What wonders a new coat of paint can do!
Gladys May, a Green River senior citizen, approached the Epicenter to inquire about the Fix It First program. During an initial home visit, Fix It First staff discovered that Gladys’ home had six cracked window panes and was in need of a new coat of exterior paint. The broken panes allowed dust and the elements into the home, raising Gladys’ energy bills and increasing the amount of microscopic particles in the indoor air. With the help of eighteen volunteers from the Evangelical Lutheran Churches of America (Boulder, CO) on an alternative spring break, the house was sealed from the elements by replacing the broken window panes. Additionally, the home gained a protective layer from the elements with a fresh coat of white and green paint. Gladys was happy with the work and even baked a special sweet batch of sugar muffins for all of the volunteers. Now that the house has a fresh coat of paint and new windows, Gladys says, “I have a pretty house, I like my home, and I am proud of it.”
A before photograph of the house
Epicenter’s Fix it First program began in response to the City of Green River’s 2012 Housing Assessment that identified 46% of the housing stock is in need of critical repairs. Without these repairs, homeowners are living in substandard, inadequate, and/or unhealthy homes. Fix it First helps the moderate- to low-income and elderly homeowners in Green River keep their homes safe and healthy by providing the up-front cost and labor for small, but critical, home repair projects. Funding for this revolving loan program is provided through private grants from Bike & Build and in-kind support. Income from home improvements is used to fund more Fix It First projects. Project performed include: siding repair, handrail installation, grab bar installation, accessibility ramps, small roof repairs, window repair/replacement and other energy efficiency improvements.
For more information on Fix It First, please call (435) 564-3330 or visit Epicenter at 180 S. Broadway, Green River, Utah.