The military veteran, confined to a wheelchair, hadn't left his Madisonville home in six years.
Most days, he watched videos and depended on others to bring him food and other household needs. He couldn't afford to have a ramp added to his home, a job that can cost about $5,000. Then he learned of a service called Modifications for Mobility, part of the non-profit People Working Cooperatively.
PWC constructed a ramp for his home, where he could then live more comfortably and with more stability. "It opened up the world to him," says Kim Sullivan, PWC's manager of marketing communications.
Sullivan says Modifications for Mobility works with people of all ages, from children born with disabilities to seniors trying to remain independent. She notes one young client who was born with defects that will keep him in a wheelchair for his entire life. Modifications to his home included turning the first-floor family living room into his bedroom, adding a washer and dryer to the first floor and installing a wheelchair-friendly shower. The job made it possible for the family to function with less stress on a single floor.
Modifications for Mobility jobs also include changes to bathrooms and kitchens so that family members with disabilities can function. Costs for these kinds of renovations can range up to $10,000 for a single bathroom, Sullivan says.
A bathroom may need a wider door to accommodate a wheelchair, a higher toilet seat and grab bars for independent transfers. In kitchens, residents may need counters and cabinets lowered, appliances rearranged and floor plans reconfigured for maneuverability.
"This keeps the most fragile neighbors in their homes," says Sullivan. "It helps the entire neighborhood."
She notes that an aging population means that more low-income residents are in need of changes to their homes that they can't afford. The average PWC client earns $13,000 a year. "There's not much left over for utility bills or home repairs," Sullivan says.
In 2010, PWC completed 13,000 home modifications, an increase of more than 11 percent from the year before.
As demand continues to grow, PWC continues to provide emergency and critical home repairs, as well as free weatherization, for the region's most vulnerable residents.
Do Good:
• Buy a brick. Celebrate PWC's 35th anniversary and be a part of the walkway to their Bond Hill offices for as little as $50. You can even use PayPal.
• Learn a skill. Attend one of PWC's monthly training sessions or apprentice with a pro, then use your skills during a PWC volunteer project.
• Connect on Facebook.
image provided by PWC
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