Local business delivering portable tiny homes to hurricane victims in Tennessee

GLASGOW, Ky. (WBKO) – Nuway Custom Portable Buildings is helping victims impacted by Hurricane Helence in east Tennessee.

The Glasgow business is set to deliver 10 to 15 portable and tiny homes to Newport, TN on Thursday.

The owner, Jon McDougan said the donation project started when an individual from Knoxville found them on Google and reached out.

In the partnership, Nuway is doing a dollar-for-dollar match to funds the individual and their friends raise. They have currently raised about $100,000.

McDougan visited Newport last week to see Hurricane Helene’s devastation firsthand and speak with people who lost everything.

“Communities have been completely wiped out. A lot of the individuals didn’t have flood insurance so they are living in tents in their front yards,” McDougan said. “It’s starting to get cold there, so we’ve been wanting to see how we could give back. We’ve been blessed with the business and want to kind of pay it forward.”

One elderly couple receiving a portable structure told McDougan they barely escaped their house when the water rose about 30 feet in less than 18 hours.

“It still started coming up. He actually told his wife he didn’t think they were going to be able to make it,” McDougan said. “Right then, the helicopter actually rescued them and then they both saw their house going right down the river.”

Another person McDougan spoke to said her father had passed away the previous week. The land she and her son inherited completely washed away.

“This was his land and they lost every structure on there,” he said. “The house that they were in actually was lifted off the foundation and then brought down about 150 yards from where it was sitting.”

Nuway is partnering with several other people to raise money and deliver the structures to Newport. They are sending buildings of all different sizes; some are tiny homes for individuals and couples, while the bigger portable homes can fit a small family.

The buildings will have all the electrical framing and foam insulation done by the time they’re delivered. Then people in Newport will complete the home with plumbing, fixtures and finishings.

McDougan said they hope to fill the buildings with as many donations of water, clothing and other necessities as possible. He welcomes anyone with supplies or monetary donations to reach out.

They can visit Nuway’s office at 2631 New Bowling Green Road in Glasgow or call him on his cell, 270-590-3744.

They’ll be making deliveries for the next two weeks.

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