By Rick Abercrombie
Representing Homeworks of America, local Executive Director Madelyn Smith spoke to St. Andrews Optimists October 10. The Optimists have partnered with Homeworks for several years and donate hands-on and financial support to the organization’s efforts. Smith oversees the work of both the Columbia and Lowcountry locations.
Self-described as a Christ-centered enterprise, Homeworks’ slogan is “Where Compassion Meets Construction.” It offers free home repairs to low-income homeowners who cannot physically or financially do that work themselves. It is estimated that a home needing this work would have no more than four years of liveability remaining, unaddressed.
The benefits to the community are:
1. Enhancement of the existing property, with the livability of the home extended anywhere from 11 to 20 years.
2. The opportunity for committed citizens to work on a project with tangible results.
3. The involvement of youth volunteers into the project’s work team where they can learn new skills and where they can interact with adults in a positive setting. Many of the youth become repeat crew members.
4. Upgrading the value of the surrounding neighborhood.
To qualify for Homeworks’ assistance, the candidate must have owned and occupied the home for at least five years. There is also an income criterion that must be met: the household income must not exceed the HUD “very low income” guideline, and the source must be passive, such as retirement pension, Social Security, or SSI Disability.
Once a site has been approved for repairs, a Site Manager inspects the home to formulate a plan of action. That plan will include a prioritization of the work ahead, with a list of tools, materials, and number of volunteers identified.
One of the most frequent urgent needs for a Homeworks project is roofing. As Joe Huggins, Homeworks’ previous Executive Director, once stated it, “dry is half the battle.” Also, in low-income homes, termite damage is common.
After completing the repairs, Homeworks conducts a debriefing to review and assess the effectiveness of its work. This review happens for every single home repaired.
Interested readers can visit homeworksofameerica.org online.
Pictured are speaker sponsor Larry Blosser, who is also a Homeworks Site Manager, Madelyn Smith, and Club President David Kafitz.
