Habitat for Humanity’s vision is a “a world where everyone deserves a decent place to live” and our primary mission is to build affordable housing.  Equally important is our commitment to helping low-income families and individuals remain in their homes by providing critical home repairs, yard clean-ups, painting, and other essential home maintenance services.

Projects like these falls under our A Brush with Kindness program, which relies on teams of volunteers to complete needed home improvements at no cost to the homeowner. This fall, employees from the local offices of Granite Construction Company generously volunteered their time to help an elderly gentleman who was unable to maintain his yard. He had been cited by code compliance, and together we cleaned up his property and created a low-maintenance front yard he could manage.

Another vital part of our mission is helping homeowners with critical interior repairs—such as replacing unsafe toilets or showers, repairing flooring or windows, and addressing other health and safety concerns. For these needs, our A Brush with Kindness team brings in skilled trades or works through our Emergency Assistance program to resolve urgent issues.

One elderly woman who had recently suffered a stroke was struggling with a bathroom that had become dangerous to use. Her raised tub was sinking into the floor, and her toilet was unstable. We were able to renovate the tub, reinforce the subfloor, install new flooring, and replace old cabinets, fixtures, and the toilet. As a result, she can now use her bathroom safely and with dignity.

In another case, a single mother raising four young children was referred to us after moving into a new home with only one bed for all of her children. Through our Emergency Assistance program, we provided bunk beds and essential household supplies to help her family settle in safely and comfortably.

The list of families in need is never-ending, but through careful stewardship and community support, we stretch every dollar as far as possible to help as many people as we can.