summer Treehouse he built with his younger sister Kathleen. “We do a lot with LEGO in our houses and we are fortunate that my husband held on to tubs full of [bricks], so we had a lot to work with,” their mom, Brady Marchant, said with a smile. “So we worked on the design together, worked on different trial and error. … It was definitely a family effort as far as trying to make sure it expressed all of us.”
Another contestant, Caedmon, crafted an Island Oasis Beach House while young Theo presented Ssembler’s House, both smiling from ear to ear next to their colorful creations. “They were really driven to try to do their very best [and] try to win one of the prizes,” Brady Marchant said of her two children. “And I think it was also fun that we were able to keep that motivation that it was not only the prize, but the good cause combined together, that helped us feel even more excited about promoting it.”
Snavely explained why the fundraiser mattered so deeply. “We provide affordable housing, so it seemed like the perfect fit to do a LEGO build contest. We were very pleased with all of the [responses]. All but one of our 14 entries are from youth and children. It became a family affair in some cases.”
LCF invited people both in and out of Lynchburg to vote online for their favorite designs. Each $1 vote goes directly to support affordable housing. “We are ‘housing with a heart,’” Snavely said. “We serve all populations, from the physically and intellectually disabled, elderly, those with mental health conditions.”
“Some of our housing is HUD subsidized and people pay a portion of their rent based on their income,” she added. “For people who are still low-income, but maybe above the income guidelines for a HUD property, they’re not able to go out and spend $1,000 or $1,200 for a nice, safe, decent apartment. So, these funds help us to maintain our property, as well as keep them affordable for people who need that assistance.”
And every single vote makes a difference. “[People] can vote on our website for each one,” Snavely said. “They can vote as many times as they want, and for as many as they would like to. We’ve got very creative designs, with a high level of detail inside them.”
The contest will close on August 31, with three winners taking home LEGO gift certificates in amounts of $250, $100, or $50. But in the end, the real prize is what these little bricks are helping build.
“In addition to supporting the [LEGO creators], you’re also helping people who need some help with keeping their rent so they can afford and so they can live in a safe, good home,” Snavely said. “Having a home means everything.”
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