In addition to Epicenter’s Fix It First home repair program, we also co-facilitate Habitat for Humanity of Castle Country’s A Brush With Kindness (ABWK) minor home repair program. Both programs target homes in need of repairs, maintenance, and minor construction projects. Fix it First focuses on solely Green River while Habitat covers a narrower range of projects over a larger area. Habitat and Epicenter are now celebrating their one year anniversary of the A Brush With Kindness program!
Since late 2013, Epicenter and Habitat for Humanity of Castle Country have partnered to assist homeowners in revitalizing their homes through A Brush With Kindness. This program is an offshoot of the main Habitat for Humanity International, which is an international non-profit organization known for building simple, decent, and affordable housing in partnership with people in need. A Brush With Kindness focuses on home repair for homeowners, primarily on the exterior of the house. Repairs to siding, roofing, and exterior paint are common projects. The program is designed to bring routine rehabilitation to improve the standard of living and help beautify communities.
Offering services to both Emery and Carbon Counties, the A Brush With Kindness program has completed seventeen projects thus far. Six of these projects have been completed in Emery County and eleven in Carbon County. Projects have ranged from repairing porches to installing safety ramps and replacing doors to fixing roofs. Homeowners attest that through A Brush With Kindness they “feel safer” and “could not have afforded [this repair] any other way.” One repair project solved pest issues and another project eliminated kitchen leaks. Another homeowner stated, “I feel safe now that I don’t have things flying off my roof that could hurt my kids.”
Recent partnerships include community members like Howard Burnett of Green River and Sherry Agnew of Columbia, Utah. Howard and his wife’s home had some problems with leaks in their roof and broken shingles. Habitat for Humanity of Castle Country was able to use extra shingles Howard had lying around to fix the roof at an affordable price. Sherry’s main concern was safety. She requested deadbolts on her doors as well as the safe removal of an debilitated carport roof.
To keep up-to-date on Habitat for Humanity of Castle Country’s efforts visit their blog and Facebook page.