The helping hands of volunteers have made for some happy homeowners this week in Adams County’s Welby neighborhood.
Since June 8, more than 50 volunteers have descended daily on the unincorporated north metro community--bounded by Washingon Street and Colorado Boulevard between 70th and 88th Avenues--to complete all manner of minor exterior home repairs for qualified residents.
"We really needed this," said 36 year-old Jenn LeBlanc, who watched as eight volunteers from the First United Methodist Church painted the red trim on her modest ranch home. "It's been depressing to see all of the foreclosures around us and have our [home] values drop. Hopefully, this will make a difference."
If it does, LeBlanc will point to ‘Helping Hands,’ a partnership between Brothers Redevelopment and Adams County Community Development (ACCD) to repair homes in aging, unincorporated neighborhoods. Thanks to a $30,000 Community Development Block Grant from ACCD that has been endorsed by county commissioners, all improvements are being completed free of charge for qualified homeowners. The scope of home repairs made possible via the program's federal funding has ranged from house painting to fence installation, from gutter repairs to yard cleanups across the state's largest county.
“Brothers” has recruited hundreds of volunteers from all over the nation to complete the early summer spruce-ups—saving the county's homeowners thousands in home maintenance costs.
ACCD, meanwhile, is using ‘Helping Hands’ to highlight the many services it makes available to county homeowners and residents and to gain a better sense of the challenges facing the I-25 corridor community. In years past, such assessments have led to the creation of neighborhood associations and wide-scale infrastructure improvements.
Brothers also has been using the event to showcase its unique brand of home maintenance and repair services for low-income, elderly and disabled homeowners—all of which are being sought in greater numbers by Adams County residents. Over the past several years, the long-established nonprofit has served hundreds of homeowners across several Adams County communities.
In many cases, local officials have invited Brothers to share its services with residents. In addition the ACCD, Brothers since 2003 has developed formal partnerships with the cities of Brighton, Commerce City, Thornton and Northglenn.
"This is a wonderful program you have going here," said volunteer Marcia Donley. "It's been a great opportunity to learn about the needs that exist here."