Occasionally Habitat for Humanity Riverside sends out notices to our determined volunteers that have already experienced an A Brush With Kindness project. It’s a wonderful feeling to have familiar faces returning to help. There are benefits to have returning volunteers on a paint day. The returning volunteers understand the program, they know how to paint and they have first-hand experience of the significance of helping homeowners who are in need.

Maria the homeowner is a senior citizen living on a fixed income and her home was in desperate need of some TLC. The original beige paint color and dark brown trims were faded and stained. The park management cited her because of the home’s exterior. They informed her that she needed her home painted or pay a fine. One of the ways Habitat Riverside is contacted and informed about homes that may be eligible for an ABWK project is by the park management. Some of the parks do not want to cite their residents. The park management understands that some homeowners cannot afford a new painted exterior; they understand that homeowners may be disabled or seniors.

In this case Habitat Riverside was notified and we contacted 6 eager volunteers to help. Since the group was smaller than anticipated our ABWK Project Coordinator pulled out the paint sprayer and sprayed the rear of the home, shed and most of the skirting. All the volunteers worked on other areas of the home and on all of the trim.

Although the paint day may have took a little longer to finish than anticipated, in the end the home was painted and looked good as new. Maria the homeowner loved the new colors of her home and was overjoyed with the work the volunteers and Habitat Riverside had done. Because of the paint day, Maria’s citation is now covered and rest assured no citation is in the near future.