In 2013, New Story co-founder Brett Hagler was on a trip to Haiti where he met families living in unstable tent communities due to the 2010 earthquake that destroyed thousands of homes. Many non-profits provided immediate disaster relief, but three years after the earthquake, these families were still living in tents, unable to recover and rebuild safe homes. Hagler saw the need for long-term living solutions, and was driven to find a way to build even one new home for one family.