Joining together to renovate Detroit one block at a time
During August 6th-14th, 2011 Handyman Ministries renovated twenty one homes on the entire 400 block of Tennessee, Detroit Mi. 48215. Repairs includes new roofs, gutters, fences, chimneys, porches, stairs, handrails, foundations, soffits, fascias, walls, floors, ceilings, painting and all areas of plumbing and electrical. Handyman Ministries’ mission is to ensure that every home is safe, sanitary, energy efficient and habitable but they didn’t stop there. Every home was beautified with landscaping, tree trimming, rock and flower gardens, painting, field clean-up, grass cutting and garbage removal.
The neighbors work with the volunteers on the repairs at their own home as well as their neighbor’s houses. Everyday volunteers and neighbors gather together for a lunch barbecue and shared in prayer and community bonding. The testimonies are incredible. Most neighbors didn’t know each other’s names and some had said they haven’t spoken more than 10 words to fellow neighbors in the last 15 years. Now they are working together on helping one another keep up the block. They all have become good friends. One lady is very sick and some of the young ladies on the block are working together to prepare the family food and are taking turns babysitting for her younger children.
Handyman Ministries is working with the neighbors and the Detroit Community Access Center to form a block association and a crime watch.
“Our hope going in to this was to get the neighbors working together as a geographical family focused on their collective needs and neighborhood improvements in order to instill a renewed sense of mutual respect and pride in each other and their community” said Timothy Addy, Executive Director of Handyman Ministries. Addy says “theNeighborhood Revitalization Initiative was a pilot project that had tremendous success and with the proper support of the community we will continue to renovate Detroit one block at a time.”
If you would like to get involved or support this worthy cause visit www.handymanministries.com or donations may be sent by mail: (checks payable to) Handyman Ministries at 15215 Mack Ave. Detroit Mi. 48224.
