The smile on the face of Bernice Robinson, 83, said it all.
The grandmother watched as volunteers worked on the house she has lived in for 42 years. Robinson just couldn’t keep up with the maintenance. Her home needed a new roof, new windows, and plumbing work, rot repair and electrical re-wiring.
Robinson said that, not only is she impressed with her home repairs and improvements, but she’s “highly impressed with the behavior of all the wonderful young people” that volunteered to do the hands-on.
But that has been the overwhelming reaction of hundreds helped by Builders Care.
It has been over two years since the Northeast Florida Builders Association heeded a call to help Jacksonville’s elderly, disabled and disadvantaged citizens. The Association launched Builders Care in October 2001, a program that has touched the lives of so many.
“Our ultimate goal is to lessen substandard housing in Duval County,” said Ken Kuester, Builders Care chairman. “Statistics from the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc. show there are nearly 40,000 substandard dwellings in Jacksonville alone.”
The plight of some recipients of Builders Care help has been heart-wrenching. The program has repaired over 300 severely deteriorating houses since it was started. The program has expanded to help the needy in Clay, Nassau and Putnam counties.
Builders Care performs renovations and emergency repairs on homes owned by senior citizens, the disadvantaged and disabled. Without Builders Care, they couldn’t afford the much-needed repairs.
In response to the call from the Northeast Florida Builders Association to “adopt a grandma,” a volunteer army of builders, contractors, community groups, churches and volunteers from Florida Youth Challenge Academy, Youth Build and the NEFBA Student Chapter at the University of North Florida went to work on dozens of homes in desperate need of repairs during a one-month blitz.
“Adopt a grandma” was the battle cry for the project’s official name, Operation Leverage, a marathon undertaking without traditional boundaries.
“We put all the resources available and utilize volunteers and members of the Northeast Florida Builders Association to make a great impact during those two months,” said Builders Care Executive Director Bill Wilson, a veteran certified contractor.
Builders Care specializes in making homes handicapped accessible, repairing roofs, siding, leaks; painting, general repairs and installing heating and air conditioning. Builders Care works closely with city and non-profit agencies in identifying needs in the community.
“There is a great need for services of this kind in the community.” Wilson said. “People are living longer and are on fixed incomes. Repairs are more inexpensive and much more attractive then having them lose their homes and having nowhere to turn but to a managed care facility. Builders Care allows them to remain in their longtime home. “
NEFBA’s Builders Care is that help.
“We want to restore dignity to these people’s lives,” Kuester said. “Most of them are survivors, putting up with unbelievable living conditions, but they deserve to live better.”
Builders Care holds a volunteer day on the third Saturday of each month.
Call Builders Care at 727-3443 for more information.