By Erica Bohm

On Saturday August 17, 18 volunteer workers began rehabilitation on the home of Mr. and Mrs. William Brewer, and elderly couple living in Grant Park. Saturday’s work is the culmination of several month’s time spent in securing funds and making our arrangements for the Archdiocesan Rehab Project for the Elderly, sponsored by the Urban Affairs Office of Catholic Social Services, Inc.

Work plans had been drawn up by Dick Hotaling, whose wife is a parishioner of Our Lady of the Assumption. Winston Leverett, a parishioner at St. Paul of the Cross, supervised the workers at the site. Volunteers came with tools in hand from many of the metro-area parishes: men, women, adults and members of a youth group from Holy Cross joined enthusiastically in this productive and fun-filled effort.

The necessary repairs included interior and exterior painting, fixing the commode and rotted flooring, pulling down the ceiling and replacing it with sheet rock, and repairing the roof on the front porch.

The Brewer’s are representative of a large number of elderly people living on small, fixed incomes that do not allow for the great expense involved in hiring contractors to do home repairs. Once a city housing inspector has determined that a home is in need of repair, the owner is given a limited amount of time to comply.

If the owner is not able to have the repairs made, he or she is called before the Housing Appeals Board. This body would request again that the home be brought up to city code standards, but could offer no real option for a poor person (until the existence of the Rehab Project – and now, only for a small number of poor elderly).

The project funds are being used to purchase materials, the actual cost of which will be repaid by the elderly clients in no-interest monthly installments of a moderate amount, so that the funds will be replenished, allowing for the continuation of the project. The Raskob Foundation for Catholic Activities in Delaware has agreed to match $15,000 raised locally for the Rehab Project.

The Urban Affairs Office has been able to secure $10,000 in local funds; if $5,000 more could be obtained, Raskbo would match that amount, bringing the total to $30,000. Meanwhile, anybody able to donate the following, even in small quantities, should please call the Urban Affairs Office at 881-1680: all tools, cleaning products, hardware items, lumber. A pick-up truck and volunteer driver are also needed to help remove debris following work projects.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Ms. Bohm is the program assistant to Sister Janet Valente in the Urban Affairs Office.)