Volunterers helping neighboors

Good Works was able to work with a couple to get their home back to the comfortable cozy place it was before adversity struck

Chester County is known for its abundance and manicured neighborhoods. But not everyone in every community shares the same quality of life. Many needs go unmet among our neighbors with the discrepancies often not visible to those who are not directly impacted.

A few years ago Wendy, who lives in Honey Brook, suffered a back injury that kept her out of work and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis soon thereafter, forcing her to rely on permanent disability payments to make ends meet. Then her husband Joe underwent triple bypass heart surgery and became unemployed. To make matters worse, a particularly nasty storm sent a large tree falling through their roof. The damage lead to leaks that over time destroyed the flooring, the windows, and parts of the skirting of their modest home.

Because of the costs of their respective medical issues, coupled with their limited mobility, the family became overwhelmed with the cost of the maintenance and repair needs in their home and could not perform even mi-

nor maintenance themselves.

“It’s awful not knowing where your next penny is going to come from. It seems like it was one worry after another,” says Wendy, clearly effected by the toll events had taken on her.

Good Works was able to work with Wendy and Joe to get their home back to the comfortable cozy place it was before adversity struck. Volunteers replaced the roof, fixed the damaged subfloor, installed new windows, and built a handicapped accessible ramp for Wanda so that she was now able to enjoy her home, inside and out.

“Before Good Works, things were really rough. Their kindness has made life a whole lot easier for me. We’re so grateful and happy to be safe, warm and dry.”

Contributions to the United Way’s Share the Warmth program can be addressed to: Share the Warmth, c/o Daily Local News, 250 N. Bradford Avenue, West Chester, PA 19382. Attention: Andy Hachadorian, Editor.

COURTESY PHOTO Good Works volunteers use their collective muscle to construct a wheelchair ramp for Wendy whose disability prevented her from maintaining her home or even enjoying her front yard.