Kindness Without Conditions....

For 69 year old John O’Meara, life was getting difficult.  The condition of his home had deteriorated much faster than he could keep up with it, with water streaming through a leaky roof, and sheets of plastic channeling the water into thee 8 gallon buckets.  The roof was 30 years old and missing shingles, the sub-roof rotted through, and numerous holes, resulting in considerable water damage inside the house.

Fixing the roof himself was out of the question, since his savings were eaten up by medical expenses related to the death of his wife in 2003.  “I had nowhere else to go,” said 69-year-old O’Meara, who lives outside McHenry in Nunda Township with his daughter, her husband and their three children.

Fortunately, the local chapter of Habitat For Humanity stepped in, installing a new roof through their “A Brush 

With Kindness” program. 

According to the Habitat For Humanity website, “A Brush with Kindness” is an exterior home preservation service that offers painting, landscaping, weather stripping and minor repair services for homeowners in need. ABWK helps low-income homeowners impacted by age, disability and family circumstances, who struggle to maintain the exterior of their homes, reclaim their homes with pride and dignity.

HFH selects partner families based on such variables as income, need, and willingness to partner, using volunteer labor and donated materials to keep costs as low as possible, and a no interest loan is made to the homeowner to cover the cost of the project. 

Habitat Executive Director Jerry Monica said Habitat also does safety repairs and accessibility work, such as building a ramp, or putting in railings or walk-in bathtubs for disabled people.  Habitat For Humanity is best known for providing affordable housing to low income individuals and families.

In the case of Mr. O’Meara, workers pulled off shingles, plywood, and insulation, and then went to work installing a new roof.  The project has an estimated cost between $4,600 and $8,000 (with overuns). There is a lien on the house for 10 years. Ten percent comes off the lien each year, as long as O’Meara stays in the house and doesn’t sell.

The program is funded through grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and through private donations.

Water Damage Local.com wholeheartedly applauds and encourages the efforts of Habitat For Humanity and its various chapters across the United States.  

Our nationwide network of water restoration professionals are available 24/7, and able to handle even the most severe water and flood damage problems.  From water removal and drying to carpet cleaning and mold removal, Water Damage Local.com is your one stop shop for all things water damage.