Our Habitat Riverside volunteers helped renovate the mobile home of a retired, senior couple, Ana and Pedro, in the Il Sorrento Mobile Home Park in Moreno Valley. Recently, Pedro had a stroke and has been in and out of the hospital. Since his wife, Ana, has been using income from Social Security to cover all of their expenses, they could not afford to improve the faded pinkish exterior of their home.  Indeed, these homeowner have received a first notice to have their home painted, in order to meet the park standards. Fortunately, our Habitat Riverside volunteers came to improve the deteriorating exterior of their home.

Habitat Riverside is very blessed to be able to rely on these dependable volunteers every time we need help with a project in the community. The weather on Thursday morning was absolutely perfect for our seventeen eager volunteers to help paint the mobile home.  Also, some of our volunteers including Sergio, a Habitat Riverside homeowner and his son, John, joined us once again to give a helping hand. Sergio and his family have been huge supporters of our A Brush with Kindness program by numerously volunteering for many community projects, while working on their sweat equity before they bought their Habitat home in 2012. Another homeowner, Janet, who recently began to work on her sweat equity, offered assistance as well.

After our orientation and prayer, the group all split off with their brushes, rollers and extension poles and went right to work.  It is always fun to watch that process evolve with our volunteer groups. It seems that the common mission of helping out someone in need pulls people together. The fact that the volunteers got to know each other along the way is just an added benefit!

The volunteers worked as a team and did not waste any time working on the walls, trim and awnings. The home was completely painted and renewed in just three and a half hours. Great work from everyone involved, and what a great relief for Pedro and Ana who are now in compliance with park regulations and can keep 100% of their focus on Pedro’s health and enjoying their retirement. After all, that’s the goal: A Brush with Kindness from volunteers in the community!